After having worked for Conservative MPs and on election campaigns, a Pitt Meadows man has announced he would like to run for the party.
Davis Friesen, 30, will seek the Conservative nomination for Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge.
Friesen is the current constituency assistant to Chilliwack-Hope Member of Parliament Mark Strahl, and served as an assistant to Randy Kamp, the MP representing Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge (2004-2015) from 2012 until the 2015 federal election.
During the 2015 federal election, Friesen worked as the campaign manager for Conservative candidate Mike Murray. Following the 2015 election, Friesen completed a bachelor degree in political studies from Trinity Western University, while also working on the Pitt Meadows–Maple Ridge Conservative Association as vice-president and as president.
Friesen said he expects other strong candidates to put their names forward for the nomination, but he wanted to get an early start. The next election is not scheduled until October 2019.
“We need to do a lot of rebuilding in the area, and it’s never too early to start,” he said. “I want to connect with people, and build the brand.”
While issues change quickly in politics, he spoke to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s style in forcing his “values test,” which has Right to Life advocates critical of his Summer Jobs Program attestation.
He also sees the July 1 deadline for marijuana legalization as arbitrary, and says the government should wait until all the appropriate systems are in place.
Friesen is not sure those will still be hot issues in the next federal election campaign, but he said homelessness will be.
“That’s an area that I think there hasn’t been a lot of leadership shown federally,” he said.
Murray announced he will not run again, and endorsed Friesen.
“I know Davis Friesen will be a bright light as our Conservative candidate and next MP for Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge,” said Murray. “For five years, I worked closely with him in MP Randy Kamp’s office and as my campaign manager in 2015. He truly possesses the passion and the intelligence for the job. We need a guy like Davis to lead the charge for us here in Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge.”
Kamp is also endorsing Friesen.
“I got to know and appreciate Davis Friesen when he served as an assistant of mine when I was the member of parliament for Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge-Mission,” said Kamp. “As an intelligent, diligent, and congenial young man, he quickly became an indispensable part of my team. But what is most impressive about Davis, in my opinion, is his integrity, humility, and servant’s heart. Canada needs leaders like Davis in the Parliament of Canada, so I’m pleased to enthusiastically endorse him as the next Conservative candidate for Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge.”
Friesen and his wife Julia were both raised in Pitt Meadows, where they are also raising their young and growing family.
• Information about Davis Friesen’s nomination bid is available on his website at www.davisfriesen.com and his Facebook Page, facebook.com/daviswfriesen