The field to become Surrey’s next mayor is getting a little more crowded.
Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal announced on Monday he will be leading the United Surrey slate as the mayoral candidate.
The long-time MP from Surrey-Newton joins NDP MLA Jinny Sims, councillor Brenda Locke and incumbent Doug McCallum as mayoral candidates.
“Surrey is a rapidly growing community and is very diverse with unlimited potential. Our potential is bright. I believe working together we can achieve so much more,” Dhaliwal said.
“Over the last four years, we have seen divisive politics, partisanship and no focus on the citizens of Surrey. This has to end.”
Current mayor McCallum has been a lightning rod for controversy, including current facing charges of public mischief linked to accusations his foot was run over by a vehicle in a Surrey grocery store parking lot.
McCallum alleges a woman opposed to getting rid of the RCMP in Surrey ran over his foot.
But following a successful court challenge by Global News, a judge removed the seal on a sworn document about the case, called information to obtain or ITO.
The document describes McCallum was “not pinned” against a vehicle, counter to his public claims following a Sept. 4, 2021 incident at the grocery store.
McCallum will not appear before the courts until after the Oct. 15 election.
The Surrey mayor has repeatedly said he did nothing wrong and would be running for re-election.
“Over the past four months people have come to us and told us they don’t like this division,” Dhaliwal said.
Dhaliwal was elected as an MP in 2008.
He lost in 2011 to Sims, who is running against him for the Surrey mayor job.
Dhaliwal then won the re-match in 2015 and won again in 2019 and 2021.
Dhaliwal was supposed to run for the BC Liberals as the 2013 provincial candidate but was dropped as the candidate for Surrey-Panorama Ridge after being charged with failing to comply with the Income Tax Act.
He eventually pleaded guilty to the charge.