Our Party Presidents
Here are the people who helped guide the building (and in some cases, rebuilding) of our party over the past 60+ years. Of particular note, since 1975 we have burst open the doors of diversity; included in our 14 party presidents since then have been five female presidents, two of South Asian descent and, in 2021, the first ever Indigenous party president. Until recently, the people who served did so as volunteers – since 2009, a stipend has been associated with the position.
Tom Berger, 1961-62
Lawyer
Vancouver-Burrard MP, 1962
Vancouver-Burrard MLA, 1966-69
BC NDP Leader, 1969-70
Fred Vulliamy, 1962-63
Lawyer
Vancouver-Willingdon MLA, 1966-68
Jack Mackenzie, 1963-65
Union Executive
IWA Leader
Frank Snowsell, 1965-66
Teacher
Saanich CCF MLA, 1945-49
Ray Haynes, 1966
Union Executive
Secretary-Treasurer, BC Federation of Labour
Norm Levi, 1966-68
Social Worker
Vancouver South MLA, 1968
Vancouver-Burrard MLA, 1972-79
Coquitlam-Maillardville MLA, 1979-83
John Laxton, 1968-70
Vancouver Lawyer
Dave Stupich, 1970-72
Accountant
Nanaimo MLA, 1963-69
Nanaimo MLA, 1972-88
Nanaimo-Cowichan MP, 1988-93
Frank Murphy, 1972-75
Nanaimo School Principal
Yvonne Cocke, 1975-77
Political organizer
New Westminster city councillor
BC NDP Provincial Secretary
John Brewin, 1977-78
Lawyer
Victoria MP, 1988-93
Gerry Stoney, 1978-85
IWA Union Executive
Joy Langan, 1985-88
Journalist, writer, social activist
Mission-Coquitlam MP, 1988-93
Elaine Bernard, 1988-89
Labour historian
Director, SFU Labour Program
ED, Harvard Trade Union Program
Ian Aikenhead, 1989-92
Vancouver Lawyer
Patrice Pratt, 1992-96
BCGEU Union Staff
Bruce Ralston, 1996-2001
Surrey lawyer
Surrey-Whalley MLA, 2005-Present
Maura Parte, 2001-03
Victoria Research Director
Public administration MBA
Jeff Fox, 2003-09
BCGEU Union Staff
Sav Dhaliwal, 2009
IT Manager
Burnaby Councillor
Moe Sihota, 2009-13
Victoria lawyer
Esquimalt-Metchosin MLA, 1986-2001
Craig Keating, 2013-21
North Vancouver Lawyer
Aaron Sumexheltza, 2021-
Merritt lawyer