Decision BC: Abbotsford West

In 2009: Liberal Mike de Jong won the riding by over 3500 votes over NDP challenger Taranjit Purewal, 56-32%, his 5th straight election win.

History & Geography: A riding created in 2009 to deal with population growth in the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford West encompasses the western suburbs of Abbotsford, the core of the city north of Old Yale Road, and the Mt. Lehman area to the west. Some of the newer suburbs in North Clearbrook area have been swing areas in the past. But both the farmlands and city centre of Abbotsford have been very strong for the Liberals in past elections. This is a riding south of the Fraser between Surrey and Hope, and no such riding has ever gone to the NDP outside a byelection.

Basic Stats:

• Population: 50790 (61st)

• Size: 105 km (47th)

• Density: 483.7 people/km (41th)

Odds and Ends: Based on the 2006 census, the average total income ($28,433) and percentage of people with more than a high school education (52%) are the lowest in the Fraser Valley. Only 1850 people living in common-law, the third smallest-number in BC.

Candidates

Liberals-Mike de Jong: De Jong first took this area in ‘94, winning a byelection in Matsqui over then-Social Credit leader Grace McCarthy, which effectively ended the party’s relevance. A cabinet minister for all 12 years the Liberals have been in government, he currently sits as Finance Minister.

NDP-Sukhi Dhami: Dhami is a 27-year-old farmer who works for his family’s berry farm and the Everbloom Garden Centre. He has never held political office, but ran the East-Indian Student Association while at University of the Fraser Valley.

Conservatives-Paul Redekopp: A community-support worker, Redekopp is an employee of the Langley Association for Community Living. He also says he’s a part-time actor, and was a production assistant on Battlestar Galactica.

Greens-Stephen O’Shea: A musician, O’Shea is the bassist for the popular Vancouver punk band You Say Party. He is also a supportive care worker for adults with developmental disabilities, and has volunteered for Katimavik and Canada World Youth.

Independent-Moe Gill: An Abbotsford councillor since 1997, Gill was planning on running for the Liberals in Abbotsford South. But after the party cleared the way for UFV professor Darryl Plecas to win the riding, Gill decided against running for the party in Abbotsford-Mission as the Liberals requested, and decided he would take on the Liberals as an independent. Gill was the first Punjabi-speaking politician to be elected in a Metro Vancouver council.

Excalibur Party-Kerry-Lynn Osbourne: Osbourne is one of the six candidates for the BC Excalibur Party in this election.