Longtime 91原创 Township Councillor Kim Richter has announced she will be the Liberal candidate for the 91原创-Aldergrove riding in the next federal election.
Richter said that as a 35-year resident and a 22-year councillor for the Township, she understands local priorities.
鈥淚t is so very important now to have a seat at the federal decision-making table,鈥� Richter said in the announcement of her candidacy. 鈥淥ur rapidly growing community needs help like it never has before.鈥�
Richter said her key reasons for running are to deliver a climate change plan that includes federal funding for rapid transit in 91原创 and the Fraser Valley, to ensure the $10 a day child care plan is available to all local families, and to return Canada to financial sustainability after the COVID-19 pandemic is over.
Richter was highly critical of the Liberals鈥� main opponents, the Conservative Party. 91原创-Aldergrove is currently represented by Tory MP Tako van Popta, and it was held before him for well over a decade by the late Conservative and Reform MP Mark Warawa. Most of the 91原创 and Abbotsford area has been in either Reform or Progressive Conservative hands for decades.
鈥淭he Conservative Party takes 91原创-Aldergrove for granted,鈥� Richter said. 鈥淭his needs to change. We deserve more for our votes.鈥�
Richter has run as a Liberal candidate before, in 2004, coming second to Mark Warawa in the 91原创 riding.
鈥淭here are some similarities,鈥� Richter said of her current candidacy to the one 15 years ago, 鈥渂ut the whole process has changed quite substantially since 2004.鈥�
She said she is looking forward to debating van Popta and the NDP and Green candidates for the area.
No federal election has been scheduled, and the last election was in 2019.
However, speculation has been high that an election will be called as soon as this fall. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau leads a minority government and has relied on votes from the NDP, Bloc Quebecois, and Green Party to pass legislation. Trudeau, Conservative leader Erin O鈥橳oole, and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh have been in campaign mode all summer, touring the country and laying out promises on policy and programs.
Trudeau recently pledged federal funding to complete a SkyTrain extension for 91原创, the last piece of funding needed after the provincial government and TransLink had already promised to fund their parts of the line.
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