{{short description|Canadian politician|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Garry Begg | honorific_suffix = MLA | image = Garry Begg, BC NDP candidate for Surrey-Guilford.jpg | image_size = | caption = Campaign portrait, 2024 | birth_date = | birth_place = Ontario<ref name="BCGov"/> | office = Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General of British Columbia | premier = David Eby | term_start = November 18, 2024 | term_end = July 17, 2025 | predecessor = Mike Farnworth | successor = Nina Krieger | assembly1 = British Columbia Legislative | constituency_AM1 = Surrey-Guildford | term_start1 = May 9, 2017 | term_end1 = | predecessor1 = ''Riding Established'' | successor1 = | party = New Democratic Party | profession = | alma_mater = | spouse = Val Begg | children = }}
'''Garry Begg''' is a Canadian politician who has served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia since 2017, representing the electoral district of Surrey-Guildford.<ref name="Sun170510">{{cite news|url=https://vancouversun.com/news/politics/b-c-election-2017-brar-ndp-take-six-of-nine-surrey-ridings?r |title=B.C. Election 2017: Brar, NDP take six of nine Surrey ridings |newspaper=Vancouver Sun |first1= Jennifer |last1=Saltman |first2=Dan |last2=Fumano |date=2017-05-10 |access-date=2025-01-02 }}</ref>
==Biography== Born in Ontario, Begg had a 38-year career with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), eight of which was spent in Surrey;<ref name="BCGov">{{cite web|url=https://news.gov.bc.ca/ministries/public-safety-and-solicitor-general/biography |title=Honourable Garry Begg |publisher=Government of British Columbia |access-date=2025-01-02 }}</ref><ref name="NL170510">{{cite news|url=https://www.surreynowleader.com/news/surrey-guildford-riding-is-a-new-kid-on-the-block-2920346 |title=ELECTION 2017: In Surrey-Guildford, 'a new sheriff in town' as retired Surrey RCMP inspector Begg wins for NDP |publisher=Surrey Now-Leader |date=2017-05-10 |access-date=2025-01-02 }}</ref> he attained the rank of inspector with the force.<ref name="Straight150712">{{cite web|url=https://www.straight.com/news/488056/federal-ndp-candidate-garry-begg-appears-rcmp-uniform-campaign-website# |title=Federal NDP candidate Garry Begg appears in RCMP uniform on campaign website |publisher=The Georgia Straight |first=Charlie |last=Smith |date=2015-07-12 |access-date=2025-01-02 }}</ref> He previously ran in the 2015 federal election as the federal New Democratic Party's candidate in Fleetwood—Port Kells,<ref name="Straight150712"/> but was not elected.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lop.parl.ca/sites/ParlInfo/default/en_CA/ElectionsRidings/Ridings/Profile?OrganizationId=3033 |title=Profile - Fleetwood--Port Kells, British Columbia (2004-05-23 - ) |publisher=Library of Parliament |access-date=2025-01-02 }}</ref>
In the 2017 provincial election, he ran in the newly established riding of Surrey-Guildford as a BC NDP candidate against Liberal Amrik Virk, also a former RCMP inspector. Begg defeated Virk to become a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia,<ref name="Sun170510"/><ref name="NL170510"/> and served as government caucus whip in his first term.<ref name="GB">{{cite web|url=https://www.garrybegg.ca/ |title=Garry Begg - Surrey-Guildford BC NDP |access-date=2025-01-03 }}</ref><ref name="NL241118">{{cite news|url=https://www.surreynowleader.com/local-news/two-surrey-mlas-in-ndp-cabinet-7654101 |title=Two Surrey MLAS in NDP cabinet |publisher=Surrey Now-Leader |first=Tom |last=Zytaruk |date=2024-11-18 |access-date=2025-01-03 }}</ref> He retained his seat in the 2020 provincial election.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.surreynowleader.com/news/surrey-guildford-four-candidates-duke-it-out-in-relatively-new-riding-2968328 |title=SURREY-GUILDFORD: NDP's Garry Begg wins again |publisher=Surrey Now-Leader |date=2020-10-25 |access-date=2025-01-02 }}</ref>
