Respected former senior Surrey RCMP Insp. Garry Begg, who retired from the force last year, said Thursday that he “vows to work for a safer, stronger Surrey” in making his candidacy official. “I’m very proud of my association with the Punjabi, Indo-Canadian community and cherish the many friendships I have made here,” Begg told The LINK last year upon his retirement from the force.
By R. Paul Dhillon
SURREY —Respected former senior Surrey Mountie is seeking to overthrow Conservative MP Nina Grewal in Fleetwood-Port Kells this October after announcing Thursday that he plans to seek the NDP nomination in the riding.
Insp. Garry Begg, who retired from the force last year, said Thursday that he “vows to work for a safer, stronger Surrey” in making his candidacy official.
“I served our community for 38.5 years as an RCMP officer, and now I want to serve our community as a Member of Parliament in Canada’s first-ever NDP government,” Begg said on Thursday.
“I have seen firsthand the impact of Conservative neglect, and I want to be part of building positive solutions. I look forward to joining Tom Mulcair’s NDP team and working for safer neighbourhoods, better transit, reduced traffic congestion and more affordable housing.”
Begg applauded Mulcair and NDP MPs Jinny Sims and Jasbir Sandhu for their work to counter gang violence.
“As your Member of Parliament I will work with Jinny and Jasbir for more police on the street, and more support for gang prevention programs,” he said. Begg made the announcement Thursday morning at Fleetwood Park. He was joined by Sims, Sandhu, and many other prominent community activists.
“We need change in our country, and Tom Mulcair has the experience and the principles to replace Stephen Harper,” he said.
The LINK did a profile on Begg last year upon his retirement, describing how he has become a great friend of the Indo-Canadian-South Asian community over his eight years in the Surrey detachment.
Having worked more than 38 years in Canada’s national police force with assignments on Vancouver Island, the BC Interior, Burnaby, Langley and finally in Surrey, Begg told the LINK on Friday that he really cherishes the time he has spent in Surrey where the Punjabi community has welcomed him in their homes, temples and in their hearts.
“I’m very proud of my association with the Punjabi, Indo-Canadian community and cherish the many friendships I have made here,” Begg said at the time, adding that he relishes the annual Khalsa Day Sikh Parade, which he has seen his tenure go from a big local event to an international event which is now averaging 250,000 participants every year.
He described his policing career as “terrific life experience” that he will always cherish. Brgg also told ius thane that while he was retiring and looking forward to his hobbies of fishing and outdoors, he wasn’t going away and was expected to make a move to politics, which many at the time expected to be civic politics in Surrey.
“I have been approached by many people to run and I’m definitely open to it as it is part of our community and social fabric,” Begg said at the time. “At this point, I just want to enjoy my time off and when I’m ready and certain with something, I will announce it. I’m excited about the future.”
