Jagrup Brar is a Canadian politician. He is a member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in British Columbia, representing the riding of Surrey-Panorama Ridge from 2004 to 2009, then Surrey-Fleetwood from 2009 to 2013 and since 2017. A member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP), he has served as the province's minister of State for Trade since 2022.
Jagrup Brar | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Minister of State for Trade of British Columbia | |
| Assumed office December 7, 2022 | |
| Premier | David Eby |
| Preceded by | George Chow |
| Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for Surrey-Fleetwood | |
| Assumed office May 9, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Peter Fassbender |
| In office May 12, 2009 – May 14, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Riding Established |
| Succeeded by | Peter Fassbender |
| Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for Surrey-Panorama Ridge | |
| In office October 28, 2004 – May 12, 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Gulzar Cheema |
| Succeeded by | Stephanie Cadieux[1] |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1957 or 1958 (age 65–66)[2] Bathinda District, Punjab, India |
| Political party | New Democrat |
| Residence | Surrey, British Columbia |
| Alma mater | University of Manitoba |
Background edit
Born in Bathinda District, Punjab, India,[3] Brar was part of the India men's national basketball team.[4][5] He moved to Canada to study at the University of Manitoba, where he received a Master's degree in Public Administration.[4] He then moved to Surrey, British Columbia, where he worked in career and entrepreneurship development for non-profit organizations, including as executive director of the Surrey Self Employment and Entrepreneur Development Society (SEEDS).[4][5]
He has two children with wife Rajwant.[4]
Political career edit
He first entered politics by running as the NDP candidate in the October 2004 by-election for the riding of Surrey-Panorama Ridge, triggered by the resignation of BC Liberal MLA Gulzar Cheema.[6] He won the by-election with 6,740 votes (53.59%), defeating Liberal candidate Mary Polak to become a member of British Columbia's 37th Legislative Assembly.[7] He was re-elected to the legislature by winning 11,553 votes (53.17%) in the 2005 provincial election,[8] and served as opposition deputy caucus chair and opposition critic for public safety and the Solicitor General in the 38th Legislative Assembly.[9]
With the NDP reserving the Surrey-Panorama riding for a female candidate in the 2009 provincial election,[10] Brar instead contested the newly established riding of Surrey-Fleetwood, winning the seat by 1,992 votes.[5][11] He was named critic for small business by NDP leader Adrian Dix in April 2011.[12]
In early 2012, Brar participated in the Raise the Rates MLA Welfare Challenge by living on $610 for one month, the standard wage given to welfare recipients in BC at the time. Brar lived in a small room in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside for part of the month-long challenge. He lost 26 pounds during the event and reported feeling constantly hungry and his mind "fuzzy" due to a lack of adequate nutrition and sleep. He kept a blog of his experiences and the media exposure surrounding the event significantly raised public awareness of welfare rates in BC.[13]
In August 2012, Brar was criticized by Liberal MLA Bill Bennett for praising Cuba's health and education system on a Punjabi radio station after a holiday in the communist country.[14]
He was defeated in the 2013 provincial election by BC Liberal candidate Peter Fassbender by 200 votes.[5][15] He then ran for president of the BC NDP[16] but lost to Craig Keating at the November 2013 party convention.[17]
In the 2017 provincial election Brar defeated Fassbender in a re-match,[15] then won re-election in the 2020 provincial election.[18] He was acclaimed as caucus chair for the governing NDP on November 10, 2021, replacing outgoing chair Bob D'Eith.[19]
On December 7, 2022 he was named Minister of State for Trade by Premier David Eby.[20][21]
Electoral record edit
| 2020 British Columbia general election: Surrey-Fleetwood | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| New Democratic | Jagrup Brar | 11,457 | 60.93 | +7.51 | $61,844.02 | |||
| Liberal | Garry Thind | 5,776 | 30.72 | −5.03 | $62,863.75 | |||
| Green | Dean McGee | 1,571 | 8.35 | −2.48 | $702.09 | |||
| Total valid votes | 18,804 | 100.00 | – | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | 138 | 0.73 | −0.04 | |||||
| Turnout | 18,942 | 50.77 | −8.75 | |||||
| Registered voters | 37,309 | |||||||
| Source: Elections BC[22][23] | ||||||||
