Healey picked for local NDP

By Dan Hilborn
Published Dec. 1, 2004


A self-employed union member who lost the 2001 election by more than 6,500 votes will once again carry the NDP banner in Burquitlam and face off against an old rival in the May 17, 2005 provincial election.

Bart Healey, who has knocked on doors in the riding for almost the entire period since the 2001 election, was acclaimed as the NDP candidate for the riding that straddles the Burnaby and Coquitlam border on Sunday night.

Healey wasted no time in taking aim at current MLA Harry Bloy.

"The number one thing I'm hearing from people is that they don't know who their current Liberal MLA is," Healey said Monday morning. "And when they do meet him, they feel that they're not being taken seriously. It's like they're meeting with a PR flack from the premier's office."

Healey said his personal work ethic and pragmatism are the two main reasons why people should choose him as their MLA.

"I'm a member of the bargaining committee, but I also a partner in the business, so I have to make sure we're competitive," Healey said of his work with Dynamex. "Similarly in the legislature, it can't be all business without any rules, or business so restricted that it can't flourish."

Despite the fact that Healey's nomination was uncontested, more than 160 people showed up for the meeting, including Burnaby mayor Derek Corrigan, Burnaby-Douglas MP Bill Siksay and city councillors from Burnaby and Coquitlam.