“Government’s primary job is to care for us, not cater to lobbyists.”

Raj Sahota was born in Victoria, raised in Esquimalt, and formed his early political views in Saanich. He lives and works on the traditional lands of the Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples. A descendant of Panjabi-Sikhs who resisted British occupation and colonization in Northern India before immigrating to Canada, Raj says his family history has shaped his sense of responsibility toward his community and his decision to run for election.

Growing up in Esquimalt, Raj witnessed and experienced discrimination that inspired him to become an advocate from a young age. He has carried that commitment throughout his career, working to represent people who have been injured, harmed, or treated unfairly and challenging systems he believes contribute to inequality and discrimination.

After attending Esquimalt High School and Belmont Senior Secondary, Raj completed degrees in Commerce and Law at the University of Victoria. He began his legal career in corporate law, including positions at major law firms in Toronto and New York City. His experience working with multinational corporations gave him an inside perspective on the economic, legal, and political systems that he would later choose to challenge through his work.

Raj left corporate law to pursue a Master of Laws in International Law at the London School of Economics, where he studied international law, global economics, and war. He later returned home to Victoria to build a legal career focused on serving individuals and communities.

For nearly two decades, Raj has worked as a litigator and negotiator representing injured, harmed, and vulnerable people. For more than a decade, he has served as the Managing Partner and/or Team Principal of a law firm specializing in personal injury, human rights, and class actions. He has also served for more than a decade on the board of Pacifica Housing Advisory Association, one of B.C.’s non-profit housing and service providers.

Raj is running on priorities that include publicly funded and universally accessible healthcare, education, and transit. He also supports ending public financial support for the fossil fuel industry, multinational corporations, and wealthy individuals.

Outside of his legal and community work, Raj spends much of his time with his children and family. He coaches several youth soccer and basketball teams each week and advocates for a positive, emotionally informed, and youth-centred approach to coaching.

Raj is a proud father and son of Panjabi-Sikh descent, and says he is running in Victoria-Beacon Hill out of a sense of responsibility to the community where he was born and raised.

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