Latest news with #MikedeJong
Vancouver Sun
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
Federal Election Day: What voters in Abbotsford, Mission should know
Article content It's election day across Canada and B.C. residents in Abbotsford and Mission are heading to the polls to choose new MPs to represent them in the ridings of: Article content Article content • Abbotsford-South Langley • Mission-Matsqui-Abbotsford Article content Article content If you are still deciding who to vote for, check out our handy guide outlining 12 hot topics and where the major parties stand on each one HERE. Article content Article content Party politics denied Mike de Jong a chance to run for the Conservative party in Abbotsford-South Langley. But voters may still decide to send the former provincial MLA to Ottawa. Article content With de Jong running as an Independent, the contest for the typically Conservative safe seat could be close. Article content Conservative candidate, Sukhman Gill, a 25-year-old farmer, has avoided local debates and media interviews. That's allowed his opponents to set the narrative, particularly as retiring Conservative MP Ed Fast has endorsed de Jong. But the confusion could also split the vote and benefit Liberal candidate Kevin Gillies. Article content Article content Also running in Abbotsford-South Langley is Dharmasena Yakandawela for the NDP, Melissa Snazell for the Greens, and Aeriol Alderking for the People's Party of Canada. Article content Article content There's been less drama in Mission-Matsqui-Abbotsford, where Conservative incumbent Brad Vis, who won more than 40 per cent of the vote in both 2019 and 2021, is running for reelection. Article content But if B.C. sees a strong surge in Liberal support, candidate Jeff Howe could benefit. The riding was won by a Liberal candidate in 2015, when Justin Trudeau's 'sunny ways' campaign made inroads in typically Tory territory.
Global News
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Global News
Ex-MLA's independent run opens door to ‘3-way race' in Abbotsford-South Langley
A longtime Conservative stronghold in B.C.'s Fraser Valley has become a key riding to watch in Monday's federal election, thanks to a former MLA's independent run. Abbotsford-South Langley is a new riding, but the area has gone to the Conservatives or their predecessors for decades. 'Abbotsford and the Fraser Valley generally historically has been a very conservative place,' said University of the Fraser Valley political scientist Hamish Telford. 1:23 Longtime B.C. politician Mike de Jong to run as independent 'I think everyone would have considered that this newly configured riding of Abbotsford-South Langley would be an easy Conservative pickup, but because of this botched nomination process and Mike de Jong running as an independent, I think it's possibly a three-way race now.' Story continues below advertisement De Jong served as MLA for the area for three decades and held multiple cabinet portfolios, including finance and health. He had sought to run for the Conservatives, but said his candidacy was rejected because the party deemed him to be 'unqualified.' The party instead nominated 25-year-old blueberry farmer Sukhman Gill in the riding. Global News made multiple attempts to contact Gill for an interview, but were told by his staff he was busy campaigning and not available. De Jong told Global News he has been campaigning on a variety of issues affecting the riding, including the effects of tariffs and perennial concerns about flood mitigation, following the destructive 2021 atmospheric river. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy But he's focused heavily on Gill's reticence to appear at public events as well. 'One of the candidates, ironically the candidate for the party that has represented this area for over half a century, has refused to participate in any public discussions, any all-candidates' gatherings. We've had eight of them so far,' he said. 'If a candidate is not prepared to stand up with the people and in front of the people before an election campaign, they are sure as heck not going to stand up for the people after.' De Jong said he still subscribes to the values and principles espoused by the Conservative Party, but that over and above them, he believes locals should be the ones to decide who represents them, not 'someone in Ottawa who decided they knew better than the people here in Abbotsford.' Story continues below advertisement 1:45 Canada Election 2025: Poilievre, Singh, and Carney make their pitch to voters De Jong has secured the backing of Ed Fast, the area's outgoing MP. But while de Jong has major name recognition in the area, Telford said he'll face an uphill battle given that independent candidates have historically fared poorly in federal campaigns. He could, ironically, play spoiler to the Conservatives' fortunes, however. 'The Liberal candidate, though, is out there campaigning hard,' he said. 'The Liberals are hoping the Conservative candidate and Mike de Jong will split the vote and they can come up in the middle. It would be a shock if they did that, but it's not implausible in this scenario.' Kevin Gillies, a former local journalist and special needs support worker, is carrying the Liberal banner in the riding. Story continues below advertisement Like party leader Mark Carney, he painted the election in terms of Canada's response to U.S. President Donald Trump and his tariff and annexation threats. 'It's really impacting people here. The local newspaper recently said 700 jobs were lost in this town due to U.S. tariffs,' he said. 'I really buy into Mark Carney, and I believe he is an excellent person for this crisis. He is educated and experienced.' 1:47 Which Canadian NHL team are the main party leaders cheering for? Gillies also touted his candidacy as a chance for voters to have a seat at the table in government, noting residents have been represented by an opposition MP since the last Conservative government. 'Having a strong voice as part of the Carney government is in this riding's best interest and will help with issues like securing flood mitigation from the Nooksack River,' he said. Story continues below advertisement Several other candidates are also vying for the seat, including the NDP's Dharmasena Yakandawela, the Greens' Melissa Snazell and the PPC's Aeriol Alderking. Telford said if history is a guide, the Conservatives will have the edge going into Monday's vote. But he said de Jong's candidacy could come back to haunt the party in the end. 'Why the Conservative Party declined his offer to serve is still a mystery, but I think it was a big mistake on their part,' he said.
