Parliamentary Relatives: The Strahls of Chilliwack and the Fraser Valley

Politics can, at times, be a familial affair. This is certainly the case in the region of Chilliwack and the Fraser Valley. For over 30 years, a member of the Strahl family has represented this part of the country.

Serving as a Member of Parliament from 1993 to 2011, Chuck Strahl held several key roles during his tenure, including Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. Initially a member of the Reform Party and later as part of the Conservative Party of Canada, he was known for his advocacy on issues related to agriculture, Indigenous rights, and parliamentary reform.

Upon his retirement from political life in 2011, Mr. Strahl’s son, Mark Strahl, followed in his father’s footsteps and was elected to represent this same riding. Volunteering for the Reform Party since age 14 and later serving as an intern in party leader Preston Manning’s office, Mark told Maclean’s Magazine he was under no illusions about what the job of a parliamentarian required. “I’ve seen how it’s done— I’ve lived it for a number of years,” he said. “I grew up in an MP’s home.”

Currently the Member of Parliament for Chilliwack- Hope, Mark has focused on issues such as finance, veterans’ affairs, and international trade over the years. More recently, Mark has also served as the Chief Opposition Whip and as Shadow Minister for Transport. He is known for his advocacy on behalf of local businesses, veterans, and rural communities.

While the Strahl family aren’t the only father and son pair to sit in parliament successively, their collective tenure is undoubtedly among the longest the Canadian parliament has seen.

Vicky Sedhya Maurice-Sevigny

Procedural Clerk, House of Commons