Locke Gets Big Guns Out For Her Slate Announcement!

Could the next Surrey election come down to Mayor Brenda Locke and Doug McCallum, aka Doug Paaji with a number of the other slates announced seeming subpar and not generating much buzz so far. Everybody is unveiling their slates early and incumbent mayor Locke is no exception as she was on stage recently unveiling her Surrey Connect party candidates after a rousing introduction speech by former Premier Christy Clark who herself is still trying to find a new political home. McCallum is expected to announce this full slate and intention to run again at his very old age in mid April or close to Surrey Vaisakhi celebrations. Locke got a big turnout from her loyal supporters, especially from the Punjabi community with 90 percent South Asian, turning out at The Gables Farm near highway 10 and 152.

By R. Paul Dhillon – Editor DESIBUZZCanada

SURREY – Could the next Surrey election come down to Mayor Brenda Locke and Doug McCallum, aka Doug Paaji with a number of the other slates announced seeming subpar and not generating much buzz so far.

Everybody is unveiling their slates early and incumbent mayor Locke is no exception as she was on stage recently unveiling her Surrey Connect party candidates after a rousing introduction speech by former Premier Christy Clark who herself is still trying to find a new political home. 

McCallum is expected to announce this full slate and intention to run again at his very old age in mid April or close to Surrey Vaisakhi celebrations.

Locke got a big turnout from her loyal supporters, especially from the Punjabi community with 90 percent South Asian, turning out at The Gables Farm near highway 10 and 152. She has her core team running with her and she’s adding two new faces including Filippino community rep Noemi Victorino. 

This is still better selection than Surrey First’s decision to run four South Asian men including one who lost, way out of the winner’s circle, last time around, all to try to get the large South Asian vote but the candidates are all subpar. 

People have criticized the Linda Annis led Surrey First for non-inclusion of a South Asian woman. 

“I guess they don’t care about women and only men who I guess bring the party money,” one prominent South Asian Woman told DESIBUZZCanada after their launch a few months ago. 

Worst, one candidate unveiled at Surrey First launch hadn’t even met their mayoral candidate Annis, according to an eyewitness who said she couldn’t stop laughing. 

That candidate is backed by a shifty local developer (are there any other kind – Not all though) – the less said better but Surrey First knows best. 

Despite the big turnout with every big businessman, property developers to hall owners and everyone in between attending Surrey Connect launch, it will be a tough slog for Locke as last time the Jinny Sims and Sukh Dhaliwal split helped her tremendously but probably not this time. 

There are a lot of slates including a low-rent Conservative city slate led by Mayoral candidate Honveer Randhawa, so vote splitting will be a factor but less so from the South Asian community. 

From talking to many community players here and those vote-bank holding wannabes and other credible sources and my over 20 years of covering politics in the lower mainland – I do see the race again coming down to Locke and “Doug Paaji”, who is expected to announce his slate soon. He’s probably waiting for his main “Money Man”. 

McCallum is expected to announce his slate and intention to run on Monday, April 13.

Election isn’t till October 17 but look for summer heat to burn up with dog-fights and cat-fights in lead up to the primary civic election fever in Surrey!