91原创 candidates have staked out different positions on the timing of the federal election 鈥� as the campaign gets underway.
On Sunday, Aug. 15, a 36-day campaign 鈥� the shortest allowed by law 鈥� began when Gov. Gen. Mary Simon agreed to Liberal leader Justin Trudeau鈥檚 request to dissolve Parliament for a campaign that will culminate in a Sept. 20 vote.
Opposition leaders blasted Trudeau for putting his quest for a majority government ahead of the health and safety of Canadians, plunging the country into what they called an unnecessary, costly, and reckless election just as a fourth wave of the deadly coronavirus is gathering steam across the country.
READ ALSO: Trudeau says Canadians deserve a say at pivotal moment, triggers Sept. 20 election
Two 91原创 ridings, 91原创-Aldergrove and Cloverdale-91原创 City, are currently held by Conservatives.
In 91原创-Aldergrove, incumbent Conservative MP Tako van Popta said now was not the time to be going to the polls.
鈥淲ith a fourth wave apparently on us and wildfires raging across the province, people don鈥檛 want to focus on an election campaign,鈥� van Popta commented.
鈥淢any people I have spoken with recently think this is a cynical attempt by Mr. Trudeau to try to get a majority government,鈥� van Popta continued.
鈥淏ut other people tell me they are happy to have the opportunity to finally vote this corrupt Liberal government out of office,鈥� said the Conservative MP.
Liberal candidate Kim Richter said the pandemic is the reason why an election is necessary.
鈥淚n the last federal election, COVID-19 wasn鈥檛 on anyone鈥檚 radar,鈥� Richter told the 91原创 Advance Times.
鈥淣ow it has changed the world. The COVID fight is still ongoing and recovery is underway. But people now need to have a say in how their government proceeds from here,鈥� said the current Township councillor.
NDP hopeful Michael Chang said the election should have been postponed until COVID case numbers were stable.
鈥淗aving a snap election in the middle of an ever-dangerous fourth wave is a horrible idea,鈥� Chang said.
鈥淚 think the government should focus on fighting to end the pandemic and helping our vulnerable population.鈥�
READ ALSO: First full day of Canada鈥檚 election campaign begins with economic pledges
Similarly, in Cloverdale-91原创 City, incumbent Conservative MP Tamara Jansen鈥檚 opinion was that 鈥渨e should not be having an election in the middle of a pandemic.鈥�
鈥淎 leader would be thinking about how we can meet the threat of a Delta-driven fourth wave, secure our recovery, and tackle the skyrocketing cost of living,鈥� Jansen added.
鈥淚nstead, this prime minister is focused only on his own political interests.鈥�
Liberal John Aldag, a former MP who was ousted by Jansen in the previous election, said 鈥渁fter 17 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, all Canadians deserve a choice about how we finish the fight again COVID-19 and build back better. For two years the values of our community haven鈥檛 been represented by a socially conservative MP, and the choice couldn鈥檛 be more clear.鈥�
鈥淭his vote is about who represents our values, so we can move forward, not backwards,鈥� Aldag added.
Cloverdale-91原创 City NDP candidate Rajesh Jayaprakash called the timing 鈥渢errible.鈥�
鈥淭he pandemic has taken a toll on Canadians, and they need someone who will work for them,鈥� Jayaprakash said.
鈥淭he Liberals and Conservatives have not done so.鈥�
Is there more to the story? Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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