Don McRae was appointed Minister of Agriculture on March 14, 2011.  McRae was elected on May 12, 2009 as MLA for the Comox Valley riding. During his time in government he has served as the convener of the Select Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and was a member of the select standing committees on Health, and Finance and Government services. 

McRae was born and raised in the Comox Valley. For the past 14 years he has taught at GP Vanier Secondary School. Aside from teaching social studies, military history, and psychology, he has also served as a rugby coach, athletic director, department chair, and staff leadership committee chair.

McRae has served as a Courtenay City councillor for the past seven years. During his time on council, he served as a municipal director for both the Comox Strathcona Regional District and the newly restructured Comox Valley Regional District.  He has also been a member of the Comox Strathcona Hospital Board, vice-chair of the Comox Valley sewer and water committees and numerous community organizations and boards. In 2008, he was also appointed by Premier Campbell to the Citizen’s Conservation Council.

He is an avid runner and enjoys hiking and fly fishing. McRae has been married to his wife Deanne for 16 years and they have two daughters, one busy in elementary school and the other who has recently learned to walk and open every cabinet in the house.