Advertisement

Gordie Hogg takes hotly contested South Surrey-White Rock byelection

Click to play video: 'Liberals pick up historic win in B.C. byelection, keep 2 Liberal safe seats'
Liberals pick up historic win in B.C. byelection, keep 2 Liberal safe seats
WATCH ABOVE: The Liberals claimed another byelection upset in the B.C. riding of South Surrey-White Rock on Monday night, taking the seat which hasn't been held by a Liberal in 70 years. They also kept two seats in Newfoundland and Labrador, and in Ontario – Dec 12, 2017

The people of South Surrey-White Rock chose one of two names familiar to politics to represent them in Parliament on Monday night.

Liberal candidate Gordie Hogg will replace Dianne Watts, who stepped down to run for the leadership of the BC Liberal Party.

LISTEN: Liberals win seat in Surrey byelection

Hogg captured 47.5 per cent of the vote, defeating Conservative Kerry-Lynne Findlay by 1,617 votes.

Story continues below advertisement

“This is really a celebration of what you’ve done. Your commitment to, your caring, the grass roots and the process that is our democracy, which is our country, and if this is your victory, thank you so very much.”

Three other byelections took place across Canada on the same night, but the race in South Surrey-White Rock was seen as one of the most-contested races.

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

WATCH: Conservative MP Dianne Watts declares leadership bid

Click to play video: 'Conservative MP Dianne Watts declares leadership bid'
Conservative MP Dianne Watts declares leadership bid

The race pitted Findlay, an ex-MP for Delta-Richmond East and a former minister of national revenue, against Liberal Gordie Hogg, who had served as MLA for Surrey-White Rock from 1997 to 2017.

Hogg had previously served in various provincial cabinet roles including minister of children and family development, minister of state for mining, minister of state for ActNow BC and chair of the government caucus.

Story continues below advertisement

NDP candidate Jonathan Silveira previously ran to be a school trustee with Surrey Kids Matter party, which he founded. He has studied at Langara College and Simon Fraser University (SFU), where he played a key role in bringing the U-Pass to campus.

The Green Party put forward Larry Colero, who ran unsuccessfully in the previous two federal elections.

A White Rock resident for seven years, he has taught corporate ethics at SFU’s Beedie School of Business and UBC’s Sauder School of Business.

Michael Huenefeld, the Progressive Canadian Party candidate, previously worked as a researcher in the provincial legislature and managed and coordinated numerous campaigns at the municipal, provincial and federal levels. He currently teaches business as Columbia College and SFU.

Rod Taylor, the candidate for the Christian Heritage Party, wants to address the national debt, as well as the cost of the federal bureaucracy.

Taylor ran on a platform of restoring traditional marriage and keeping schoolchildren protected from “abusive and inappropriate indoctrination disguised as education.”

Story continues below advertisement

Donald Wilson, the Libertarian candidate, is a family lawyer and is an advocate for smaller government and individual liberty.

Federal byelections also took place in Bonavista-Burin-Trinity, Scarborough-Agincourt and Battlefords-Lloydminster.

Sponsored content

AdChoices