We asked candidates to provide a 300 word (or less) response to the following question: What are the hallmarks of an excellent public servant and how do you epitomize that description? Here are their answers, in alphabetical order. Please note we have not edited or corrected any of the candidates' responses.
Surrey-Newton
Surrey-Newton is a rectangular box with simply defined boundaries, from 88th Avenue in the north to Highway 10 in the south, and 120th Street is its western boundary, and 144th Street its east. In Surrey-Newton, NDP MP incumbent Jinny Sims will take on old rival and Liberal candidate Sukh Dhaliwal, former Liberal MP, and Conservative candidate Harpreet Singh, a television show host. For the Greens, Pamela Sangha is seeking the seat.
Sukh Dhaliwal, Liberals
Did not respond.
Pamela Sangha, Green
Did not respond.
Jinny Sims, NDP
You have to genuinely like people. Be accessible and comfortable with people from all walks of life and be open to other points of view. Throughout my career I have been called upon to negotiate or help mediate in situations where the people and their interests are miles apart. Being a good communicator, but also being sensitive to diverse points of views is important.
An excellent, elected representative must be transparent and straightforward with their constituents and colleagues. So honesty and integrity are at the top of the list. One of the most difficult things to do as a Member of Parliament is to deliver bad news to a family who has so much invested in the outcome. We have seen over 7,000 people and organizations in the MP office over the last 4 years. My principle is to work very hard to get a positive result, but at the end of the day, be honest about what you can achieve or deliver.
Because most politicians have many responsibilities, a high energy level and an ability to focus on the task at hand are good traits to have. I work in the Riding, regularly travel to Ottawa on the red-eye flight but I also am a mother, grandmother, wife and caregiver to my 90 year old, wonderful mother.
And one of the most important hallmarks is having a commitment to service and advocacy. Knowing how to use the system and find ways of making life better for the people you represent.
Harpreet Singh, Conservatives
An excellent public servant needs a reputation of fairness, honesty, integrity, reliability, and high ethical standards. These are the standards which journalists the world over must exemplify to exist. I believe it is the same standards that the public now demand in their civic, provincial, and federal representatives.
As small-business owners, both my wife and I have set those high standards as our everyday goals and we have been successful because of these standards. This is the example we believe our children in high school and post-secondary school need, to set them on the path to building a better Canada, no matter what career they enter.
Looking back over my journalism career of 23 years, I’m proud of my record as a man of principled fairness, honesty, integrity, reliability and ethics.
That is why I believe the Conservative Party, from the grassroots up, was the best party for me to join and offer a better choice for the people of Surrey-Newton in Canada’s Parliament.