Ellis Ross
Ellis Ross | |
---|---|
Ross in Vancouver, March 2021 | |
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for Skeena | |
Incumbent | |
Assumed office May 9, 2017 | |
Preceded by | Robin Austin |
Personal details | |
Political party | BC United (Provincially) |
Other political affiliations | Conservative (Federally) |
Residence(s) | Kitamaat Village, British Columbia |
Profession | Indigenous Leader |
Ellis Ross is a Canadian politician who was first elected in the 2017 British Columbia general election to represent Skeena. He was re-elected in 2020 and as of May 2024 is entering his eighth year as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia.[1] He is a member of the BC United Party caucus. In Opposition, he has served as the Official Opposition critic for Natural Gas and Petroleum Resources, for Environment and Climate Change Strategy, and for Energy & LNG.[2]
Career
Prior to his election to the legislature, Ross was the Chief Councillor for the Haisla Nation. In 2006, he signed a $50 million agreement with Kitimat LNG to build a liquid natural gas plant on one of the Haisla Nation reserves. Ross also did survey work for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, then went into business with his brother doing hand logging and salvage log beachcombing. He also ran a charter boat.[3] He was inducted into the Order of British Columbia in 2014.[4]
In 2017 Ross was elected to the BC Legislature for the riding of Skeena. The riding had previously been an NDP stronghold, with the NDP winning the riding in five of the previous six elections — the only exception being the 2001 BC Liberal landslide. Upon his election, Premier Christy Clark appointed Ross to cabinet, where he served as Minister of Natural Gas Development and Minister Responsible for Housing until the NDP and Greens defeated the government on a confidence vote.[5]
Ross was re-elected an MLA in 2020. The next year he became a candidate for leadership of the BC Liberal Party,[6] but was defeated by Kevin Falcon, who won election to the Legislative Assembly in a Vancouver-Quilchena by-election.
In January 2024, it was announced that Ross had been nominated to become the Conservative Party of Canada's candidate for the federal district of Skeena—Bulkley Valley.[7]
Electoral record
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Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
Liberal | Ellis Ross | 5,810 | 52.06 | −0.27 | $47,839.99 | |||
New Democratic | Nicole Halbauer | 4,961 | 44.45 | +1.16 | $42,856.47 | |||
Independent | Martin Holzbauer | 389 | 3.49 | – | $0.00 | |||
Total valid votes | 11,160 | 100.00 | – | |||||
Total rejected ballots | 59 | 0.53 | −0.05 | |||||
Turnout | 11,219 | 51.89 | −10.87 | |||||
Registered voters | 21,621 | |||||||
Source: Elections BC[8][9] |
| ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
Liberal | Ellis Ross | 6,772 | 52.23 | +9.02 | $60,169 | |||
New Democratic | Bruce Alan Bidgood | 5,613 | 43.29 | −4.42 | $53,814 | |||
Land Air Water | Merv Ritchie | 580 | 4.48 | – | ||||
Total valid votes | 12,965 | 100.00 | – | |||||
Total rejected ballots | 75 | 0.58 | +0.03 | |||||
Turnout | 13,040 | 62.76 | +6.91 | |||||
Registered voters | 20,779 | |||||||
Source: Elections BC[10] |
References
- ^ "Liberals win new seat in northern B.C. in tight Skeena riding". CBC News, May 9, 2017.
- ^ Yuzda, Liza and Denise Wong (February 7, 2022). "Kevin Falcon names BC Liberal critics, will run in byelection for legislature seat". CityNews. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
- ^ Ellis Ross: Executive chief
- ^ 2014 Recipient: Chief Councillor Ellis Ross – Kitamaat Village
- ^ Leibel, Gerry (June 12, 2017). "Ellis Ross appointed to Christy's cabinet". Kitimat, BC: Northern Sentinel. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
- ^ Staff, Kamloops This Week (August 20, 2021). "BC Liberal leadership race: A Q&A with candidate Ellis Ross". Kamloops, BC: Kamloops This Week. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
- ^ "Ellis Ross leaves BC United to run for federal conservatives". Haida Gwaii Observer. January 22, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
- ^ "Statement of Votes — 42nd Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
- ^ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
- ^ "Statement of Votes – 41st Provincial General Election – May 9, 2017" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
British Columbia provincial government of Christy Clark | ||
Cabinet posts (2) | ||
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Predecessor | Office | Successor |
Rich Coleman | Minister Responsible for Housing June 12, 2017–July 18, 2017 | Selina Robinson |
Rich Coleman | Minister Responsible for Natural Gas Development June 12, 2017–July 18, 2017 | Ministry Abolished |