Sue Hammell

Sue Hammell (born June 18, 1945) is a Canadian politician who was the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Surrey-Green Timbers in the province of British Columbia from 1991 to 2001, and from 2005 to 2017. A member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP), she served in several cabinet posts under Premiers Mike Harcourt, Glen Clark and Ujjal Dosanjh.

Sue Hammell
Sue Hammell (middle) with Rachna Singh and John Horgan, 2017
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Surrey-Green Timbers
In office
May 17, 2005 – May 9, 2017
Preceded byBrenda Locke
Succeeded byRachna Singh
In office
October 17, 1991 – May 16, 2001
Preceded byRiding Established
Succeeded byBrenda Locke
Personal details
Born (1945-06-18) June 18, 1945
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Political partyNew Democratic
SpouseJohn Pollard
Residence(s)Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Alma materUniversity of British Columbia

Background

Hammell was born in Vancouver, and grew up on Sea Island in Richmond.[1] She attended the University of British Columbia, from which she received a bachelor of arts degree in education. She worked as a teacher in Verdun, Quebec and Courtenay, British Columbia before moving to Surrey, settling in the Green Timbers area in 1990 with her husband.[1] Before entering provincial politics, she was the executive assistant to the mayor of Surrey.[2] She participated in the founding of the Minerva Foundation for B.C. Women in 1999.[1]

She and her husband John Pollard (d. 2019) had one adult daughter, named Sage.[1]

Political career

She was elected to the Legislative Assembly for the riding of Surrey-Green Timbers in the 1991 election, and was named to the cabinet by Premier Mike Harcourt in October 1995, serving as Minister of Housing, Recreation and Consumer Services.[3] After Glen Clark assumed the premiership in February 1996, Hammell was appointed Minister for Women's Equality. She was re-elected in the May 1996 provincial election, and retained her role in the cabinet.[4] With Clark embroiled in scandal, Hammell resigned her cabinet post in July 1999, stating she could not "in good conscience" stay on in the executive council.[4][5]

She re-entered the cabinet in February 2000 under new Premier Ujjal Dosanjh, serving as Minister of Multiculturalism and Immigration, and Minister Responsible for the Public Service.[6][7] With the NDP trailing in the polls, Hammell was defeated in the 2001 election by BC Liberal candidate Brenda Locke.[8] While out of the legislature, she worked as executive director for Surrey Aboriginal Society in 2002.[1]

She then returned to the Assembly by winning back the Surrey-Green Timbers seat from Locke in the 2005 election.[9] She was handily re-elected in 2009 with more than 72% of the vote,[8][10] and kept her seat in the 2013 election.[1] She served as the NDP's deputy house leader and critic for women's issues, child care and early learning in the 39th Parliament,[8] and as critic for mental health and addictions in the 40th Parliament.[1]

She announced in January 2017 that she would not run in that May's election, citing the need to care for her ailing husband;[2][11] she served out the remainder of her term. In the same year she co-founded consulting firm Composite Public Affairs,[12] and registered as a lobbyist.[13]

