SURREY-NEWTON – Sukh Dhaliwal is the Liberal MP for the new riding of Surrey-Newton, easily avenging his 2011 election loss to New Democrat incumbent Jinny Sims in the old riding of Newton-North Delta.
This will be Dhaliwal’s third term in federal public office. Much as he was a casualty of the NDP’s so-called “orange crush” during the last election, Sims is a casualty of the Liberal’s so-called “red tide” on Monday night.
"It is really exciting," Dhaliwal said of his personal and the Liberals' national win. "Beginning of a new era. This is a very strong mandate. We stayed positive."
Dhaliwal's father passed away three weeks ago. "This is a perfect tribute to his memory," the MP-elect said.
Dhaliwal received 24,869 votes to Sims' 11,604. Conservative candidate Harpreet Singh placed third with 6,976 votes and Green candidate Pamela Sangha came in fourth with 975 votes.
Voter turnout was 68.56 per cent. Of 64,798 eligible voters, 44,424 voted.
In 2011 Sims, a former president of the BC Teachers Federation, had defeated Dhaliwal, a two-term Liberal MP, by 15,413 votes to 14,510 to become MP of the now-defunct riding of Newton-North Delta.
In that race, Tory candidate Mani Fallon came in a close third, with 14,434 votes.
Dhaliwal was first elected in 2006, by 1,000 votes
In 2008, he was re-elected with 16,390 votes to Tory candidate Sandeep Pandher's 13,969 while the NDP's Teresa Townsley came in third with 11,804 votes.
tom.zytaruk@thenownewspaper.com