Father, we thank You for Raj Chouhan, MLA for Burnaby-Edmonds and Assistant Deputy Speaker. You knew every one of his days before he was even born and brought him to BC for a reason and purpose. We pray You would guide his steps into that purpose and bring about all that You have planned for his life. We pray that Your mighty power and wisdom would be revealed to him as he journeys this path and that his destiny would become apparent to him. We thank You for his willingness to serve and for the energy he expends in doing so. We pray for fulfilled desires and times of refreshing for MLA Chouhan and we ask that You bless him with good health. We pray this in Jesus’ name.
Raj Chouhan was first elected as the MLA for Burnaby-Edmonds in May 2005. He was then re-elected in May 2009 and again in May 2013.
Raj serves as Assistant Deputy Speaker. Previously he has served as Opposition Critic for Labour, Human Rights, Multiculturalism and Immigration.
Raj immigrated to Canada in 1973. As a student in India, he was actively involved in student union activities. Upon his arrival in Canada, Raj was greatly impacted by the plight of other immigrant workers and the wide disparity between the rich and poor in a prosperous country. This contributed to his ongoing advocacy for community and social justice for workers.
Raj is the founding president of the Canadian Farmworkers’ Union and served as the director of bargaining for the Hospital Employees Union for 18 years, and as a member of the Labour Relations Board and the Arbitration Bureau.
A founding member of the B.C. Organization to Fight Racism, Raj has worked relentlessly in promoting human rights and racial equality. He has served as the vice-president of B.C. Human Rights Defenders since 2003. Raj has taught courses on human rights, the B.C. Labour Code and collective bargaining since 1987. He has also travelled across Canada to give seminars and attend conferences that raise the awareness of issues such as racism, poverty, worker rights and discrimination.
Raj continues to support organizations in his community and has helped to promote diverse programs including neighbourhood safety, refugee assistance and health and wellness programs for seniors.