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Ellis Ross
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Ellis Benjamin Ross MP (born June 16, 1965) is a Canadian politician and Indigenous leader serving as the member of Parliament (MP) for the riding of Skeena—Bulkley Valley since 2025.[2] A member of the Conservative Party, he was elected to the House of Commons in the 2025 federal election, marking the first time the riding has been won by the Conservatives since its formation in 2003. Prior to entering federal politics, he served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia (MLA), representing the electoral district of Skeena from 2017 to 2024. During his provincial tenure, he held the cabinet positions as Minister of Natural Gas Development and Minister Responsible for Housing under Premier Christy Clark. He was also a candidate in the 2022 BC Liberal Party leadership race.
Key Information
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Early life and career
[edit]Born in Kitimat as the second youngest of seven children, Ross grew up on the Haisla Nation reserve in Kitamaat Village.[1] He conducted survey work for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, operated a charter boat, and ran a hand logging and salvage log beachcombing business with his brother.[3] He and his wife Tracey have two daughters together.[1][4]
He became the Haisla Nation Council's first full-time councillor in 2003,[4] and signed a $50 million agreement with Kitimat LNG in 2006 to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant on one of the Haisla Nation reserves.[3] He served in that role until his election as the Haisla Nation's Chief Councillor in 2011,[3] and was inducted into the Order of British Columbia in 2014.[4][5]
Political career
[edit]Provincial politics (2017–2024)
[edit]He ran in the 2017 provincial election as a BC Liberal candidate, and was elected MLA for the riding of Skeena,[6] while losing his home voting area of Kitimaat Village.[7] The riding had previously been a stronghold for the New Democratic Party, with that party winning in five of the previous six elections — the only exception being the 2001 BC Liberal landslide.[8] Upon his election, Premier Christy Clark appointed Ross to cabinet as Minister of Natural Gas Development and Minister Responsible for Housing.[9][10] He finished his brief term as minister that July,[11] following the Liberal minority government's defeat in a confidence vote on June 29.[12] On the opposition benches, he served as critic for Natural Gas and Petroleum Resources.[1][13]
Ross won re-election as MLA in 2020,[4] and was named Official Opposition critic for Environment and Climate Change Strategy.[14] The next year he became the first declared candidate in the Liberal Party leadership election triggered by the resignation of Andrew Wilkinson.[15] His leadership campaign, led by Mark Werner[16][17] finished in second place on the fifth ballot behind winner Kevin Falcon,[18] while supporting the rejected candidacy of Aaron Gunn.[19][20][21] He was named Official Opposition critic for Energy and LNG by Falcon.[22]
Federal politics (2025–present)
[edit]In January 2024, it was announced that Ross had been nominated to become the Conservative Party's candidate for the federal district of Skeena—Bulkley Valley.[23] He defeated incumbent New Democrat Taylor Bachrach in the 2025 federal election.[2]
Electoral record
[edit]| 2025 Canadian federal election: Skeena—Bulkley Valley | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ** Preliminary results — Not yet official ** | ||||||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Conservative | Ellis Ross | 21,202 | 47.18 | +11.04 | ||||
| New Democratic | Taylor Bachrach | 17,682 | 39.35 | –3.23 | ||||
| Liberal | Inderpal Dhillon | 4,924 | 10.96 | +3.30 | ||||
| Christian Heritage | Rod Taylor | 602 | 1.34 | –0.79 | ||||
| Green | Adeana Young | 528 | 1.17 | –2.59 | ||||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | ||||||||
| Total rejected ballots | ||||||||
| Turnout | 44,938 | 64.98 | ||||||
| Eligible voters | 69,154 | |||||||
| Conservative gain from New Democratic | Swing | +7.14 | ||||||
| Source: Elections Canada[24][25] | ||||||||
| 2020 British Columbia general election: Skeena | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Liberal | Ellis Ross | 5,810 | 52.06 | −0.17 | $47,839.99 | |||
| New Democratic | Nicole Halbauer | 4,961 | 44.45 | +1.16 | $42,856.47 | |||
| Independent | Martin Holzbauer | 389 | 3.49 | – | $0.00 | |||
| Total valid votes | 11,160 | 99.47 | – | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | 59 | 0.53 | −0.05 | |||||
| Turnout | 11,219 | 51.89 | −10.87 | |||||
| Registered voters | 21,621 | |||||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | –0.67 | ||||||
| Source: Elections BC[26][27] | ||||||||
| 2017 British Columbia general election: Skeena | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Liberal | Ellis Ross | 6,772 | 52.23 | +9.02 | $60,169 | |||
| New Democratic | Bruce Alan Bidgood | 5,613 | 43.29 | −4.42 | $53,814 | |||
| Land Air Water | Merv Ritchie | 580 | 4.48 | – | ||||
| Total valid votes | 12,965 | 100.00 | – | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | 75 | 0.58 | +0.03 | |||||
| Turnout | 13,040 | 62.76 | +6.91 | |||||
| Registered voters | 20,779 | |||||||
| Source: Elections BC[28] | ||||||||
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Russ, Geoff (February 2, 2022). "Ellis Ross takes his prosperity plan to the next level". Northern Beat. Archived from the original on June 10, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ a b "Get live results from the Canadian federal election". CBC News. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
- ^ a b c Bennett, Nelson (October 8, 2012). "Ellis Ross: Executive chief". Business in Vancouver. Archived from the original on October 4, 2017.
