Father we pray for MLA Raj Chouhan and ask that your blessing would rest on his life today. Thank you for the talents you have given him to serve his riding of Burnaby-Edmunds. May he sense a renewed purpose in his position and find increased energy to do his job most effectively for the betterment of our province. Thank you for Raj and those close to him. Amen
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.