25 Facts About Linda Reid

Linda Reid was born on June 27,1959 and is a Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, representing Richmond East from 1991 to 2017, and Richmond South Centre from 2017 to 2020.

Linda Reid was the 37th Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 2013 to 2017.

Linda Reid graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Education degree in 1982, before proceeding with graduate studies at the same institution specializing in education, exceptional learners, language acquisition, and public administration, receiving her Master of Arts degree in 1987.

Linda Reid worked for the Richmond School District as a language therapist, teacher and school administrator prior to entering politics.

Linda Reid was the Opposition Caucus Chair from 1991 to 1992.

Linda Reid contested the 1993 Liberal leadership election and finished in fourth place.

In 2002, Linda Reid created an individualized funding model for children with autism spectrum disorder which takes into account the individual needs of each child and is provided on a monthly basis.

Also in 2002, Linda Reid announced the creation of the BC Early Childhood Development Legacy Fund, which supports community initiatives to support children under the age of 6.

Opposition New Democratic Party MLAs were not given the opportunity to distribute the car seats like their Liberal counterparts, although Linda Reid stated that the car seats went to families across the province, including those in NDP-held ridings.

Linda Reid celebrated the 20th anniversary of her first election to the legislature on October 17,2011; she was one of the longest serving MLAs in British Columbia and the only one to have served consecutive terms for over 20 years.

Linda Reid supported the Nelson Road Interchange project, which included the construction of ramps between Nelson Road and British Columbia Highway 91 in order to reduce the volume of heavy trucks on Westminster Highway; the project was completed in 2011.

Linda Reid was chosen as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly after her re-election in 2013.

Linda Reid faced scrutiny in 2014 for spending $120,000 on various items, including upgrading the speaker's desk for $48,000, and for charging taxpayers for her husband's business class airfare to South Africa when he accompanied her to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference.

Linda Reid then became Assistant Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly in September 2017, serving until February 2019.

Linda Reid has served on Treasury Board, and on the Select Standing Committee to Appoint a Child, Youth and Family Advocate, the Select Standing Committee to Appoint a Police Complaints Commissioner, the Select Standing Committee on Transportation, Municipal Affairs and Housing and the Select Standing Committee on Crown Corporations.

Linda Reid married her husband Sheldon Friesen in 1997; they have two children together.

Linda Reid is a longtime supporter and member of the Girl Guides of Canada; she advocated for the creation of an endowment fund for the Guides to protect against changes in the property tax exemption status on Camp Olave, a Guiding camp property on British Columbia's Sunshine Coast.

In 2008, Linda Reid was instrumental in the implementation of the Roots of Empathy program in BC.

In January 2012, Linda Reid traveled to New Mexico for the opening of their 50th legislative session.

Linda Reid has advocated for better drainage in Richmond and for the Nelson Road Interchange project, both of which have had positive effects on the agricultural community.

On March 9,2012, Linda Reid was announced as the winner of the Ethel Tibbits Award in the category of community, in recognition of her two decades of work as a political and community leader.

Linda Reid continues to serve as an honorary co-chair of the Annual Women's Campaign School, which aims to get more women involved in the democratic process.

Linda Reid was the BC chair for the Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind and a director of the Garden City Hospice Society.

Linda Reid has been active in the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, the Asia-Pacific Business Association, and the Canadian Council for Exceptional Children and the Family Court Committee of Richmond.

Linda Reid was a founding member of the Richmond Chinatown Lions Club and was chair of the British Columbia Youth Parliament board from 1986 to 1991.