Bob Mackin
Could Conservative confusion be a factor at the ballot box in New Westminster–Burnaby–Maillardville and Abbotsford-South Langley on voting day?
In both ridings, there are Conservative Party candidates on the ballot against rejected candidates.
Conservative Indy Panchi (right) outside the old B.C. Penitentiary in New Westminster (Facebook)
Real estate agent Lourence Singh was set to challenge NDP incumbent Peter Julian until April 1, six days before the Elections Canada deadline to register. The party replaced Singh with real estate agent Indy Panchi, who had been vying for the Richmond East-Steveston nomination.
Singh blamed his dismissal because his views “differ from [the party’s] hardline anti-China stance.”
Singh made flattering comments about China on a podcast four years ago, including downplaying the internment of Uyghur Muslims.
The Conservative caucus voted to condemn China’s treatment of Uyghurs in 2021 and former leader Erin O’Toole told the foreign interference public inquiry that China’s meddling in the 2021 election cost the Conservatives as many as nine seats on election day, which led to the end of his leadership. One of those ridings affected was Richmond East-Steveston, where Liberal Parm Bains upset Conservative incumbent Kenny Chiu.
Singh decided to run anyway, but his independent status is not omnipresent. Photographs of his lawn sings show do not include the word independent. Likewise, the body of a Singh email, obtained by theBreaker.news, makes no mention of his independent status. In fact, his Facebook page still identifies Singh as the Conservative candidate and photos remain of him with leader Pierre Poilievre.
“Even people who do not typically vote Conservative have told me they want to support me because they believe in me as a candidate and person,” Singh’s message says. “If Conservatives in the riding can recognize me as their ‘unofficial Conservative’ candidate, I really think we can win this.”
Singh did not respond to questions his trips to China or whether he is using a previous Conservative Party list for his database. He said he clearly stated at the Queensborough Residents Association all-candidates meeting that he is independent.
“I’ve implored constituents in New Westminster-Burnaby-Maillardville to look past party banners and to vote for who they believe the strongest candidate is among the field,” Singh said by email.
Independent candidate Lourence Singh (Facebook)
Opponents also include Jake Sawatzky (Liberal) and Tara Shushtarian (Green).
In Abbotsford-South Langley, the Conservative is Sukhman Gill, a 25-year-old business administration student at Kwantlen Polytechnic who got the nod from members in a race among five contestants.
Former BC Liberal cabinet minister Mike de Jong was not one of them. His year-long bid for the nomination was rejected in March. In a message to supporters, de Jong said the party told him that “I am unqualified for the position of MP.”
His 30-year resume as a lawmaker is deep, but his political baggage is heavy.
While attorney general in 2010, two deputy ministers cut a deal to pay $6 million in legal fees for Dave Basi and Bob Virk, the two BC Liberal aides charged in the BC Rail corruption scandal. Their trial suddenly ended with a plea bargain, but de Jong denied he was involved in the decision.
While health minister, several drug safety researchers were wrongly fired over an alleged privacy leak. The government announced the scandal the day after de Jong became finance minister in 2012.
As finance minister, de Jong famously claimed that he did not use email. He was in charge of casino and real estate regulation. But, under his watch, money laundering ran rampant.
Also running: Aeriol Alderking (PPC), Kevin Gillies (Liberal), Melissa Snazell (Green) and Dharmasena Yakadawela (NDP).
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