Tri-City MLAs and MPs are lending a hand - as well as their names and faces - to candidates running in Saturday's municipal elections.
And some are even knocking on doors with civic mayoral and council contenders, hoping their heavyweight status will influence voters.
Diane Thorne, NDP MLA for Coquitlam-Maillardville and a former city councillor in Coquitlam, said she is publicly endorsing candidates "who stand up for the same community values that I believe in." She is supporting Barrie Lynch, who is running for Coquitlam mayor, incumbents Neal Nicholson and Selina Robinson, and challengers Randy Delmonico, Fred Soofi and Vincent Wu.
By contrast, Doug Horne, BC Liberal MLA for Burke Mountain, said he's backing Mayor Richard Stewart for re-election as well as incumbents Mae Reid, Linda Reimer, Brent Asmundson and Doug Macdonell, and challengers Araz Rismani and Andy Shen. In addition, in a recent letter to his supporters and party members in the riding, he is urging them to vote for the seven plus Terry O'Neill (a Tri-City News columnist, who is on leave) and Craig Hodge (a retired Tri-City News photographer).
In Port Coquitlam, NDP MLA Mike Farnworth said he gave endorsements to candidates who asked; namely, his former constituency assistant (CA), Coun. Brad West, and his current CA, Coun. Glenn Pollock. As well, he is supporting council candidate Dean Washington, a family friend, and in Coquitlam, Barrie Lynch for mayor. Farnworth said he is not door knocking or phoning his supporters on their behalf.
On the federal front, NDP MP Fin Donnelly (New Westminster-Coquitlam) has his name and picture attached to brochures and websites for: in Coquitlam, Lynch, Nicholson, Robinson, Soofi, Delmonico and Wu; and, in Port Moody, Bob Elliott, Rick Glumac, Zoe Royer, Barbara Junker and Kevin Hagglund. Donnelly said he's supporting these candidates because of their NDP affiliation.
Meanwhile, Conservative MP James Moore (Port Moody-Westwood-Port Coquitlam) did not return calls for comment but his sister, Julie Whitworth, is a first-time council contender in Port Moody who is running as an independent. She told The Tri-City News yesterday that her brother is not directly working on her campaign but he has offered feedback in some areas of her election bid.