| 2017 British Columbia general election: Surrey-Fleetwood | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| New Democratic | Jagrup Brar | 11,085 | 53.58 | +9.17 | $74,487 | |||
| Liberal | Peter Fassbender | 7,599 | 36.73 | −8.70 | $66,268 | |||
| Green | Tim Binnema | 2,004 | 9.69 | +3.88 | $879 | |||
| Total valid votes | 20,688 | 100.00 | – | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | 160 | 0.77 | +0.10 | |||||
| Turnout | 20,848 | 59.52 | +3.80 | |||||
| Registered voters | 35,025 | |||||||
| Source: Elections BC[24][25] | ||||||||
| 2013 British Columbia general election: Surrey-Fleetwood | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Liberal | Peter Fassbender | 8,974 | 45.43 | +5.89 | $191,875 | |||
| New Democratic | Jagrup Brar | 8,774 | 44.41 | −4.88 | $74,514 | |||
| Green | Tim Binnema | 1,147 | 5.81 | −0.62 | $1,641 | |||
| Conservative | Murali Krishnan | 801 | 4.05 | −0.66 | $1,275 | |||
| Vision | Arvin Kumar | 59 | 0.30 | – | $2,195 | |||
| Total valid votes | 19,755 | 100.00 | – | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | 134 | 0.67 | −0.33 | |||||
| Turnout | 19,889 | 55.72 | +1.76 | |||||
| Registered voters | 35,692 | |||||||
| Source: Elections BC[26] | ||||||||
References edit
- ^ Surrey-Panorama
- ^ Kupchuk, Rick (April 16, 2013). "B.C. Votes: Surrey-Fleetwood candidates on the record". Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- ^ Mackin, Bob (December 7, 2022). "NDP trade minister switch signals alignment with federal strategy to emphasize India". Business in Vancouver. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- ^ a b c d "Jagrup Brar". www.leg.bc.ca. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
- ^ a b c d Young, Leslie (May 15, 2013). "Surrey-Fleetwood results: Langley mayor Fassbender defeats NDP incumbent". Global News. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- ^ McMartin, Will (October 6, 2004). "Why James Isn't Running in Surrey". The Tyee. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- ^ "Report of the Chief Electoral Officer on the Surrey-Panorama Ridge By-election October 28, 2004" (PDF). Elections BC. April 12, 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 3, 2006.
- ^ "Statement of Votes - 38th Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. November 14, 2005. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- ^ "MLA: Jagrup Brar". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. June 23, 2005. Archived from the original on February 21, 2006.
- ^ Holman, Sean (September 10, 2008). "Brar won't run again in Surrey-Panorama Ridge". The Tyee. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- ^ "Surrey-Fleetwood". CBC News. April 3, 2013. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- ^ MacLeod, Andrew (April 26, 2011). "Dix announces BC NDP shadow cabinet". The Tyee. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- ^ "NDP MLA Jagrup Brar prepares to bring welfare lessons back to B.C. legislature". The Georgia Straight. January 25, 2012. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
- ^ "Liberal accuses B.C. NDP MLA of pushing communism". CBC News. August 28, 2012. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
- ^ a b Pawson, Chad (May 10, 2017). "Jagrup Brar, Jinny Sims and Garry Begg upset Liberals in Surrey ridings". CBC News. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- ^ Pablo, Carlito (October 30, 2013). "Jagrup Brar eyes B.C. NDP presidency". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- ^ Smith, Charlie (November 17, 2013). "Craig Keating elected president of the B.C. NDP". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- ^ "Surrey-Fleetwood: Jagrup Brar re-elected for NDP". Surrey Now-Leader, via Cloverdale Reporter. May 10, 2017. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- ^ "Surrey-Fleetwood MLA Jagrup Brar acclaimed as new chair of BC NDP caucus". BC New Democratic Party Caucus. November 10, 2021. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- ^ "B.C. Premier David Eby unveils new cabinet with Niki Sharma, Katrine Conroy and Ravi Kahlon in top posts". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
- ^ Zytaruk, Tom (December 8, 2022). "Four Surrey MLAs named to Eby's cabinet". Peace Arch News. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
- ^ "Statement of Votes — 42nd Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
- ^ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
- ^ "2017 Provincial General Election - Statement of Votes" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
- ^ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
- ^ "Statement of Votes - 40th Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
External links edit
