Pair of ‘solid candidates’ on slate for South Surrey byelection
Advance voting opens today for what promises to be an interesting byelection race between two former politicians in South SurreyWhite Rock.
“I think we have two very solid local candidates to choose from,” said University of the Fraser Valley political science professor Hamish Telford.
Kerry-Lynne Findlay is running in the byelection for the Conservative party, and Gordie Hogg was acclaimed as the Liberal party candidate. The byelection is one of four taking place on Dec. 11 across Canada.
The riding of South SurreyWhite Rock was held by Conservative MP Dianne Watts, who narrowly won her election in 2015. Watts gave up her seat this fall to pursue the provincial B.C. Liberal leadership.
Findlay was elected as the MP for Delta-Richmond East in 2011. As a Conservative MP, she served as parliamentary secretary to the ministers of justice, national defence and national revenue. She was defeated in the 2015 election.
Findlay said she got back into politics because she believes the Liberals are making life hard for working families.
“As I watched things unfold over the last couple of years I was particularly concerned about what I saw as an attack on small businesses,” said Findlay, who is selfemployed as a lawyer.
Findlay said she has deep ties to the community through her family and has lived in White Rock since the summer. She said her experience in Ottawa, community service and legal background are some reasons why voters may choose her. She also believes many voters have had a change of heart.
“What I’m hearing over and over is that there is a number of people who maybe traditionally vote Conservative who gave the Liberals a chance in 2015 and they have some buyer’s remorse,” she said.
Hogg, a longtime White Rock councillor and mayor, served as MLA for Surrey-White Rock for five terms before announcing in October 2016 that he would not run again. Hogg held a number of positions in Victoria, including minister of children and family development.
Asked why he got back into politics, he said, “I have an opportunity to be closer to my community in a more productive way. No one could have anticipated three months ago that this opportunity would come along.”
The riding has long been a Conservative stronghold, and Hogg recognizes it will be a tough battle but believes his long service and reputation will help his campaign.
Telford said parties take byelections seriously. “We’re at the halfway point of the Liberal mandate, so they’re looking at it as sort of, ‘Are we on the right track here or losing ground?’” he said. “Conservatives have a new leader and it is very important for Andrew Scheer to hold this riding in South Surrey.”
Jonathan Silveira, who ran for the B.C. NDP in Surrey South during the May provincial election, is on the ballot for the NDP.
Other candidates include Larry Colero (Green), Michael Huenefeld (Progressive Canadian), Rod Taylor (Christian Heritage) and Donald Wilson (Libertarian).