The 2009 Provincial Election is set to take place on Tuesday, and for the past month, B.C. Liberal Leader Gordon Campbell, B.C. New Democrat Leader Carole James and B.C. Green Party Leader Jane Sterk have all been campaigning with the help of MLA candidates from all over B.C.
Here are some select riding profiles:
Burnaby-Edmonds
Lee Rankin – Liberals
Rankin has worked with the community in planning parks, schools and libraries. He stands by local small businesses and will fight to keep their taxes and costs low to encourage prosperity.
Raj Chouhan – NDP
Chouhan is committed to helping the senior community in his riding. Providing funding for senior wellness programs and bringing positive solutions to the health care system is what he is committed to.
Carrie McLaren – Green Party
McLaren is dedicated to bringing common sense solution to B.C. She feels a passion to do what is right for our planet.
Burnaby Lougheed
Harry Bloy – Liberals
Bloy is hopeful for re-election in his riding. He strongly believes in the importance of volunteering, shown through his extensive community involvement.
Jaynie Clark – NDP
Corrigan is committed to holding the government accountable for everyday families.
Helen Chang – Green Party
Chang has worked on projects to improve the ESL education delivery system. She feels strongly about improving the channels that detect special needs in our schools.
Burnaby North
Richard T. Lee – Liberals
Lee was first elected in Burnaby North in 2001 and re-elected in 2005. Lee is the director of the British Columbia Heritage Language Association and a member of the Burnaby District Parents’ Advisory Council.
Mondee Redman – NDP
Redman hopes to “take back B.C.” by improving health care while increasing job training, making university education affordable and protecting the environment.
Doug Perry – Green Party
Perry says he has an ideal variety of life experience, and quality of character to be a trustworthy MLA. He has been a union worker, which gives him an upper hand in understanding union issues.
Burnaby-Deer Lake
John Nuraney – Liberals
Nuraney is committed to helping the less fortunate. He initiated the Penny Harvest project, which has served more than 3,000 meals to hungry Burnaby children.
Kathy Corrigan – NDP
Corrigan is committed to serving the community of Burnaby and ensuring the city continues to flourish as an enriching place.
Bruce Friesen – Green Party
Friesen hopes to bring effective solutions to public problems like homelessness, crime reduction and environmental issues.
North Vancouver-Lonsdale
Naomi Yamamoto – Liberals
Yamamoto vows to use her leadership and understanding of the North Shore area to help her community through the global economic downturn.
Janice Harris – NDP
Harris hopes to work with the people in her riding and improve the lives of the everyday family.
Michelle Corcos – Green Party
Corcos feels strongly about issues surrounding education, preventative health care and environmental sustainability.
North Vancouver-Seymour
Jane Thornthwaite – Liberals
Thornthwaite is dedicated to keeping communities safe, the environment green and the health care system efficient. She is committed to ensuring that our economy remains strong through the tough times ahead.
Mo Norton – NDP
Norton wants to make a difference in her riding by improving access to affordable housing, protecting jobs and improving the lives of seniors through health care and housing.
Daniel Quinn – Green Party
Quinn is committed to finding better ways to manage energy production, conservation and waste reclamation.
Richmond Centre
Rob Howard – Liberals
Howard believes in fiscal management and maintaining a sustainable economy. He is dedicated to supporting critical services such as health care, education and social services.
Kam Brar – NDP
Brar is interested in promoting multiculturalism and ensuring public safety in his constituency.
Michael Wolfe – Green Party
Wolfe prioritizes finding solutions to problems like public education and protecting wild salmon and their habitat.
Richmond East
Linda Reid – Liberals
Reid is committed to building and contributing to the Liberals’ record of critical infrastructure investment. She hopes to increase funding for education and law enforcement.
Shawkat Hasan – NDP
Hasan is concerned with health care, public transit and public safety issues.
Stephen Rees – Green Party
Rees believes in finding a solution to transportation issues and taking action against climate change.
Richmond-Steveston
John Yap – Liberals
Yap is dedicated to meeting the concerns of the people in his constituency by improving the economy, reducing crime and stimulating job growth.
Sue Wallis – NDP
Wallis has been involved in B.C. health care for many years and takes the issues surrounding the health care system very seriously.
Jeff Hill – Green Party
Hill is concerned with gang violence and feels that if drug prohibition continues, it will only bring escalating violence, police corruption and a loss of civil rights.
Surrey-Cloverdale
Kevin Falcon – Liberals
Falcon, running for re-election, strives towards reducing unnecessary government regulations. He is a strong advocate for the twinning of the Port Mann Bridge and widening the Trans-Canada Highway.
