Rachna Singh

{{Short description|Canadian politician and trade unionist (born 1972)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific_prefix =

| name = Rachna Singh

| honorific-suffix =

| image = File:BC MLA Rachna Singh (cropped).png

| image_size = 200px

| caption =

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1972}}

| birth_place = Delhi, India{{Cite web |title=Rachna Singh - South Asian Canadian Heritage |url=https://www.southasiancanadianheritage.ca/pclp-phase-2/surrey/rachna-singh/ |access-date=2023-03-09 |publisher=University of the Fraser Valley |language=en-CA }}

| residence = Surrey, British Columbia

| office = Minister of Education and Child Care of British Columbia

| term_start = December 7, 2022

| term_end = November 18, 2024

| premier = David Eby

| predecessor = Jennifer Whiteside (Minister of Education)

| successor = Lisa Beare

| office1 = Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives of British Columbia

| term_start1 = November 26, 2020

| term_end1 = December 7, 2022

| premier1 = John Horgan
David Eby

| predecessor1 = Position established

| successor1 = Mable Elmore

| assembly2 = British Columbia Legislative

| constituency_AM2 = Surrey-Green Timbers

| term_start2 = May 9, 2017

| term_end2 = September 21, 2024

| predecessor2 = Sue Hammell

| successor2 = Mandeep Dhaliwal

| party = New Democratic Party

| profession =

| alma_mater = Panjab University (MA, Clinical Psychology)

| spouse = Gurpreet Singh

| children = 2

}}

Rachna Singh (born 1972) is a Canadian politician and trade unionist who represented the electoral district of Surrey-Green Timbers in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 2017 until 2024. A member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP) caucus, she has served as Minister of Education and Child Care of British Columbia from December 2022 until 2024.

Biography

Singh was born in Delhi, and grew up in Chandigarh.{{Cite web |title=B.C. NDP nominates Rachna Singh in Surrey–Green Timbers |url=https://www.straight.com/news/853596/bc-ndp-nominates-rachna-singh-surrey-green-timbers |access-date=2023-03-08 |date=2017-01-29 |publisher=The Georgia Straight |first=Charlie |last=Smith |language=en-CA }} She attended Panjab University, from which she received a master's degree in psychology.{{Cite web |title=Punjab native Rachna Singh first South Asian woman Education Minister in British Columbia |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/rachna-singh-first-south-asian-woman-education-minister-in-british-columbia-459093 |access-date=2023-03-08 |date=2022-12-08 |work=The Tribune |first=Sukhmeet |last=Bhasin |language=en-IN }} She moved to Canada in 2001, settling in Surrey, British Columbia. Prior to her election to the legislature, Singh worked as a drug and alcohol counsellor. She became active in her labour union local, and eventually became a National Representative (staff) for the Canadian Union of Public Employees representing workers through advocacy in grievance handling, labour arbitrations, organizing, community and political activism and helping advise local unions on matters of internal administration.

With incumbent Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Surrey-Green Timbers Sue Hammell declining to seek re-election in 2017, Singh decided to contest the BC NDP nomination for the riding.{{Cite web |title=Community activist seeks NDP nomination |url=https://www.peacearchnews.com/news/community-activist-seeks-ndp-nomination/ |access-date=2023-03-08 |date=2017-01-18 |publisher=Peace Arch News |first=Rick |last=Kupchuk |language=en-CA }} She was acclaimed as the NDP's candidate, then went on to defeat Liberal candidate and former Surrey-Green Timbers MLA Brenda Locke at the general election.{{Cite news |title=B.C. Election 2017: Brar, NDP take six of nine Surrey ridings |url=https://vancouversun.com/news/politics/b-c-election-2017-brar-ndp-take-six-of-nine-surrey-ridings?r |access-date=2023-03-08 |date=2017-05-10 |publisher=The Province/The Vancouver Sun |first1=Jennifer |last1=Saltman |first2=Dan |last2=Fumano |language=en-CA }}

After winning re-election in 2020,{{Cite web |title=Surrey-Green Timbers: NDP's Rachna Singh re-elected, defeating Liberal Dilraj Atwal |url=https://www.surreynowleader.com/news/surrey-green-timbers-two-way-race-between-ndps-rachna-singh-and-liberal-dilraj-atwal/ |access-date=2023-03-09 |date=2020-10-24 |publisher=Surrey Now-Leader |first=Tom |last=Zytaruk |language=en-CA }} Singh was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives by Premier John Horgan.{{Cite web |title=Surrey gets two cabinet ministers, a parliamentary secretary and government whip |url=https://www.surreynowleader.com/news/surrey-gets-two-cabinet-minister-a-parliamentary-secretary-and-government-whip/ |access-date=2023-03-09 |date=2020-11-26 |publisher=Surrey Now-Leader |first=Tom |last=Zytaruk |language=en-CA }} On December 7, 2022 she was named Minister of Education and Child Care by Premier David Eby.{{Cite web |title=B.C. Premier David Eby unveils new cabinet with Niki Sharma, Katrine Conroy and Ravi Kahlon in top posts |url=https://vancouversun.com/news/politics/bc-premier-david-eby-new-cabinet |access-date=2022-12-07 |newspaper=Vancouver Sun |language=en-CA}}{{Cite web |title=Four Surrey MLAs named to Eby's cabinet |url=https://www.peacearchnews.com/news/four-surrey-mlas-named-to-ebys-cabinet/ |access-date=2023-03-09 |date=2022-12-08 |publisher=Peace Arch News |first=Tom |last=Zytaruk |language=en-CA }}

Singh is married to Gurpreet Singh, a journalist for the Georgia Straight and publisher of the Radical Desi magazine; they have two children together. Both descend from families with a history of activism for various social and economic causes in their native India. She is a secular Sikh.{{Cite news |title=Prayers to continue at B.C. legislature, but now there will also be 'reflections' |url=https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/prayers-to-continue-at-b-c-legislature-but-now-there-will-also-be-reflections |access-date=2023-03-08 |date=2019-11-29 |publisher=The Vancouver Sun |first=Jennifer |last=Saltman |language=en-CA }}