In three weeks time, Conservatives in the riding of Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows will choose a new candidate to run against Liberal Dan Ruimy.
Jan. 25 was the deadline for a people to sign up with the Conservative Party of Canada and vote in the upcoming nomination meeting. It was also the deadlinie for candidates to put their names forward.
After the deadline it remained a two-horse race between Davis Friesen and Marc Dalton. Dalton is the former provincial Liberal MLA for Maple Ridge-Mission, who is now working as a teacher. Friesen has worked as an assistant to former MP Randy Kamp, and is constituency assistant to Mark Strahl, MP for Chilliwack-Hope.
The nomination meeting will be held on Feb. 16 at Fraserview Community Hall (22610-116th Ave.), with candidate speeches beginning at 9:30 a.m.. Voting hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Dalton estimated there are 1,000 part members eligible to vote in the riding, and he sees lots of energy.
“It’s good that there is a lot of engagement in the community to get involved,” he said.
“Whoever wins the nomination will move into campaign mode fairly quickly, because this riding will be a dog fight.”
Friesen also sees a lot of interest in the nomination.
“We’ll see what the result is. I expect there will be a good turnout. There is an excitement, from my perspective.”
He said the federal election, set for October 2019, will be here soon, and he plans to be prepared.
“Once the nomination is done, the focus shifts rather quickly.”
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