Ellis Ross facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ellis Ross MLA OBC
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 Liberal
Residences	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 is currently serving his fifth year as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. He is a member of the British Columbia Liberal Party caucus and serves as its Critic for Energy & LNG.

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. He was inducted into the Order of British Columbia in 2014.

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.

Ross was re-elected an MLA in 2020. The next year he became a candidate for leadership of the BC Liberal Party, but was defeated by Kevin Falcon, who won election to the Legislative Assembly in a Vancouver-Quilchena by-election.

Electoral record