Deborah Payment – NDP
Payment believes that everybody matters and hopes, with the NDP, to build a province for every British Columbian.
Kevin Purton – Green Party
Purton is a strong advocate for environmental issues and the reduction of the ecological footprint.
Surrey-Fleetwood
Jagmohan Singh – Liberals
Singh stands to make the voices of the Surrey-Fleetwood community heard regarding education, environment, crime and the economy.
Jagrup Brar – NDP
Brar has been fighting for working families and is a voice for the people of Surrey. He is passionate about issues like education, public transit, gang violence, and the economy.
Christin Geall – Green Party
Geall is committed to women’s and seniors programs as well as finding a better plan for the residents in the Surrey-Fleetwood riding.
Surrey-Green Timbers
Rani Mangat – Liberals
Mangat is committed to fighting the gang violence in Surrey and keeping the healthcare system strong to support the growing population.
Sue Hammell – NDP
Hammell is avid about making improvements to Surrey Memorial Hospital and doing away with the gas tax. She believes that Surrey residents deserve action, not excuses.
Dan Kashagama – Green Party
Kashagama is an advocate for international aid reform, social work and community development. He has made it a priority to fight for employment equality.
Surrey-Newton
Ajay Caleb – Liberals
Caleb is dedicated to easing the pressures, frustrations and pain of new immigrants, and will work with the community to ensure equal opportunity and fairness for everyone.
Harry Bains – NDP
Bains is in favor of increasing the minimum wage, cutting taxes for small business and providing support for senior in the community.
Trevor Loke – Green Party
Loke feels strongly about building a stronger economy while restoring integrity in politics.
Surrey-Panorama
Stephanie Cadieux – Liberals
Cadieux believes in investing in the future through transit improvements, new post-secondary facilities and increasing affordable housing.
Debbie Lawrance – NDP
Lawrance is strongly in favour of light rail transit and reduction of greenhouse gases. She is hoping to be a strong voice within the Legislature.
Murray Weisenberger – Green Party
Weisenberger is a strong supporter of electoral reform and bringing a change to the voting system in B.C.
Surrey-Tynehead
Dave Hayer – Liberals
Hayer is dedicated to reducing crime in his community. He initiated the Surrey Police Officer of the Year Awards and was vice-president of the Surrey Community Crime Prevention Society.
Pat Zanon – NDP
Zanon has contributed to projects like hospital construction, integrating acute care and community services, improving service quality and effective fiscal management and control.
Gerald Singh – Green Party
Singh would like to work towards creating a sustainable society built on economic prosperity and ecological diversity.
Surrey-Whalley
Radhia Benalia – Liberals
Benalia is passionate about improving the lives of people in need, such as those with mental and physical disabilities.
Bruce Ralston – NDP
Ralston, running for re-election, pledges to voice the concerns of the people in his riding.
Bernadette Keenan – Green Party
Keenan is running to raise awareness for improving transit and reconsidering construction of the South Fraser Freeway. He is also concerned with the destruction of the environment.
Surrey-White Rock
Gordon Hogg – Liberals
Hogg, running for re-election, is dedicated to reducing crime, having worked as a probation officer and regional director for corrections.
Drina Allen – NDP
Allen is dedicated to issues surrounding public transit, having petitioned to save the 351 express bus to Vancouver in April 2009.
Don Pitcairn – Green Party
Pitcairn is committed to bringing smart transportation into effect while promoting environmental responsibility.
Vancouver-Fairview
Margaret MacDiarmid – Liberals
MacDiarmid is a tough advocate for a stronger health care system in order to build a better future. She believes strong leadership will guide our province through the economic downturn.
Jenn McGinn – NDP
McGinn is ready to take action to reduce homelessness and pollution. She has spoken publically about renters’ rights and ‘renovictions.’
Vanessa Violini – Green Party
Violini’s goals are job creation and economic stimulation through diversification and sustainability. She also is concerned with electoral reform and increasing affordable housing.
Vancouver-False Creek
Mary McNeil – Liberals
McNeil has served on the Vancouver Police Board for four years and is aware and dedicated to improving the public safety concerns in her community.
Jordan Parente – NDP
Parente is in favor of an increase to the minimum wage and vows to work towards ending homelessness.
Damian Kettlewell – Green Party
Kettlewell hopes to eradicate homelessness while building a strong green economy in British Columbia.
Vancouver-Fraserview
Kash Heed – Liberals
Heed, a former police officer, is committed to law enforcement making our streets safer. He is an advocate for stronger border control to combat threats to public safety.
