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, with questions in bold, followed by candidate answers in their own words.
Here are the responses we received for the candidates in Surrey-Fleetwood.
CANDIDATE: Tim Binnema, B.C. Green Party
WHERE DO YOU LIVE?: Surrey, Fleetwood
ONE-SENTENCE BIO: A proud resident of Surrey Fleetwood since 1990, Tim and his wife have raised four children and now enjoy spending time with their five grandchildren.
WHY SHOULD YOU BE ELECTED? Throughout my career, in engineering, management, and leadership, I have championed sustainable BC-born technological solutions, implementing them around the globe. This work has honed my ability to recognize and address problems before they escalate into crises—a skill that I am eager to apply to the challenges facing Fleetwood residents.
I believe that empowering local voices and embracing diversity will be key to finding solutions for community safety and livability challenges. I am excited to support the BC Green Party’s platform which has a plan to make your life better, putting people and their wellness first.
TOP 3 PRIORITY ISSUES:
1. Transportation with focus on transit and active transportation.
2. Creating community healthcare centres.
3. Education.
CANDIDATE: Jagrup Brar, B.C. NDP
WHERE DO YOU LIVE?: Surrey/Fleetwood.
ONE-SENTENCE BIO (30 words maximum): I was first elected in 2004, and since then my focus has been to tackle the issues that matter to people and families, like health care, housing, and lowering costs.
WHY SHOULD YOU BE ELECTED? (175 words maximum): I know that life is getting expensive for families in Surrey. That’s why I’ve been working to make life more affordable. As part of the B.C. NDP government, I helped to eliminate the unfair bridge tolls, saving families thousands of dollars. I advocated to lower car insurance and build more affordable homes to help young families. Now we’re also building a new SkyTrain line and making our community safer.
It’s also important that healthcare is there when you need it most. It’s why I’ve been advocating for a new hospital in Surrey since I was first elected – now we’re building it. We’ve also hired 8,000 more nurses and 800 doctors. Meanwhile, John Rustad has a 20-year track record of making things worse for people in Surrey. He sold off the land to build a new hospital, they closed 240 schools and now Rustad’s Conservatives are planning a $4.1-billion cut to healthcare.
That’s the choice in this election. The B.C. NDP plans to build, and Rustad plans to cut and cancel.
TOP 3 PRIORITY ISSUES (15 words maximum):
1. More doctors and nurses, more doctor training.
2. Safer community.
3. Making life more affordable.
CANDIDATE: Avtar Gill, Conservative Party of B.C.
WHERE DO YOU LIVE?: Surrey
ONE-SENTENCE BIO: A longtime resident of Surrey, Avtar is a distinguished business leader, known for his deep commitment to the community. He commits to transparent and sustainable development with a service mindset.
WHY SHOULD YOU BE ELECTED? Under the BC NDP, our economic strength has deteriorated, public safety is in decline and the cost of living has soared to once-unimaginable highs. The Conservative Party of BC has emerged as the decisive opposition to the radical policies of the NDP. Avtar Gill will focus on education, respecting cultural identity and economic growth. As part of John Rustad's team he will scrap the carbon tax, lock up violent criminals and introduce serious healthcare reform.
TOP 3 PRIORITY ISSUES:
1. Affordability. Axe the tax, build the homes, and bring back common-sense economic policies.
2. Healthcare. Reduce wait times, put patients first and increase home care for our seniors.
3. Education. Prioritize core subjects, more mental health supports and respect for culture.
