Sukhman Singh Gill will be the candidate running in the Abbotsford-South Langley riding for the Conservative Party of Canada, after winning the nomination on Saturday, March 8.
Gill announced in January that he was seeking the nomination, and said he is a lifelong resident of the area and has roots in farming.
In a statement, he said he wants to focus on agriculture and farming, on public safety and stricter laws, on making homeownership more affordable, drug use in parks, and streamlining efforts to get foreign-trained doctors, nurses, and other skilled people recognized and working in Canada.
“This community has given so much to me and my family,” said Gill.
“I am committed to working hard to ensure Abbotsford-South Langley is a safer, stronger place for everyone to live, work, and raise a family."
He was one of five seeking the nomination for the riding, the four others being Shanjeelin Dwivedi, Mike Murray, Steve Schafer and Gurnoor Sidhu.
Long-time politician Mike de Jong had also hoped to seek the nomination, but he found out on March 3 that his application to run had been denied by the national office. He said he was told the reason was that he was "unqualified." His appeal of the matter was rejected.
De Jong, 60, served as the Abbotsford West MLA under BC United (formerly the Liberals) for 30 years.
A federal election must take place this year in October, but it's expected to happen sooner than that. The federal Liberal minority government has lost support from the NDP in recent months, and a confidence vote could dissolve Parliament soon after it returns in late March. That could set the stage for an election in April or early May.
Abbotsford-South Langley is a new riding that has been created in the most recent changes to federal electoral districts. A sprawling area, it covers most of Langley south of 40 Avenue, and includes all of Aldergrove and Brookswood. In Abbotsford, it includes a significant portion of the downtown area and runs east as far as Sumas Way.
