The federal NDP will choose their candidate in Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge this weekend.

NDP choosing federal candidate for Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge

Mogt, Klapwyk running for party nomination this weekend, Duncan pulls out

There are persistent rumours of a looming federal election, and the NDP will have their candidate ready for the campaign in Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge when it is called.

The NDP have two candidates in the running for the nomination for the federal riding, and one will be chosen this weekend.

There would have been three, but Maple Ridge city councillor Kiersten Duncan was forced to withdraw.

The candidates are:

• Phil Klapwyk, who is the business representative for the film industry union IATSE Local 891, and a Maple Ridge resident with a long family history in the community.

• John Mogk, who is a mental health and addictions councillor. He ran for the federal NDP in 2019. Mogk was chair of the Maple Ridge secondary’s parent advisory committee and volunteered for his church’s homeless outreach programs.

“We have three great people running for the opportunity to represent the NDP in Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge,” said local NDP president Alex Kirwan-Wallace. “If Justin Trudeau calls an early Federal election in August, we will be ready.”

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Duncan said she was injured during a white water rafting trip with her husband, and suffered two broken ribs.

She withdrew her name from the nomination, and said she may miss some of her work as a city councillor.

The nomination meeting will be held on Friday evening, virtually over Zoom, and then online voting will take place over the weekend.

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The winning NDP candidate will be announced Monday afternoon.


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