Two more candidates have announced they will be running in the upcoming federal election in the Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge riding.
Laura Anderson is throwing her hat in the ring for the Green Party of Canada and Chris Lehner will be running for the People's Party of Canada.
They will be joining Daniel Heydenrych who is running for the New Democratic Party, NDP, and incumbent Marc Dalton with the Conservative Party of Canada.
In an online biography, Lehner says he is a first-generation Canadian, born to parents who escaped war and revolution. He grew up in Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia, and, he said, quickly developed a strong work ethic and a deep appreciation for democracy and the right to vote.
He is self-taught in information technology, (IT), automotive mechanics, electrical repairs, HVAC, home repair, and "vocalism". Lehner is also fluent in five languages and has more than a decade of experience in the insurance industry.
In addition, he uses his expertise in IT to help children across the province learn to use technology as a tool for education and empowerment.
Lehner noted that as a lifelong voter in provincial and federal elections, he became increasingly concerned with the polarization of government policies, especially in the early years of the pandemic. Realizing that voting alone was not enough, he felt compelled to take action.
The News has reached out to Anderson for more information about her candidacy.
Dalton will be kicking off his campaign at his campaign office, 22325 Lougheed Highway, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 29. Doors open at 12:30 p.m..
None of the candidates have been officially confirmed in the Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge electoral district as of Thursday, March 27.
The deadline for candidate nominations closes on Monday, April 7, and a complete list of confirmed candidates will be available on Wednesday, April 9.
Election day is Monday, April 28.
The Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge election boundaries were re-drawn due to population changes and now also includes a large chunk of Mission. The boundary extends as far east as Silvermere Lake, Silverdale, and continues all the way to Wren Street – taking in the Mission RCMP and Walmart store. Further north, the new riding also includes half of the Stave Lake and the Steelhead rural area of Mission.
Although, Elections Canada offices are open across the country and anyone can vote early at any one of them by 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 22, using the special ballot process.
The Elections Canada office for Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge is located at 19100 Airport Way, suite 517, in the Golden Ears Business Park in Pitt Meadows.
For more information about voting early or about the election go to: https://www.elections.ca/home.aspx.
