Four names will be on the ballot for voters picking a representative in the riding of Surrey-White Rock: Tom Bryant (independent), Bill Marshall (BC Green Party), Niovi Patsicakis (BC NDP) and Tracy Redies (BC Liberal Party).
Bryant – who entered the race out of concern for seniors and homeless/impoverished children – is running on a platform that promises a senior’s project to “address all levels of senior-related concerns”; an emergency educational plan; to eliminate wasteful government spending and establish a health care committee to deal with current shortages; to enter into discussions with Semiahmoo First Nation; to establish an education development program to solve such issues as class size; and assist small business development.
Marshall – who ran for the BC Green Party in Delta North four years ago – pledges to “promote ecological balance as well as responsible transparent government.”
Patsicakis, a retired special education teacher who was acclaimed as the BC NDP candidate, is campaigning largely on a need to reallocate school-system funding; away from portables, to fund support services such as education assistances and programs for the gifted. She says she is also concerned about homelessness and lack of affordable housing in Surrey.
Redies was chosen last fall as the BC Liberal candidate following the October announcement by MLA Gordon Hogg that he would not be seeking a fifth term. The former CEO of Coast Capital Savings has named health care and education as issues of importance to her, and said she believes her background in business will bring a different perspective to complex issues.
In 2013, the 62-square-kilometre riding was soundly won by Hogg, who received 58.9 per cent of the votes cast (25,982 of 40,254).