Election results
2013 British Columbia general election: Surrey-Green Timbers
Party Candidate Votes%
New DemocraticSue Hammell938658.06
LiberalAmrik Tung558134.52
GreenRichard Hosein6554.05
ConservativeLisa Maharaj4442.75
VisionHarjit Singh Heir1010.62
Total valid votes 16167100.00
Total rejected ballots 1941.19
Turnout 1636152.32
Source: Elections BC[14]
2009 British Columbia general election: Surrey-Green Timbers
Party Candidate Votes%±%
New DemocraticSue Hammell10,96572.73+11.91
LiberalRani Mangat3,62424.03−8.51
GreenDan Kashagama4883.24−1.20
Total 15,077 100.00
2005 British Columbia general election: Surrey-Green Timbers
Party Candidate Votes%±%
New DemocraticSue Hammell10,83660.82+24.51
LiberalBrenda Locke5,61931.54−17.41
GreenSebastian Sajda7914.44–
MarijuanaAmanda Boggan2251.26−2.39
Emerged DemocracyRob Norberg1510.85–
Democratic ReformRavi Chand1420.80–
CommunistHarjit Singh Daudharia520.29+0.38
Total 17,816 100.00
B.C. General Election 2001: Surrey-Green Timbers
Party Candidate Votes  % ± Expenditures
LiberalBrenda Locke7,53948.95%+15.16%$46,658
  NDP Sue Hammell 5,592 36.31% -13.80% $37,237
UnityC. Lewis Robinson1,0676.93%n/a$7,196
MarijuanaDennis Kalsi5613.65%n/a$394
ReformJim Paterson5383.49%-2.28%$3,277
CommunistHarjit Singh Daudharia1030.67%+0.37%$332
Total valid votes 15,400 100.00%
Total rejected ballots 151 0.98%
Turnout 15,551 66.77%
B.C. General Election 1996: Surrey-Green Timbers
Party Candidate Votes  % ± Expenditures
  NDP Sue Hammell 10,278 50.11% +3.95% $36,931
LiberalBill Phelps6,93033.79%+0.47%$39,334
ReformDominic Darmanin1,1835.77%n/a$7,188
Progressive DemocratGerard Baisch1,1505.61%n/a
Family CoalitionGerhard Herwig2551.24%n/a$2,120
GreenRomeo De La Pena2281.11%+0.64%$865
  Progressive Conservative Cliff Blair 179 0.87% n/a
Social CreditVictoria Kedzierski1140.56%-19.29%$1,048
  Independent Don Knight 101 0.49% n/a $1,245
CommunistGeorge Gidora620.30%n/a$503
  Natural Law Ross Ranger 32 0.16% n/a $110
Total valid votes 20,512 100.00%
Total rejected ballots 254 1.22%
Turnout 20,766 69.40%
B.C. General Election 1991: Surrey-Green Timbers
Party Candidate Votes  % ± Expenditures
  NDP Sue Hammell 8,708 46.16% n/a $32,800
LiberalArchibald McMurchy6,32433.52%n/a$4,777
Social CreditRuss Burtnick3,74419.85%n/a$35,747
GreenGjhrard Baisch890.47%n/a
Total valid votes 18,865 100.00%
Total rejected ballots 512 2.64%
Turnout 19,377 72.04%

References
  1. "40th Parliament Members at dissolution on April 11, 2017: Sue Hammell". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  2. Diakiw, Kevin (January 5, 2017). "Sue Hammell takes a bow". Surrey Leader.
  3. "Harcourt Cabinet: 35th Parliament 1991-1996" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  4. "Glen Clark Cabinet: 35th Parliament (5th Session) 1996; 36th Parliament (1st - 3rd Session) 1996 - 1999" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  5. "Defiant Clark says he won't resign". CBC News. July 20, 1999. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  6. "Dosanjh Cabinet: 36th Parliament (3rd - 5th Session) 2000 - 2001" (PDF). Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  7. "New B.C. cabinet". CBC News. February 29, 2000. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  8. "MLA: Sue Hammell". Member Biography. Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved May 11, 2010.
  9. "NDP make gains across Lower Mainland". CBC News. May 18, 2005. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  10. "Surrey-Green Timbers". CBC News. May 13, 2009. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  11. Shaw, Rob (January 4, 2017). "Veteran Surrey MLA Sue Hammell to retire from provincial politics". The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  12. Mackin, Bob (November 6, 2017). "Horgan's rise to power turns another '90s NDP minister into a lobbyist". The Breaker. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  13. "Advanced Registry Search Results". Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists, British Columbia. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  14. "Statement of Votes - 40th Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
  15. Succeeded January 26, 2004 as Minister of State for Immigration and Multicultural Services
  16. Re-styled Municipal Affairs and Housing
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