The Surrey Now-Leader reached out to all the local candidates in the B.C. provincial election with a questionnaire allowing them to introduce themselves to voters. Candidates were all given the same questions, word counts and deadlines.
Below are the responses as received.
CANDIDATE: Garry Begg, B.C. NDP
WHERE DO YOU LIVE?: Lower Mainland (did not specify)
ONE-SENTENCE BIO (30 words maximum): After an almost 40-year policing career, I’ve had the privilege of representing Surrey Guildford in the BC Legislature since 2017.
WHY SHOULD YOU BE ELECTED? (175 words maximum): I have spent much of my life in public service, serving people in our community. I spent over 35 years as an RCMP Officer, working in various roles in various locations throughout British Columbia. I developed a keen sense of partnerships and collaboration, and I describe myself as a “bridge builder.” I build bridges between communities and groups, not walls, and I’ve successfully transferred those skills into my political life.
Right now, people in Surrey are having a difficult time. Our community has faced a global inflation crisis, and our population is growing. I believe Surrey can be a place where people can get ahead and feel secure. It’s why I and the BC NDP are building a new hospital, expanding Surrey Memorial, why we’re building new schools and getting 15,000 new student seats in Surrey, and why we’re taking action to build 300,000 homes people can afford in BC.
All of which John Rustad and the BC Conservatives threaten to to stop. Our growing community cannot afford the risk that John Rustad poses.
TOP 3 PRIORITY ISSUES (15 words maximum):
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Expanding medical care
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Building more schools
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Enhancing transportation
CANDIDATE: Manjeet Singh Sahota, BC Green Party
WHERE DO YOU LIVE?: Guildford
ONE-SENTENCE BIO (30 words maximum): I have lived in the Guildford area for 18 years and love it. I will make it even better for the residents and newcomers because the Greens Put People First!!!
WHY SHOULD YOU BE ELECTED? (175 words maximum): I'm dedicated and excited to address the pressing issues in our Guildford riding. Homelessness and unaffordable housing are top concerns, and I'm eager to explore solutions that make a real difference. With several new apartment complexes in the design stage, it's important to make sure that some units are designated as affordable for lower-income families. I also believe that integrating healthcare offices, such as doctors and dentists, on the lower floors of these complexes would greatly benefit our community.
Education is another priority. Our students deserve to learn in proper classrooms, not portables, so I’m focused on advocating for larger schools to accommodate our growing population.
To strengthen our local economy, it's important to attract more private sector jobs. I’m committed to encouraging businesses to set up in Guildford, as thriving enterprises play a vital role in enhancing the economic prosperity of our community.
TOP 3 PRIORITY ISSUES (15 words maximum):
- Housing affordability and homelessness
- Easier to access our health care sector.
- Enjoyable K-12 schooling system
CANDIDATE: Kabir Qurban, Independent
WHERE DO YOU LIVE?: Whalley
ONE-SENTENCE BIO (30 words maximum): Running for MLA in Surrey-Guildford, Kabir Qurban is a Secondary School Teacher, an acclaimed Human Rights Advocate, and a Non-Profit Executive.
WHY SHOULD YOU BE ELECTED? (175 words maximum): As a teacher who has taught at every secondary school in Surrey and an active community member, Qurban has his ears to the ground. He cares deeply about British Columbia's future; whether through his efforts in youth leadership development or in planting over 12 000 trees in our forests. His grassroots journey has gained international attention, further enabling him to bring international developmental strategies to our beautiful province. He is experienced in upholding human rights through his advocacy work in international policy development at the United Nations, Canadian Parliament, European Union, and American Government. Qurban has been a keynote speaker at many prestigious institutions such as Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Stanford, UCLA, UBC, SFU and NYU.
Recent times have led to a very polarized political landscape, leading to Qurban's mission to serve his riding through a balanced approach. He intends to be the "Authentic Independent Candidate" who will have Surrey's best interest in mind.
TOP 3 PRIORITY ISSUES (15 words maximum):
- Expedite Cloverdale Hospital
- Limit SOGI123 and Reinstate Grading System in Schools
- End ICBC No-Fault Policy
CANDIDATE: Honveer Singh Randhawa, Conservative Party
WHERE DO YOU LIVE?: Surrey
ONE-SENTENCE BIO (30 words maximum): I am a compassionate legal professional, family man, and animal lover, dedicated to serving the community Surrey-Guildford with empathy, fairness, and a genuine commitment to making a positive impact.
WHY SHOULD YOU BE ELECTED? (175 words maximum): The residents of Surrey are hurting because of increased crimes, high cost of living and unaffordability. Under BCNDP’s mismanagement of taxes allocation, Surrey has been deprived of proper hospitals and schools. There is over 10 hours of wait in hospitals, and portables have become the new norm in the schools.
My election in the public office will benefit Surrey because as being a lawyer, I have been a diligent professional and have on multiple occasions advocated for the needs of the residents on affordable housing. I will effectively advance the policies of my party, Conservative Party of BC, in scrapping the Carbon Tax and removing SOGI from schools. Removing the BCNDP’s tax grab of Carbon Tax will result in making food, transportation and utilities affordable for the Surrey residents already burdened by the high cost of living. Removing and replacing the curriculum of SOGI from schools with a sensible anti-bullying curriculum will stop the indoctrination of our kids in schools.
TOP 3 PRIORITY ISSUES (15 words maximum):
- Stop SOGI- Stop indoctrination of our kids in schools
- Immediately getting Surrey hospitals built & expanded.
- Expanding school structures & removing portables