Aman Singh

Aman Singh
Parliamentary Secretary for Environment of British Columbia
In office
December 7, 2022 – November 18, 2024
PremierDavid Eby
Preceded byKelly Greene
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Richmond-Queensborough
In office
October 24, 2020 – September 21, 2024
Preceded byJas Johal
Succeeded bySteve Kooner
Personal details
Born1967 or 1968 (age 56–57)[1]
Sultanpur Lodhi, Punjab, India
Political partyNew Democratic
ResidenceDelta, British Columbia
Alma materUniversity of Victoria
Professionlawyer

Aman Singh is a Canadian politician who represented the electoral district of Richmond-Queensborough in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 2020 until 2024, as a member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party.[2] He is the first turban-wearing Sikh to be elected Member of the Legislative Assembly in BC.[3][4]

Biography

Born in Sultanpur Lodhi, Punjab, India,[3] Singh moved to Hong Kong at the age of one with his family, living there until age 18.[5] He has some knowledge of Cantonese,[6] and can also speak Hindi and Punjabi alongside English.[1][7] He attended University of California, Berkeley, where he studied physics and anthropology.[1] He went on to receive a law degree from University of Victoria, and operated his own law practice specializing in human and civil rights law.[1][3] He had lived in Richmond, British Columbia for two decades, before moving to the Delta neighbourhood of Sunshine Hills.[6][5]

Singh contested the new riding of Richmond-Queensborough in the 2017 provincial election as a candidate for the British Columbia New Democratic Party; he lost to Liberal candidate Jas Johal by 134 votes.[8][9] The two faced off again in the 2020 provincial election, with Singh defeating Johal this time to win the seat.[2][10] On December 7, 2022, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Environment by Premier David Eby.[11]

Singh has a daughter with wife Katrina.[3][7] He was diagnosed with colon cancer in August 2021,[12] and underwent radiation, chemotherapy and surgery to remove the tumour.[13]

Electoral record

2020 British Columbia general election: Richmond-Queensborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Aman Singh 9,406 47.65 +6.90 $50,855.54
Liberal Jas Johal 7,728 39.15 −2.28 $59,892.51
Green Earl Einarson 1,496 7.58 −5.14 $2,311.39
Conservative Kay Hale 1,108 5.61 +2.11 $6,570.00
Total valid votes 19,738 100.00 –
Total rejected ballots 154 0.77 –0.20
Turnout 19,892 49.56 −6.22
Registered voters 40,138
New Democratic gain from Liberal Swing +4.59
Source: Elections BC[14][15]
2017 British Columbia general election: Richmond-Queensborough
Party Candidate Votes % Expenditures
Liberal Jas Johal 8,218 41.43 $67,089
New Democratic Aman Singh 8,084 40.75 $30,369
Green Michael Wolfe 2,524 12.72 $400
Conservative Kay Khilvinder Hale 694 3.50 $1,279
New Republican Lawrence Chen 318 1.60 $0
Total valid votes 19,838 100.00 –
Total rejected ballots 194 0.97
Turnout 20,032 55.78
Registered voters 35,911
Source: Elections BC[16][17]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "A Singh-sational fight for Richmond-Queensborough". Mata Press Service, via South Asian Post. October 6, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
  2. ^ a b MacLellan, Julie (October 24, 2020). "Update: NDP wins New West, Queensborough ridings - and a likely majority government". New Westminster Record. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d Parmar, Tarnjit; Steacy, Lisa (October 26, 2020). "BC NDP's Aman Singh becomes first turbaned Sikh to be elected as MLA". CKWX. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
  4. ^ Ballard, Joel (October 26, 2020). "Aman Singh makes history as first turban-wearing Sikh elected to B.C. Legislature". CBC News. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Election 2017 Primer" (PDF). Richmond Sentinel. April 2017. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  6. ^ a b 省選專題: 辛格對戰周豪傑 律師鬥記者兩印裔相爭 [Provincial election special: Singh vs. Johal, lawyer vs. journalist: contest between two Indo-Canadians] (in Traditional Chinese). Sing Tao Daily, via dushi.ca. May 5, 2017. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  7. ^ a b Fennell, Don (November 24, 2020). "Meet your MLAs: Aman Singh (Richmond-Queensborough)". Richmond Sentinel. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
  8. ^ Rantanen, Maria (September 26, 2020). "Richmond-Queensborough rematch between Johal, Singh". Richmond News. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
  9. ^ "BC Liberals win minority government: What you missed on election night". The Globe and Mail, May 10, 2017.
  10. ^ Lindsay, Bethany (October 25, 2020). "Prominent Liberals staring at defeat as NDP sweeps through B.C." CBC News. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  11. ^ Leung, Valerie (December 8, 2022). "Two Richmond MLAs given parliamentary secretary roles in B.C. cabinet shuffle". Richmond News. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  12. ^ Rantanen, Maria (May 5, 2022). "Richmond-Queensborough MLA learns 'life is really precious' as he battles cancer". Richmond News. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
  13. ^ Cheung, Matthew; Gordon, Jim (November 24, 2020). "MLA Singh speaks on cancer journey, political challenges". Richmond Sentinel. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
  14. ^ "Statement of Votes — 42nd Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  15. ^ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  16. ^ "2017 Provincial General Election - Statement of Votes" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  17. ^ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved September 13, 2020.