38th Parliament Members
at dissolution on April 14, 2009

MLA: Hon. Bill Barisoff  Penticton-Okanagan Valley Speaker Elected: 1996, 2001, 2005 BRITISH COLUMBIA LIBERAL PARTY

Bill Barisoff was elected Speaker on September 12, 2005 and has served as Minister of Water, Land and Air Protection and Minister of Provincial Revenue.

Mr. Barisoff previously held a variety of critic roles for the Official Opposition, including agriculture, transportation and highways and aboriginal affairs. He served on the province's Motor Carrier Commission and was a member of the Select Standing Committees on Aboriginal Affairs and on Agriculture.

He was first elected in 1996 to represent the riding of Okanagan-Boundary and was re-elected in 2001 for Penticton-Okanagan Valley.

Mr. Barisoff, who was born and raised in Oliver, owned a trucking firm before his election to the Legislative Assembly.

He served as a school trustee for 18 years, including eight as chair of the Southern Okanagan school board; was a volunteer firefighter in Oliver for over 25 years; and sat on the Okanagan Labour Relations Council. He was also chair of the Oliver Recreation Commission for one year.

Bill and Edna Barisoff live in Oliver.  Their family includes sons Glen, Michael, Darren, daughter-in-law Eliza and grand-daughter Kayla Ramos Barisoff.