Another federal Conservative party hopeful is declaring his intent to run for the party's nomination in the new riding of Cloverdale-Langley City.
Mike Garisto will be making his official announcement this Saturday morning at the Surrey Museum.
Garisto, a father of four and long-time resident of Cloverdale, joins three other hopefuls vying for the Conservative party's nod for the next federal election in October 2015. Those are Surrey businessman Paul Brar, who made his announcement at the Cloverdale Library in July, former Liberal MLA Dave Hayer, who chose the Cloverdale Recreation Centre to make his formal announcement, and former Langley city councillor Dean Drysdale. There's also talk that another Langley resident is interested: Tako van Popta.
And earlier this year, news reports said Gurmant Grewal, a former MP, intends on running for the Conservative party nomination in the new Cloverdale riding.
Garisto is a life insurance salesman who spent 35 years as a union representative for the Brotherhood of Maintenance Way Employees. Locally, he helped set up the Canadian Blood Services blood donor clinic in Cloverdale. He also helped out with the Terry Fox Run.
"The election is 25 months away and any nomination meeting might be as far away as 14 months," Garisto said.
He wants to run for the Conservative party nomination because he sees "tremendous interest in the Conservative Party in this riding."
He says the party's message resonates in this community well with such issues as the Family Tax credit.
"It's so important with the new riding to have a grassroots candidate. Someone who has been here a long time."
He raised his four children here, and just wants to give back to the community.
"I think Harper's message and the Conservative Party message is right for Cloverdale," he said, outlining some of his main political priorities are family values, law and order – particularly in the area of drunk driving penalties, and promoting local agriculture.
Garisto's announcement is at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 28 at the Surrey Museum, 17710 56A Avenue.
