Amrik Virk

Amrik Virk
Amrik Virk in 2013
MLA for Surrey-Tynehead
Incumbent
Assumed office 2013
Preceded by	Dave Hayer
Personal details
Born	India
Political party	Liberal
Spouse(s)	Jatinder Virk
Children	Jusleen Virk Anisha Virk Maansi Virk
Residence	Surrey, British Columbia

Amrik S. Virk is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2013 provincial election.^[1] He represents the electoral district of Surrey-Tynehead as a member of the British Columbia Liberal Party and was appointed Minister of Advanced Education on June 10, 2013 by Premier Christy Clark.

Virk was born in India and moved to the Canadian city of Williams Lake at the age of five years. He has lived in Surrey since 2002 with his wife Jatinder and their three daughters.^[2]

Virk holds a B.A in Economics with a major in History^[2] from Simon Fraser University.^[3]

An extensive career with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) included a variety of policing duties with a substantial portion of his experience with various First Nations communities. In 2001, Virk was commissioned to the rank of Inspector and posted to Surrey where he was active in the issue of youth and gang violence in communities throughout the Lower Mainland and worked extensively with community leaders to help create the British Columbia Integrated Gang Task force. He left Surrey RCMP in 2006 while serving as the acting Officer in Charge of Operations (one of two Deputy Chief equivalents) and transferred to Langley as the Officer in Charge of Operations.

Virk was a community volunteer. In six years spent on the board of directors of the Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation, he helped raise millions of dollars for enhancing health care for Surrey residents. He also served on the board of Kwantlen Polytechnic University.^[2]

In April 2014, Virk was linked to a scheme to funnel $100,000 in excess compensation to two senior Kwantlen Polytechnic University administrators, a scheme that violated government rules on executive compensation and disclosure. ^[4] A report on the scandal, acknowledging wrongdoing but establishing no penalty, was released on June 17, 2014, in the shadow of the release of a long-awaited and controversial decision on an Enbridge pipeline expansion project.^[5]

Recognition

In addition to the RCMP Long Service Medal and Commissioner’s Commendation for Bravery, Virk has received the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal and the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal.^[2]

References