CBC
15-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Retiring Conservative MP Ed Fast endorses Independent Abbotsford-South Langley candidate
Abbotsford-South Langley candidate Mike de Jong, who is running as an Independent, has received an endorsement from retiring federal Conservative MP Ed Fast, who represented a riding in Abbotsford for more than 18 years. Fast, who was first elected as the member of Parliament for Abbotsford in 2006, announced last year he would be stepping down from federal politics. Shortly after, de Jong, who won eight terms in the B.C. legislature with B.C. United — formerly known as the B.C. Liberal Party — and held cabinet posts, including finance and forestry, announced plans to seek the Conservative Party of Canada nomination for the newly-formed riding of Abbotsford-South Langley. Early last month, de Jong was "informally advised" that he had been rejected as the Conservative candidate for the riding. The party instead chose Sukhman Gill, a 25-year-old Langley businessman who was raised on his parent's blueberry farm in Langley, according to his website. Fast described the party's move as "profoundly dishonest." "The way the party backroom operators acted to steal democracy from the good people of Abbotsford and Langley is unconscionable," he told CBC's The Early Edition host Stephen Quinn Tuesday morning. He said he still supports the election of a Conservative government, but does not support Gill as his successor. In a press release, de Jong said he's honoured to have Fast's endorsement. "Ed Fast has served this community with integrity and conviction," he said. "He leaves huge shoes to fill and, if the people of Abbotsford-South Langley select me to succeed him as their MP, I will do my very best to honour the legacy of integrity and principled public service he leaves." WATCH | Mike de Jong to run as Independent: Former B.C. Liberal Mike de Jong announces he will run as an Independent 19 days ago Duration 2:23 Former B.C. Liberal cabinet minister Mike de Jong is going solo in the federal election after being rejected by the Conservative Party. He's running as an independent in the Fraser Valley, and as Katie DeRosa reports, he's one of several former politicians who were passed over by the Tories. Fast said voters in the riding will have two conservative-leaning candidates to choose from on April 28. "I know which one I would choose, and I'm pretty sure I know which one the people of Abbotsford-[South] Langley will choose," he said.
CBC
27-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Former B.C. minister Mike de Jong to run as independent in federal election
Social Sharing Mike de Jong, one of B.C.'s longest-serving MLAs, has announced he'll be running as an independent in the federal election, after he said he was rejected by the Conservative Party. Earlier this month, de Jong said the Conservative Party of Canada had rejected him as a candidate, after he had been working on his campaign for more than a year. "This isn't the campaign I expected to run. But when Ottawa insiders shut me out of the Conservative nomination, I knew I couldn't stay silent. I'm running to give this community back its voice," de Jong said on his website. De Jong says online he'll be running in Abbotsford-South Langley after "growing calls" from people in that riding, describing the Conservative Party's decision to not let him run as "bizarre." It's not clear who de Jong means when he says "Ottawa insiders." WATCH | Tories reject Mike de Jong: Former B.C. cabinet minister describes being 'dumped on the political trash heap' 22 days ago Duration 8:15 Longtime B.C. Liberal MLA Mike de Jong says he does not understand why he was rejected as the federal Conservative candidate in Abbotsford-South Langley after more than a year of campaigning. The former finance minister says that thousands of people had expressed support for his nomination, and he felt his views aligned with those of the Tories. The Conservative Party did not say why it rejected de Jong as a candidate. CBC News reached out to the party on Thursday but did not immediately hear back. De Jong served as an MLA for the B.C. United party — formerly the B.C. Liberals— for more than 30 years, holding cabinet posts including finance and forestry. He has also served as the government House leader. The Conservative candidate in Abbotsford-South Langley for the federal election is Sukhman Singh Gill. Gill said he's a farmer who was born in Abbotsford and was raised on his family's blueberry farm in the Township of Langley. "With a strong connection to this community and a deep commitment to its future, I am dedicated to addressing the issues that matter most to our local residents," Gill wrote on his LinkedIn account.
CBC
05-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Former B.C. cabinet minister describes being 'dumped on the political trash heap'
Longtime B.C. Liberal MLA Mike de Jong says he does not understand why he was rejected as the federal Conservative candidate in Abbotsford-South Langley after more than a year of campaigning. The former finance minister says that thousands of people had expressed support for his nomination, and he felt his views aligned with those of the Tories.
