For those about to campaign, we salute you.
Five of Canada’s 338 electoral battlegrounds are here in Surrey, heading into a 43rd federal election that is, both nationally and here at home, the Liberal Party of Canada’s to lose.
Liberal MPs dominate all Surrey’s ridings, with each incumbent seeking re-election.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday asked Governor General Julie Payette to dissolve Parliament, officially launching 40 days of election campaigning before Canadians go to the polls on Monday, Oct. 21 to decide who will form the country’s new government for four more years, as well as who will represent Surrey residents in Ottawa.
MORE: All-candidates forums planned in Surrey
READ ALSO FOCUS: Federal election campaign heating up in Surrey
So far, 25 candidates will be vying for your vote in Surrey but the filing deadline for candidates is 21 days before election day at 2 p.m. local time.
Four candidates are presently hoping to be elected MP in Surrey-Newton. They are Liberal incumbent Sukh Dhaliwal, Conservative Harpreet Singh, Harjit Singh Gill for the NDP and People’s Party of Canada candidate Benjamin Sears.
To the north, in Surrey Centre, five candidates are declared, including Liberal incumbent Randeep Sarai, Conservative Tina Bains, Sarjit Saran for the NDP, Jaswinder Dilawari for the People’s Party of Canada and Kevin Pielak representing the Christian Heritage Party.
Meantime, Liberal MP Ken Hardie hopes to be re-elected in Fleetwood-Port Kells in what so far is another five-candidate race, challenged for that seat by Conservative Shinder Purewal, NDP candidate Annie Ohana, Tanya Baert for the Green Party and People’s Party of Canada candidate Michel Poulin.
The Liberal incumbent John Aldag is one of six candidates, to date, who are seeking election in Cloverdale-Langley City. Aldag is up against Conservative Tamara Jansen, NDP candidate Rae Banwarie, Green Party candidate Caelum Nutbrown, Gurmant Grewal of the People’s Party of Canada and Chris Schneider of the National Citizens Alliance.
SEE VIDEO: Federal election campaign begins with leaders in Ontario, Quebec and B.C.
READ ALSO: Libs, Tories start campaign in dead heat, with NDP, Greens tied: poll
In South Surrey-White Rock, Liberal incumbent Gordon Hogg is presently facing off against Kerry-Lynne Findlay of the Conservatives, the NDP’s Stephen Crozier, Green Party candidate Beverly Pixie Hobby, and Joel Poulin of the People’s Party of Canada in a five-candidate race.
Advance polling days are Friday Oct. 11 to Monday Oct. 14.
tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
Like us on Facebook Follow us on Instagram and follow Tom on Twitter