Maurine Karagianis
Encyclopedia
Maurine Karagianis is a Canadian
politician
, currently the New Democratic Party
MLA for the riding of Esquimalt-Royal Roads
in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
.
She was first elected in the 2005 election
, garnering almost 50 percent of votes cast and 2,895 more votes than the next closest candidate. She was re-elected in 2009 to the new constituency of Esquimalt-Royal Roads.
In August 2007, Karagianis was appointed the Official Opposition Critic for the Ministry of Transportation in New Democrat leader Carole James
' shadow cabinet
. She had previously served as the Official Opposition Critic for the Ministry Children and Family Development, and, prior to that, the Ministry of Small Business and Revenue. Following the 2009 election, Maurine was again appointed as the Official Opposition Critic for the Ministry of Children and Family Development. In April of 2011, Maurine was appointed Official Opposition Caucus Whip
and presently continues to serve in this position.
Prior to serving as an MLA, she was elected as a municipal councillor in Esquimalt in 1996, and re-elected in 1999 and again in 2002. She is an entrepreneur
, opening her own retail fashion store, operating a wholesale
venture and a successful import/export business. She was also a co-founder of the Sunshine Folkfest in Powell River
, BC
.
Starting in 1998, she served three years with the provincial government as assistant to three NDP cabinet ministers – first in the Social Services ministry and then in Transportation and Highways. She recently ran a consulting company that works with non-profit organizations and First Nations communities to create affordable housing.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, currently the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
MLA for the riding of Esquimalt-Royal Roads
Esquimalt-Royal Roads
Esquimalt-Royal Roads is a provincial electoral district in British Columbia, Canada established by the Electoral Districts Act, 2008. It was first contested in the 2009 election in which New Democrat, Maurine Karagianis was elected MLA....
in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is one of two components of the Parliament of British Columbia, the provincial parliament ....
.
She was first elected in the 2005 election
British Columbia general election, 2005
The 38th British Columbia general election was held on May 17, 2005, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia , Canada. The BC Liberal Party formed the government of the province prior to this general election under the leadership of Premier Gordon Campbell...
, garnering almost 50 percent of votes cast and 2,895 more votes than the next closest candidate. She was re-elected in 2009 to the new constituency of Esquimalt-Royal Roads.
In August 2007, Karagianis was appointed the Official Opposition Critic for the Ministry of Transportation in New Democrat leader Carole James
Carole James
Carole Alison James, MLA is a Canadian politician and former public administrator. She is the former Leader of the Opposition in British Columbia and former leader of the British Columbia New Democratic Party , a social democratic political party...
' shadow cabinet
Shadow Cabinet
The Shadow Cabinet is a senior group of opposition spokespeople in the Westminster system of government who together under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition form an alternative cabinet to the government's, whose members shadow or mark each individual member of the government...
. She had previously served as the Official Opposition Critic for the Ministry Children and Family Development, and, prior to that, the Ministry of Small Business and Revenue. Following the 2009 election, Maurine was again appointed as the Official Opposition Critic for the Ministry of Children and Family Development. In April of 2011, Maurine was appointed Official Opposition Caucus Whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
and presently continues to serve in this position.
Prior to serving as an MLA, she was elected as a municipal councillor in Esquimalt in 1996, and re-elected in 1999 and again in 2002. She is an entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
, opening her own retail fashion store, operating a wholesale
Wholesale
Wholesaling, jobbing, or distributing is defined as the sale of goods or merchandise to retailers, to industrial, commercial, institutional, or other professional business users, or to other wholesalers and related subordinated services...
venture and a successful import/export business. She was also a co-founder of the Sunshine Folkfest in Powell River
Powell River, British Columbia
Powell River is a city on the northern Sunshine Coast of southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Most of its population lives near the eastern shores of Malaspina Strait, that part of the larger Georgia Strait between Texada Island and the Mainland...
, BC
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
.
Starting in 1998, she served three years with the provincial government as assistant to three NDP cabinet ministers – first in the Social Services ministry and then in Transportation and Highways. She recently ran a consulting company that works with non-profit organizations and First Nations communities to create affordable housing.