Tories looking ahead

By Dan Hilborn
Published Aug. 26, 2006


A federal election may still be a long way away, but at least one potential Conservative party candidate is stepping up to run for his party's nomination in the Burnaby-New Westminster riding.

Ryan Warawa, the 30-year-old son of Langley MP Mark Warawa, confirms that he intends to seek the party's nomination.

"I've set the wheels in motion for an announcement within the next week," said Warawa, who already has his official campaign website online.

Warawa, a benefits specialist for Intrawest, the company that operates the Whistler-Blackcomb ski resorts, currently lives in Vancouver but has been a member of the Burnaby-New Westminster riding association executive since 2004. He previously worked at Best Buy's Canadian head office in the riding.

"I was active on the campaign of Marc Dalton, our candidate last year, so I'm encouraged by our chances in that riding," he said. "It was a three-way split in the past two elections, so a five per cent change and that riding will be taken away from (the current NDP MP) Peter Julian."

A political activist since joining the Reform Party at the age of 17, Warawa previously served as youth co-chair of Stockwell Day's campaign for the leadership of the Canadian Alliance and as an executive member of the party's Vancouver Centre constituency association.

Also considering a run at the nomination is Burnaby realtor Sam Rakhra, who had an unsuccessful bid for the Tory nomination in the riding prior to last winter's federal election.

"I haven't decided so far, even though a lot of people have approached me," said Rakhra, adding that his final decision will likely be based on who else enters the nomination race.

Mike Redmond, who has twice run for the Progressive Conservatives in the riding, said he will probably not seek the nomination for the upcoming federal election because he recently made a three-year commitment to work on the Workers' Compensation appeal tribunal.

"I've decided not to seek the nomination this time just for business reasons," Redmond said Thursday morning. "But you know, you can never say never. If the time was right, I'd love to. It would be a great honour to represent people in Parliament."

Rav Mlait, president of the riding association, said the nomination meeting will probably not happen until the spring, unless there is a surprise election this fall or winter.

"The party has not signaled to us when the nomination meeting will happen, but being politics, especially in a minority situation, we always have to be ready for an election at any time," Mlait said. "If the Liberals or New Democrats want to vote against the softwood lumber deal, then that's their prerogative. And if that's the case, the Conservative Party will be ready to run on its record.

"I wouldn't rule anything out," Mlait said.