A former city councillor, school trustee and constituency assistant is now seeking the Liberal nomination in the MapleRidge-Pitt Meadows provincial riding.
Cheryl Ashlie announced Friday she’s seeking the B.C. Liberal party nomination for that riding. The nomination process is expected in the new year.
Ashlie is president of the Alouette River Management Society and, until she announced her candidacy, was a columnist for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News. She will no longer be writing the column, but remains president of ARMS.
Ashlie, a former Citizen of the Year, also used to be the constituency assistant to Doug Bing when he was Liberal MLA for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows.
Ashlie said she’s seen a shift in ideology in the B.C. Liberals towards addressing social issues.
“I feel a stronger attachment to the B.C. Liberals than I even did before.”
Ashlie feels she has a good understanding of what local residents want, such as being able to provide for their families themselves and for their kids to be able to buy a home, with an education system that meets their needs and gives them the ability to pursue post-secondary education.
“I’ve always struggled hugely with the NDP with how they just spend with no forward-thinking about how that can be sustained,” Ashlie said.
She wondered how the B.C. Liberal party got labelled as one that doesn’t care about social issues or the environment.
“Anybody who I know who’s a B.C. Liberal absolutely does,” she said.
Ashlie added that while she may disagree with people on issues, it never becomes personal.
In November, the Alouette River Management Society announced the launch of the Save Our Salmon campaign. Ashlie said the group will fight Maple Ridge council’s third-reading approval of a 26-home riverfront subdivision on the South Alouette River.
Ashlie said she wasn’t in conflict with Maple Ridge council.
“I’m in conflict with their decision on an issue.”
She said that people want government to deliver balanced budgets, progressive economic policies and infrastructure projects, adding that “people also care deeply about looking after those who are less fortunate.
The riding is currently represented by NDP MLA Lisa Beare, the tourism minister.
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