Gabriel Yiu – NDP
Yiu has pledged his support for he proposed seniors’ expansion of the Killarney Community Centre. Yiu reasons that infrastructure upgrade to schools, universities and other public buildings are long overdue
Jodie Emery – Green Party
Emery is an advocate for drug policy reform, civil liberties and sustainability. She feels very strongly for human rights issues.
Vancouver-Hastings
Haida Lane – Liberals
Lane is a strong supporter of the economy, public safety, and the environment, as well as arts and culture. With the Liberals, she hopes to maintain a strong economy through a balanced budget.
Shane Simpson – NDP
Simpson is looking for re-election in his riding. He is concerned about long childcare wait lists, the lack of affordable housing and the threat of school closures.
Ryan Conroy – Green Party
Conroy is passionate about transit issues, healthy living and community building.
Vancouver-Kensington
Syrus Lee – Liberals
Lee is dedicated to always listening to the constituents first and making their concerns known.
Mable Elmore – NDP
Elmore is focused on health care, education, and an economy that is sustainable and green. Public transit is also a deep concern for Elmore.
Doug Warkentin – Green Party
Warkentin is committed to the idea of building a stronger province through economically, socially and ecologically self-sustaining communities.
West Vancouver – Capilano
Ralph Sultan – Liberals
Sultan, running for re-election, vows to invest in infrastructure which would help create more jobs across B.C. Since being elected eight years ago, Sultan has worked to cut taxes while investing in healthcare and education.
Terry Platt – New Democrats
Platt is dedicated to building a province for every British Columbian.
Ryan Windsor – Green Party
Windsor is passionate about energy conservation and bringing positive community-based solutions to the people.
Vancouver-Quilchena
Colin Hansen – Liberals
Hansen is dedicated to ensuring plans for economic recovery are carried out if re-elected. He believes in strengthening the heath care and education system.
James Young – NDP
Young is committed to shortening health care waitlists and investing in public transit. Young is also supportive of a minimum wage hike.
Laura-Leah Shaw – Green Party
Shaw is committed to listening and tackling the concerns of seniors’. She is also committed to finding solutions for homelessness.
Vancouver – Point Grey
Gordon Campbell – Liberals
Premier Campbell is avid about building a province that creates opportunities for both families and individuals. He works to improve and invest in infrastructure such as hospitals, highways and social housing.
Mel Lehan – NDP
Lehan is dedicated to giving residents and merchants a say in key issues like transit while striving to protect tenants against ‘renovictions’ and building affordable housing.
Stephen Kronstein – Green Party
Kronstein promotes his idea of a neighbourhood assembly system – a democratic network designed to enhance social cohesiveness and empower the grassroots outside of election periods.
Vancouver-Mount Pleasant
Sherry Wiebe – Liberals
Wiebe is committed to keeping families safe and helping the homeless. If elected Wiebe, with the Liberals, promises to spend more than $469 million on housing.
Jenny Kwan – NDP
Kwan is devoted to improving women’s rights, community development, housing and anti-poverty advocacy. Kwan is seeking re-election for a fourth term as MLA for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant.
John Boychuk – Green Party
Boychuk is an advocate for affordable housing, effective transit and environmental accountability.
Vancouver-Langara
Moira Stilwell – Liberals
Stilwell promises to bring funding for health care, education and social services to ensure economic prosperity. She believes in strong leadership and good government.
Helesia Luke – NDP
Luke is a public education advocate. She is also interested in fighting for other public interests like poverty, homelessness and human rights.
Jean-Michel Toriel – Green Party
Toriel is passionate about clean, renewable energy resources while encouraging responsible businesses.
Vancouver-Kingsway
Bill Yuen – Liberals
Yuen believes he can serve his community by improving public safety and communities while building a thriving economy.
Adrian Dix – NDP
Dix is concerned about the impact of the recession on the people in his constituency. Dix has seen a decline of education and health care and wants to do something about those issues.
Rev Warkentin – Green Party
Warkentin feels strongly about homelessness, which is shown through her work with an organization that provides social services to homeless women in Vancouver.
Vancouver-West End
Laura McDiarmid – Liberals
McDiarmid understands the diversity of the West End and aims at representing the welfare of all.
Spencer Herbert – NDP
Herbert, looking for re-election, is a strong advocate for renters’ rights in the West End. Herbert cares about violence in his constituency and speaks about against violence.
Drina Read – Green Party
Read hopes to encourage fair voting and prevent homelessness if elected. She is also in support of full education services.
