It’s a riding that features kilometres of coastline from Esquimalt to Jordan River, so it may not be surprising that many voters in Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke are focusing on the environment this election.
And all four major party candidates are promising to deliver.
The NDP is hoping to retain the seat. Former political science instructor Randall Garrison was first elected in 2011.
“I’ve always been a very strong opponent of what’s now the Trans Mountain pipeline, and a very strong defender of our coast,” said Garrison. “I’ve gotten bills passed under a Conservative majority, under a Liberal majority, and I want to take those skills to work on the issues of equality, climate change and human rights.”
Retired lawyer David Merner was the runner up last election but back then he was running for the Liberals.
“The day I left was the day they bought the Kinder Morgan pipeline,” said Green Party candidate David Merner.
He says big change is needed to address the climate crisis.
“The scientists are telling us we need action now, and the Greens I see as the only options for really taking urgent action on the number one issue in our campaign,” he said.
The Liberal candidate this election is Jamie Hammond, a retired Canadian Armed Forces Colonel who served in Bosnia and Afghanistan.
“People like Trump got me thinking about this, and that populism and concern about the future of the country,” he said.
He says while the environment is his number one issue he also wants to see transportation, in the home of the ‘Colwood Crawl’, improved.
“I used to walk the E & N tracks to Shoreline school in grades eight and nine, and we still are not using that corridor effectively and there’s lots of innovative solutions we can come up with,” he said.
A dentist of 43 years, Dr. Randall Pewarchuk is the Conservative candidate.
“The Conservatives are all about family, all our platform circles around to family,” he said.
He says his party has a plan to address climate change and improve local salmon stocks — a key issue for many in this fishing community.
“What we must do is increase funding to local hatcheries and increase funding to those groups who are improving restoration of the streams, the habitat,” he said.
Experts say Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke is one of the key ridings to watch.
“I’m thinking the momentum is more with the NDP on the Island than with the Greens, but two weeks ago I would have said something different, it has been that changeable, and we’re in the last week and anything can happen,” said Royal Roads Political Communications professor David Black.
Election day is Monday, October 21.
For the full list of candidates announced for Vancouver Island, visit our page here.
April Lawrence
