The provincial election is one month away, and voters in North Delta will get two chances to hear from candidates hoping to represent them in the B.C. Legislature.
As of Thursday afternoon (Sept. 19), four people are running to be MLA in the riding of Delta North: (in alphabetical order) incumbent Ravi Kahlon with the BC NDP, Manqoosh Khan with the Freedom Party of BC, Raj Veauli with the Conservative Party of BC, and Nick Dickinson-Wilde with the BC Green Party.
Candidate nominations with Elections BC close at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28.
An hour after nominations close, North Delta voters will get their first look at the candidates during a free event hosted by the Delta Residents Association at Northside Community Church (11300 84th Ave.). Doors will open at 1:45 p.m., with meeting getting underway at 2 p.m.
The all-candidates meeting will not be a debate, instead following a question-and-answer format wherein each candidate will get the chance to respond to questions posed by the moderator and those folks in attendance.
Organizers ask those with questions for the candidates to submit them via email (delta.residents@gmail.com) by Friday, Sept. 20.
Then, on Thursday, Oct. 10, the Delta Chamber of Commerce is hosting its all-candidates meeting for the riding at Seaquam Secondary (11584 Lyon Rd.).
Presented by the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board from 7 to 9 p.m. (doors at 6:30), the session will also follow a Q-and-A format and focus on key issues such as transportation, housing, employment, growth and investment, ostensibly from a business perspective, though answers provided at past chamber all-candidates meetings have certainly been aimed at a wider audience.
Questions can be submitted in advance by emailing jennyfer.cassar@deltachamber.ca, and attendees will also be able to submit written queries from the floor during the event. Organizers note that questions asked "from a business lens perspective" may be prioritized.
Admission is free, but those wishing to attend are encouraged to register at business.deltachamber.ca/event/Details/2024-delta-north-all-candidates-meeting-1204429 to reserve their seat.
Meanwhile, the chamber is also planning to host a similar meeting for candidates in Delta South.
Presented by Greater Vancouver Realtors, that meeting will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 9 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Genesis Theatre in Ladner (5005 45th Ave., adjacent to Delta Secondary School). Registration is at business.deltachamber.ca/event/Details/2024-delta-south-all-candidates-meeting-1204415.
So far, that meeting is the only one planned for Delta South. The Delta Residents Association is not hosting one in the riding as they could not find a volunteer willing to put it together.
To date only two candidates are running in Delta South: BC United MLA Ian Paton (running for re-election under the BC Conservative banner) and Jason McCormick with the BC NDP.
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