- ^ a b c d "MLA: Ellis Ross". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Archived from the original on June 10, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ "Members of the Order of British Columbia: P–S". Government of British Columbia. Archived from the original on June 10, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ Zeidler, Maryse (May 10, 2017). "Liberals win new seat in northern B.C. in tight Skeena riding". CBC News. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ "Province of British Columbia Data Catalogue - Election Results". Province of BC. March 12, 2018.
- ^ Zussman, Richard (April 17, 2017). "B.C. Votes 2017: Skeena riding profile". CBC News. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ Leibel, Gerry (June 12, 2017). "Ellis Ross appointed to Christy's cabinet". Kitimat, BC: Northern Sentinel. Archived from the original on October 4, 2017. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
- ^ "B.C. Premier Christy Clark and cabinet sworn in". CBC News. June 12, 2017. Archived from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- ^ "Christy Clark Cabinet 2011-2017" (PDF). Legislative Library of British Columbia. January 24, 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 31, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- ^ "B.C. Liberal government loses confidence vote 44-42, sparking either NDP government or election". CBC News. June 29, 2017. Archived from the original on November 4, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
- ^ Mangione, Kendra (August 3, 2017). "BC Liberals vow to prevent 'reckless' spending in critics announcement". CTV News. Archived from the original on June 10, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ "BC Liberal leadership race: A Q&A with candidate Ellis Ross". Kamloops, BC: Kamloops This Week. August 20, 2021. Archived from the original on October 4, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
- ^ "B.C. Liberals to choose next party leader in 2022". CBC News. The Canadian Press. February 26, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ "Rob Shaw: BC United outflanked after tapping Trump-loving campaign manager". The Orca. July 12, 2024. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- ^ thebreaker (July 11, 2024). "BC United hires new manager to reboot campaign". theBreaker. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- ^ Meissner, Dirk; Charlebois, Brieanna (February 6, 2022). "Former cabinet minister Kevin Falcon wins B.C. Liberal leadership race on 5th ballot". CBC News. The Canadian Press. Archived from the original on February 7, 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ "BC Liberal leadership candidate Ellis Ross encourages approval of candidacy for leadership hopeful Aaron Gunn". North Coast Review. October 15, 2021.
- ^ Dzsurdzsa, Cosmin (January 22, 2024). "BC United MLA Ellis Ross to announce bid for federal Conservatives". True North. Archived from the original on December 5, 2024. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- ^ "B.C. Liberals block Aaron Gunn leadership bid, citing 'inconsistent' views". The Canadian Press. October 23, 2021.
- ^ Yuzda, Liza; Wong, Denise (February 7, 2022). "Kevin Falcon names BC Liberal critics, will run in byelection for legislature seat". CityNews. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
- ^ "Ellis Ross leaves BC United to run for federal conservatives". Haida Gwaii Observer. January 22, 2024. Archived from the original on October 1, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
- ^ "Voter information service". Elections Canada. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ "Election Night Results - Electoral Districts". Elections Canada. April 29, 2025. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
- ^ "Statement of Votes — 42nd Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
- ^ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
- ^ "Statement of Votes – 41st Provincial General Election – May 9, 2017" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved December 7, 2019.