Begg faced a tight race against BC Conservative candidate Honveer Singh Randhawa in the 2024 election, with initial results indicating that Randhawa was leading by 103 votes.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.surreynowleader.com/local-news/elections-bc-declines-request-by-ndps-begg-for-recount-in-surrey-guildford-7608059 |title=Elections BC denies request by NDP's Begg for recount in Surrey-Guildford |publisher=Surrey Now-Leader |first=Tom |last=Zillich |date=2024-10-24 |access-date=2025-01-02 }}</ref> After mail-in and absentee ballots were counted, Elections BC posted updated results on October 28, with Begg winning by 27 votes;<ref name="CBC241028">{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-elxn-oct-28-1.7365413 |title=NDP poised to win majority after overturning Conservative lead in critical Surrey riding |publisher=CBC News |date=2024-10-28 |access-date=2025-01-02 }}</ref><ref name="NL241029">{{cite news|url=https://www.surreynowleader.com/local-news/surprised-pleased-ndps-begg-reacts-to-surrrey-guildford-win-judicial-recount-7615918 |title='Surprised, pleased': NDP's Begg reacts to Surrey-Guildford win, judicial recount |publisher=Surrey Now-Leader |first=Tom |last=Zillich |date=2024-10-29 |access-date=2025-01-02 }}</ref> that figure was later revised to 21 votes.<ref name="NL241108">{{cite news|url=https://www.surreynowleader.com/local-news/bc-election-recount-enters-second-day-in-surrey-guildford-7636911 |title=It's official: NDP's Begg wins Surrey-Guildford by 22 votes |publisher=Surrey Now-Leader |first=Anna |last=Burns |date=2024-11-08 |access-date=2025-01-03 }}</ref> As the margin was less than 1/500th of the total ballots cast, an automatic judicial recount was triggered.<ref name="CBC241028"/><ref name="NL241029"/> The recount was completed on November 8, with Begg re-elected by a margin of 22 votes, allowing the NDP to hold on to a majority government.<ref name="NL241108"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/ndp-majority-holds-1.7378584 |title=NDP majority holds with 22-vote victory in Surrey-Guildford recount |publisher=CBC News |date=2024-11-08 |access-date=2025-01-03 }}</ref>
He was named to the Eby ministry on November 18, 2024 to serve as Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General.<ref name="BCGov"/><ref name="NL241118"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.llbc.leg.bc.ca/public/reference/davidebycabinet.pdf |title=David Eby Cabinet: 2022-Present |publisher=Legislative Library of British Columbia |access-date=2025-01-03 }}</ref> He was succeeded by Nina Krieger in July 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-07-17 |title=Oak Bay MLA moved out of jobs portfolio, Victoria MLA steps into public safety |url=https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/oak-bay-mla-moved-out-of-jobs-portfolio-victoria-mla-steps-into-public-safety-10957157 |access-date=2025-07-19 |website=Times Colonist |language=en}}</ref>
He and his wife Val have two children.<ref name="BCGov"/><ref name="GB"/>
==Electoral record== === Provincial elections === {{2024 British Columbia general election/Surrey-Guildford}} {{2020 British Columbia general election/Surrey-Guildford}} {{2017 British Columbia general election/Surrey-Guildford}}
=== Federal elections === {{2015 Canadian federal election/Fleetwood—Port Kells}}
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
{{British Columbia MLAs}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Begg, Garry}} Category:British Columbia candidates for Member of Parliament Category:British Columbia New Democratic Party MLAs Category:Candidates in the 2015 Canadian federal election Category:Living people Category:Members of the Executive Council of British Columbia Category:New Democratic Party candidates for the Canadian House of Commons Category:People from Surrey, British Columbia Category:Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers Category:Solicitors general of Canadian provinces Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia