Surrey-Panorama

Liberal Candidate: Puneet Sandhar

Puneet Sandhar is a Surrey-based lawyer and first time candidate. She says that, through her outreach to voters, she has found that the most important issue to Panorama is job growth and stability, and she credits the B.C. Liberal government’s tax cuts with creating the growth that her potential constituents are looking for.

“Under the NDP … B.C. was the lowest in job growth Canada-wide. Right now, B.C. is the highest in job growth,” says Sandhar. “Under their rule, B.C. had the highest unemployment. Now B.C. has the lowest unemployment.”

According to Sandhar, the Liberals will also ensure that there are jobs for students coming out of post-secondary school.

“We want schools and universities to have that investment so that kids who want to pursue a career in a certain field have that opportunity, but then, at the same time, once you complete your education you’re able to have a job to start your career.”

NDP Candidate: Jinny Sims

“[Residents of Panorama] feel like they’re working harder and longer hours for less,” says Jinny Sims, formerly an MP for Newton-North Delta. “Many of them will tell you, ‘We feel all we do is work, and we don’t mind working hard, but it’s a struggle.’”

Sims says that she benefited from free post-secondary education in England. Graduating without student debt allowed her to buy a house within a year of leaving school. This experience convinced her of the value of removing financial barriers to education.

As MLA for Panorama, Sims would focus on addressing the ongoing opioid crisis, and is proud of the NDP’s platform for public health.

“Mental health issues are huge, huge, huge,” she says. “I’m hearing from teachers that early as grade two and three they’re beginning to see the signs of depression, and so when mental health issues are not addressed early on, they multiply.”

Green Candidate: Veronica Greer

If elected, Green Party nominee Veronica Greer could become B.C.’s first transgendered MLA. Scottish-born Greer is a human rights and environmental activist. Unfortunately, Greer did not respond to The Runner’s request to be interviewed for this profile.

Surrey-Whalley

Liberal Candidate: Sargy Chima

Sargy Chima, a long-time B.C. public servant, says that the biggest issue in the Whalley riding is keeping the streets safe.

“We need to work together with the city, with other stakeholders, nonprofit organisations, the community as a whole to ensure that we can help [addicts] through the system, and that may include shelters and rehab. We need to get these people back so that they can build up their self esteem, their confidence level, and empower them to be able to do things,” says Chima.

Chima says that strengthening of border services is key to keeping fentanyl out of the province.

Also important to Chima is education affordability, and she attributes the Liberal government with the the fact that tuition in B.C. is the fourth lowest in the country.

NDP Candidate: Bruce Ralston

As a long-time representative for Surrey-Whalley, Bruce Ralston emphasizes the NDP’s plan to create 110,000 new housing units in the province over the next several years.

Improvements for access to health care in Whalley will also be a major priority for Ralston, who criticizes the Liberal government’s response to the opioid crisis. He says that the NDP will provide better support for mental health by creating a separate ministry for mental health and addiction.

Ralston says that Surrey is currently underserved for transit and takes pride in the NDP’s plan to match federal transit funding, as well as their intention to make all current and future student loans interest-free.

“Our leader, John Horgan, through his own personal experience, understands the power and the liberating effect of education, and he’s a real strong advocate for education. It’s made a huge difference in his own life,” says Ralston.

Green Candidate: Rita Fromholt

Rita Fromholt believes that transit is the biggest issue for voters in her riding, and that moving away from dependence on cars is imperative for the long-term environmental and economic health of Surrey. She says that the city’s transportation infrastructure has not kept up with the city’s growth.

Where the Greens’ transit plans differs from that of the NDP and the Liberals is in the support for continued bridge tolls on the Lower Mainland, which the other parties have both promised to faze out. Fromholt backs the tolls, arguing that the revenue they bring in is needed for investments in public transits infrastructure. Fromholt supports the Surrey municipal government’s plan for light rail as well as other transit upgrades.

“Surrey has the potential to be a very livable and walkable community for young families and students and seniors, people looking to get away from the really really high housing prices in Vancouver,” she says.