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Rachna Singh
Minister of Education and Child Care of British Columbia
In office December 7, 2022 – November 18, 2024
Premier	David Eby
Preceded by	Jennifer Whiteside (Minister of Education)
Succeeded by	Lisa Beare
Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives of British Columbia
In office November 26, 2020 – December 7, 2022
Premier	John Horgan David Eby
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Mable Elmore
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for Surrey-Green Timbers
In office May 9, 2017 – September 21, 2024
Preceded by	Sue Hammell
Succeeded by	Mandeep Dhaliwal
Personal details
Born	1972 (age 51–52) Delhi, India
Political party	New Democratic Party
Spouse	Gurpreet Singh
Children	2
Residence	Surrey, British Columbia
Alma mater	Panjab University (MA, Clinical Psychology)

Rachna Singh (born 1972) is a Canadian politician and trade unionist who represented the electoral district of Surrey-Green Timbers in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 2017 until 2024. A member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP) caucus, she has served as Minister of Education and Child Care of British Columbia from December 2022 until 2024.

Biography

Singh was born in Delhi, and grew up in Chandigarh. She attended Panjab University, from which she received a master's degree in psychology. She moved to Canada in 2001, settling in Surrey, British Columbia. Prior to her election to the legislature, Singh worked as a drug and alcohol counsellor. She became active in her labour union local, and eventually became a National Representative (staff) for the Canadian Union of Public Employees representing workers through advocacy in grievance handling, labour arbitrations, organizing, community and political activism and helping advise local unions on matters of internal administration.

With incumbent Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Surrey-Green Timbers Sue Hammell declining to seek re-election in 2017, Singh decided to contest the BC NDP nomination for the riding. She was acclaimed as the NDP's candidate, then went on to defeat Liberal candidate and former Surrey-Green Timbers MLA Brenda Locke at the general election.

After winning re-election in 2020, Singh was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives by Premier John Horgan. On December 7, 2022 she was named Minister of Education and Child Care by Premier David Eby.

Singh is married to Gurpreet Singh, a journalist for the Georgia Straight and publisher of the Radical Desi magazine; they have two children together. Both descend from families with a history of activism for various social and economic causes in their native India. She is a secular Sikh.

Electoral history

References

1. ^ "Rachna Singh - South Asian Canadian Heritage". University of the Fraser Valley. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
2. ^ Saltman, Jennifer; Fumano, Dan (May 10, 2017). "B.C. Election 2017: Brar, NDP take six of nine Surrey ridings". The Province/The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
3. ^ Smith, Charlie (January 29, 2017). "B.C. NDP nominates Rachna Singh in Surrey–Green Timbers". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
4. ^ Bhasin, Sukhmeet (December 8, 2022). "Punjab native Rachna Singh first South Asian woman Education Minister in British Columbia". The Tribune. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
5. Kupchuk, Rick (January 18, 2017). "Community activist seeks NDP nomination". Peace Arch News. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
6. Zytaruk, Tom (October 24, 2020). "Surrey-Green Timbers: NDP's Rachna Singh re-elected, defeating Liberal Dilraj Atwal". Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
7. Zytaruk, Tom (November 26, 2020). "Surrey gets two cabinet ministers, a parliamentary secretary and government whip". Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
8. "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.
9. Zytaruk, Tom (December 8, 2022). "Four Surrey MLAs named to Eby's cabinet". Peace Arch News. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
10. Saltman, Jennifer (November 29, 2019). "Prayers to continue at B.C. legislature, but now there will also be 'reflections'". The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
11. https://globalnews.ca/news/10779102/bc-election-2024-results-surrey-north/
12. "Statement of Votes — 42nd Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
13. "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
14. "2017 Provincial General Election - Statement of Votes" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
15. "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved September 13, 2020.

External links

• Legislative Assembly of British Columbia - MLA: Hon. Rachna Singh

• 1972 births
• Living people
• British Columbia New Democratic Party MLAs
• Ministers of education of British Columbia
• People from Surrey, British Columbia
• Women MLAs in British Columbia
• Trade unionists from British Columbia
• 21st-century Canadian women politicians
• Indian emigrants to Canada
• Panjab University alumni
• Canadian women trade unionists
• 21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia