The provincial election ball is rolling faster in Richmond following the announcement of two BC NDP candidates this week and a sign snafu in Steveston.
Last week, lawyer Amandeep Singh, 48, announced he would be acclaimed the candidate for Richmond-Queensborough, a new riding that sees former GlobalBC journalist Jas Johal stake a claim for the BC Liberals.
On Monday, mom-turned-community activist-turned potential lawmaker Kelly Greene, 37, announced she would step into the fray in Richmond-Steveston to challenge three-time BC Liberal incumbent John Yap.
Overcoming alcoholism seven years ago, Singh told the News that mental health issues would be an important personal issue for him to work on in Victoria.
Singh ran into legal trouble in 2009 when he says alcohol addiction led to mishandling of trust funds at his law firm. He is presently under sanction by the Law Society of B.C. and won’t be able to be a signatory to trust accounts until next year.
Now sober, Singh, who runs his own practice in Surrey — Singh Thind and Associates — said the province’s fentanyl crisis hit home personally, adding that the current government has failed to respond adequately to it.
“I’ve seen the devaluing and defunding of social issues in B.C.,” said Singh.
Neither Singh nor Johal live in Richmond, however Singh lived in the East Cambie area for 23 years prior to his divorce.
He sees this as an advantage, as well as conversational Cantonese skills he picked up while being raised as a child in Hong Kong.
Singh and Johal, a former LNG industry spokesperson, take opposing stances on the George Massey Tunnel replacement bridge; Singh wants a full review of the project and to look at “alternative solutions.”
Singh, a University of Victoria law graduate, also wants the issue of increased public education funding addressed under a new government.
Education funding is the very issue that catalyzed Stevestonite Kelly Greene, a full-time mom of three young children, aged two, five and seven.
“It’s a big piece of what people should be concerned about,” said Greene, co-founder of Richmond Schools Stand United, a grassroots group that formed last spring as a result of what it contends is the failure of Yap’s government to seismically upgrade schools in a timely manner (24 Richmond schools need upgrades).
Greene, who grew up in Richmond, graduated from University of B.C. with a Bachelors of Arts in psychology and worked in account services at a bank and at local small businesses before having children.
Housing, Greene said, needs to be addressed, adding she’s fortunate to have purchased a home eight years ago with her husband, prior to the city’s affordable housing crisis.
Housing costs are intrinsically tied to families departing the city and homes becoming vacant, resulting in government pressure to close schools, said Greene.
As well, affordable housing is impacting the local economy, as employee retention for small businesses becomes more difficult, she added.
The BC NDP has yet to roll out its platform on housing affordability, although MLA David Eby has called for a related task force on money laundering.
Greene said she’ll be challenging Yap’s insistence that the economy is strong and taxes are low. Not so, she contends, pointing out rising costs for utilities, the medical service plan, and car insurance.
“The jobs [Premier Christy Clark] is creating are generally low-job security,” said Greene.
Another sore point for Greene has been funding announcements, which sometimes don’t even come to fruition.
“Anderson elementary was announced to be expanded in February 2016 and due to be completed in spring of 2017,” said Greene, noting no ground has been broken.
Greene will be taking on a veteran politician in Yap, who spent most of 2016 working as the Parliamentary Secretary for Liquor Reform Policy.
On Monday, Greene supporters took Yap’s team to task for putting up an election sign at Coast Capital Savings on Chatham Street. Signs are not allowed until the election is officially called; the City of Richmond forced Yap to take the sign down.
Yap has been door-knocking for several months after Clark cancelled the fall sitting of the Legislature.
“I’m hearing lots of support for our government and our strong economy,” Yap told the News Monday.
According to BMO, the B.C. economy is expected to grow the fastest among all provinces in 2017, buoyed by housing construction and resources.
The BC Liberals, who are not affiliated with the federal Liberals, are expected to roll out this year’s budget by the end of the month.
Yap said housing affordability is topping the list of concerns at doors.
Yap is seeking his fourth nod as MLA for the riding. In 2013, he won with 52 per cent of the vote — this after stepping down as Multiculturalism Minister following the ethnic voter outreach scandal.
Yap spent $154,933 on his campaign, whereas his NDP challenger Scott Stewart spent $19,285. Yap’s government has drawn criticism for its political donations, drawing attention from the New York Times, most recently. Critics have labelled B.C. the “Wild West” of political donations, which are expected to be a hot-button topic come the May 9 election.
