Ellis Ross

Canadian politician

Ellis Ross
Ross in Vancouver, March 2021
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Skeena
Incumbent
Assumed office
May 9, 2017
Preceded byRobin Austin
Personal details
Born
Ellis Benjamin Ross

1965 (age 58–59)[1]
Political partyBC United (provincial)
Other political
affiliations		Conservative (federal)
SpouseTracey Ross
Residence(s)Kitamaat Village, British Columbia
ProfessionIndigenous leader

Ellis Ross (born 1965) is a Canadian politician who has served as a member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of British Columbia since 2017, representing the electoral district of Skeena. A caucus member of BC United (formerly known as the British Columbia Liberal Party), he briefly served as Minister of Natural Gas Development and Minister Responsible for Housing in Premier Christy Clark's cabinet, and ran for party leadership in 2022.

Biography

Born in Kitimat as the second youngest of seven children, Ross grew up on the Haisla Nation reserve in Kitamaat Village.[1] He conducted survey work for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, operated a charter boat, and ran a hand logging and salvage log beachcombing business with his brother.[2] He and his wife Tracey have two daughters together.[1][3]

He became the Haisla Nation Council's first full-time councillor in 2003,[3] and signed a $50 million agreement with Kitimat LNG in 2006 to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant on one of the Haisla Nation reserves.[2] He served in that role until his election as the Haisla Nation's Chief Councillor in 2011,[2] and was inducted into the Order of British Columbia in 2014.[3][4]

He ran in the 2017 provincial election as a BC Liberal candidate, and was elected MLA for the riding of Skeena.[5] The riding had previously been a stronghold for the New Democratic Party, with that party winning in five of the previous six elections — the only exception being the 2001 BC Liberal landslide.[6] Upon his election, Premier Christy Clark appointed Ross to cabinet as Minister of Natural Gas Development and Minister Responsible for Housing.[7][8] He finished his brief term as minister that July,[9] following the Liberal minority government's defeat in a confidence vote on June 29.[10] On the opposition benches, he served as critic for Natural Gas and Petroleum Resources.[1][11]

Ross won re-election as MLA in 2020,[3] and was named Official Opposition critic for Environment and Climate Change Strategy.[12] The next year he became the first declared candidate in the Liberal Party leadership election triggered by the resignation of Andrew Wilkinson.[13] He finished in second place on the fifth ballot behind winner Kevin Falcon,[14] and was named Official Opposition critic for Energy and LNG by Falcon.[15]

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.[16]

Electoral record

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2020 British Columbia general election: Skeena
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[17][18]
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2017 British Columbia general election: Skeena
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[19]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Russ, Geoff (February 2, 2022). "Ellis Ross takes his prosperity plan to the next level". Northern Beat. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Bennett, Nelson (October 8, 2012). "Ellis Ross: Executive chief". Business in Vancouver. Archived from the original on October 4, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d "MLA: Ellis Ross". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  4. ^ "Members of the Order of British Columbia: P–S". Government of British Columbia. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  5. ^ Zeidler, Maryse (May 10, 2017). "Liberals win new seat in northern B.C. in tight Skeena riding". CBC News. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  6. ^ Zussman, Richard (April 17, 2017). "B.C. Votes 2017: Skeena riding profile". CBC News. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  7. ^ Leibel, Gerry (June 12, 2017). "Ellis Ross appointed to Christy's cabinet". Kitimat, BC: Northern Sentinel. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
  8. ^ "B.C. Premier Christy Clark and cabinet sworn in". CBC News. June 12, 2017. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  9. ^ "Christy Clark Cabinet 2011-2017" (PDF). Legislative Library of British Columbia. January 24, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  10. ^ "B.C. Liberal government loses confidence vote 44-42, sparking either NDP government or election". CBC News. June 29, 2017. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  11. ^ Mangione, Kendra (August 3, 2017). "BC Liberals vow to prevent 'reckless' spending in critics announcement". CTV News. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  12. ^ "BC Liberal leadership race: A Q&A with candidate Ellis Ross". Kamloops, BC: Kamloops This Week. August 20, 2021. Archived from the original on October 4, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  13. ^ "B.C. Liberals to choose next party leader in 2022". CBC News. The Canadian Press. February 26, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  14. ^ Meissner, Dirk; Charlebois, Brieanna (February 6, 2022). "Former cabinet minister Kevin Falcon wins B.C. Liberal leadership race on 5th ballot". CBC News. The Canadian Press. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  15. ^ Yuzda, Liza; Wong, Denise (February 7, 2022). "Kevin Falcon names BC Liberal critics, will run in byelection for legislature seat". CityNews. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  16. ^ "Ellis Ross leaves BC United to run for federal conservatives". Haida Gwaii Observer. January 22, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  17. ^ "Statement of Votes — 42nd Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  18. ^ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  19. ^ "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)
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
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New Democratic
BC United
Conservative
Green
Independent
Membership per the 2020 British Columbia general election on October 24, 2020, and subsequent by-elections.