Federal Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer joined South Surrey-White Rock candidate Kerry-Lynne Findlay for a “public event” at a potato-chip manufacturing plant Tuesday afternoon and took a few questions from the media.
Scheer, who had been in the riding since Monday, said they’ve received “great feedback” from meeting prospective voters, and they were touring the Naturally Homegrown Foods (4945 184 St.) chip factory because of “jobs like these that are at risk by the Liberal tax hikes on small businesses.”
The event attracted a handful of reporters.
After a tour of the factory – in which Scheer, Findlay and their entourage suited up in lab coats and hairnets to take a look at how Hardbite potato chips are made, and which campaign organizers said could not be filmed – Scheer held a scrum and made note of Findlay’s experience serving as Conservative member of Parliament for Delta-Richmond East riding, and her senior roles in government, such as serving as minister of national revenue.
Scheer also brought up Findlay’s connection to the South Surrey-White Rock riding – “a community that she has deep roots in.”
“She has deep connections to this community including living here for a significant period of time,” he told reporters.
Asked how long she’s lived in the riding, Findlay said her family first moved to the area in the 1980s, that she had lived here as a young mother and more recently, moved back to White Rock “in the summer.”
A campaign worker then requested “non-byelection questions.”
Tuesday’s visit to the riding was Scheer’s second public event since the Dec. 11 byelection was announced. He attended a Conservative rally held to launch Findlay’s campaign on Nov. 15, the same day Prime Minister Justin Trudeau toured Five Corners with Liberal candidate Gordie Hogg.
The byelection was called after former Conservative MP Dianne Watts resigned in September to run for the leadership of the BC Liberals.
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