A former B.C. government cabinet minister is being recognized by Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) for his tireless work and dedication to improving the lives of working people.
Bruce Ralston, who served five terms as a B.C. New Democratic Party MLA, will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws during convocation ceremonies at KPU Surrey on Tuesday, Feb. 25.
“It is an honour to be recognized by Kwantlen Polytechnic University in this way. As the MLA for Surrey Whalley, I always championed the work of KPU and its important contribution to our province,” says Ralston.
Born in Victoria, Ralston was raised in Vancouver and spent many of his summers as a youngster with his grandparents in Smithers. Initially a student of history, Ralston earned his undergraduate degree at the University of B.C. (UBC) and a Master of Arts from the University of Cambridge. He returned to UBC to complete his Bachelor of Laws.
In 1982 he was called to the bar of B.C. and ran a successful law practice for 24 years before being elected to the B.C. legislature. He was recognized with the King’s counsel (KC) designation in 2021 for exceptional contributions to the legal profession in B.C.
Ralston's career in elected politics began in 1988, when he was elected to Surrey City Council, for which he served two terms. From 1995 to 2006, he was a director of VanCity Credit Union, serving as chair of the board for two years. He also served as volunteer president of the B.C. NDP from 1996 to 2001, and on the boards of Surrey Memorial Hospital and Surrey Public Library.
In 2005, he was elected MLA for Surrey-Whalley, where he and his wife Miriam Sobrino have lived since 1986, and where their three children were born and raised. He was re-elected four consecutive times: in 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2020. Ralston did not seek reelection in 2024.
When the NDP government was elected in 2017, he was appointed by Premier John Horgan as the Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology. He subsequently served as Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, and Minister of Forests. Throughout his seven years as a cabinet minister, Ralston was also the Minister Responsible for the Consular Corps.
“Mr. Ralston has an impressive record of outstanding public service that spans 36 years,” says Randall Heidt, Vice-President of External Affairs at KPU. “His ability to balance his ministerial commitments with those of his riding and of Surrey as a whole is commendable.”
Prior to the NDP forming government in 2017, Ralston served for 12 years as Official Opposition critic in a number of areas: natural gas development, trade, immigration, multiculturalism, finance, agriculture, the Asia Pacific strategy, and intergovernmental relations. He served as chair of the legislature's Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts from 2009 to 2017.