Candidate Shuffle Sees Stephanie Cadieux To Move To Exiting MLA Kevin Falcon’s Surrey Cloverdale Making Way For Dhaliwal To Run From Surrey-Panorama!
“Everywhere I go – I hear it again and again by entrepreneurs and small business people in our community that the NDP must be stopped and that finally hit home with my and as you know the Premier is a friend and we have worked together over the years so that is why I decided to jump into provincial politics,” Dhaliwal told the LINK on Wednesday.
By R. Paul Dhillon
SURREY – Stop the NDP, which has been hovering at the top of public opinion polls, is his only mission, says former Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal, who made a dramatic shift to provincial politics this week to help out his friend Premier Christy Clark by agreeing to run from Surrey-Panorama.
“Everywhere I go – I hear it again and again by entrepreneurs and small business people in our community that the NDP must be stopped and that finally hit home with my and as you know the Premier is a friend and we have worked together over the years so that is why I decided to jump into provincial politics,” Dhaliwal told the LINK on Wednesday.
Dhaliwal’s dramatic entry also saw a candidate shuffle which sent current Surrey-Panorama MLA Stephanie Cadieux to outgoing MLA Kevin Falcon’s Liberal safe Surrey Cloverdale riding to make way for Dhaliwal to run in a riding that was once held by BC Liberal MLA Gulzar Cheema.
“I’m proud of the work I have done in my constituency and value the relationships I have formed since 2009,” said Cadieux, who is the province’s Children and Family Development Minister. “The opportunity to run in the riding where I live makes sense for me personally, and also continues to allow me to deliver for all of Surrey.”
Dhaliwal, a resident of Surrey-Panorama since 1997, was a Member of Parliament from Surrey, elected in 2006 and 2008. He said despite the poll numbers, which he is confident will change in the next couple of months, he is excited about running again for public office.
“British Columbia is at a crucial point in history, and the BC Liberals are the best option for our province’s economy,” said Dhaliwal. “Offering families low taxes, a clear plan for growth and the fiscal capacity for strong systems of support are values that I firmly believe in.”
Asked if he is concerned that poll numbers have not moved up for the BC Liberals under Clark and in fact numerous gaffes by her has led to the party hitting bottom before recovering slightly – Dhaliwal said no doubt there is a lot of work to be done but he is confident that once the HST is out – the NDP will not have much left to fight the election on and that momentum will swing back to the BC Liberals because they are the only choice for free enterprise, which is highly valued across BC as well as in the Indo-Canadian community.”
“Look I wouldn’t have decided to run if I didn’t feel strongly about stopping the NDP and I’m certain that we can win,” said Dhaliwal, who will be backed by many of his supporters and backers who have helped him fight federal elections in Surrey-North Delta, where he was two time MP.
“Sukh will work hard to earn the vote of Panorama constituents and even harder on their behalf as MLA,” said Cadieux.
“I am fully supportive of both Sukh and Stephanie’s candidacies. They will ensure their ridings have strong representation for years to come,” said Surrey-Cloverdale MLA Kevin Falcon, who joined the pair at a media conference in his current riding..
Cadieux and Dhaliwal will have a joint candidate selection meeting in Surrey on November 14th. Both candidates have been acclaimed.
