Canada's New Democratic Party has a new Jack in the fold.
Next Saturday, Richmond resident and Burnaby school teacher Jack Trovato is expected to announce his candidacy for the federal NDP in Richmond Centre. He will join Liberal Lawrence Woo as the primary challengers to Conservative incumbent Member of Parliament Hon. Alice Wong, the Minister of State for seniors, for the Oct. 19 election.
While Trovato is a recipient of the Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence he fell short on a bid for school trustee at the Richmond Board of Education in last November's municipal election, where he went from initially running as an independent to becoming a member of the Richmond Citizens' Association, a BC NDP-backed municipal party led by Coun. Harold Steves.
Trovato's targeting what he perceives as growing social and economic inequality under the Conservative government.
"It’s time to recapture the Canadian dream for a fair and more just, egalitarian, and pluralistic society," stated Trovato in an email to the Richmond News.
He said social services have experienced "dire" financial cuts, including public healthcare, which he sees the current government pushing to privatize.
Trovato's NDP states it will create a national affordable childcare program ($15 per day) and restore and improve funding for the Canadian Pension Plan and Old Age Security.
In order to pay for more social programs Trovato and the NDP would raise corporate taxes and invest in medium and small businesses to create full-time jobs.
"It is time to reverse this trend, allow seniors a living wage, and require multi-million dollar companies to pay their fair share," said Trovato.
Seniors may also benefit from a new national affordable housing initiative, noted Trovato.
Furthermore, his party wants to invest in "modern, clean energy technology" to put Canada on the cutting edge of energy development.
The NDP's new clean energy model would also benefit the environment, said Trovato.
"Policies should be made that offer incentives to renewable energy companies and, simultaneously, punish the myriad of non-renewable energy companies that have no qualms about compromising our health and welfare in order to maximize their profit," said Trovato.
Electoral reform with mixed proportional representation is another issue Trovato hopes to raise in debates with Woo and Wong.
Trovato said he wants his campaign to be positive with a platform and agenda based on "hope" for a fairer political system.
The Green Party of Canada has yet to announce its intentions in Richmond. Meanwhile, in Steveston, no Liberal has come forward to challenge the open seat of the new Steveston-Richmond East riding. There, Conservative Kenny Chiu and New Democrat Scott Stewart are well into their pre-campaign work, knocking on doors.