Four of five candidates in the riding of Cloverdale-91原创 City answered questions at an all-candidates meeting April 16 for the upcoming election.

Tamara Jansen, Conservative candidate and riding incumbent, was the only candidate not in attendance. Jim McMurtry (PPC), Vanessa Sharma (NDP), Kyle Latchford (Liberal), and Kevin Wilkie (Greens) were all present for the meeting at Cloverdale's 5 Star Catering.

The Q&A was organized by the Cloverdale District Chamber of Commerce and sponsored once again by the

About 80 people attended the event and gave answers to a series of pre-selected questions. The candidates were also given the questions ahead of time.

VANESSA SHARMA

NDP candidate Vanessa Sharma thought the ACM went well for her. She felt she got her message across and connected with those in attendance.

"I think it went really, really well," Sharma said. "Running in the byelection, I feel like I've had my fair share of practice there. So, I feel good about my answers and I feel good about going into this election.鈥�

She added her campaign is not about becoming a career politician. She鈥檚 running to 鈥渕ake a difference鈥� at the federal level for local people.

鈥淭hat's what it鈥檚 about鈥攖he people,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hether you vote for me or not, make sure your voice is heard. That鈥檚 the whole point of the job for everyone running鈥攑roviding real solutions for all (constituents).鈥�

Sharma said if elected, she will work to bring down the cost of housing. She used to live in the riding, but was forced to move to Chilliwack because she couldn't afford the rents in Surrey anymore. 

KEVIN WILKIE

Green Party candidate Kevin Wilkie said he was satisfied with the answers he gave during the meeting. It was his second meeting in as many nights, as he had been to the Surrey Board of Trade meeting the night before.

鈥淚t was good,鈥� Wilkie noted. 鈥淚t was a relaxed atmosphere. Everything that needed to be said, was said. So, I鈥檓 excited. I鈥檓 excited to see where we are going with this (campaign).鈥�

He added that he hoped voters understand the 2025 federal election is more than just a two-horse race.

鈥淚 want people to know that they can vote with their hearts and their feelings,鈥� Wilkie said. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 have to vote for who their parents voted for, or who their wife is voting for, or their husband. I just want to say, 鈥楳ake an informed decision.鈥� Wherever that lies, all the power to us.鈥�

JIM MCMURTRY

People's Party candidate Jim McMurtry said the ACM was 鈥済enerally a happy experience鈥� for him, but he said he did hear some negative comments from his fellow panellists and from some of those gathered in the audience.

He also said he was frustrated by the perspective on spending given by the other three, much-younger panellists.

鈥淎ll they talk about is spending,鈥� McMurtry said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just the most ruinous thing possible for Canada to revisit inflation and those high interest rates people experienced recently. People cannot manage businesses, people cannot pay for their tuition or their mortgage.鈥�

He said the focus needs to be on curbing inflation. He said the affordability issues are top of mind for most families.

鈥淚f people are happy with the status quo, then their heads are in the sand,鈥� he added. 鈥淲e need to make our society better 鈥� and we need to spend sparingly and keep the money for the things that are important.鈥�

McMurtry began the ACM by getting up and walking out while Scott Wheatley, the Cloverdale Chamber executive director, was reading a land acknowledgement.

鈥淚 wanted to express my disdain for identity politics where the focus is on this group or that group,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e're Canadians. We have equal rights guaranteed by the charter. I walked out because it was my only visible way to conscientiously and respectfully object.鈥�

KYLE LATCHFORD

Liberal candidate Kyle Latchford said his message is simple and he thought he got it across at the ACM.

鈥淲e need to stand up to Donald Trump, we need to build homes that people can afford, and we need to bring down the price of groceries,鈥� Latchford noted.

He said his campaign was going well and he鈥檚 thankful for his team and the volunteers who鈥檝e come out to support him.

鈥淭he effort and the dedication from everybody on the team just makes every day that much easier,鈥� he added.

Latchford said he鈥檚 gotten a great response from people while door-knocking.

鈥�(It鈥檚) been absolutely 91原创enal and we鈥檙e so heartened by it,鈥� he noted. 鈥淲e are very much looking forward to an election and we鈥檙e very much looking forward to electing a Liberal government in this riding.鈥�

TAMARA JANSEN

The Cloverdale Reporter reached out via email to Jansen for comment and received a reply from Shanjeelin Dwivedi, Jansen鈥檚 press secretary, with comments attributed to Jansen.

Jansen said she was door-knocking during the ACM.

鈥淚n a 3-hour evening shift, I can reach up to 120 homes and have great one-on-one interaction with voters,鈥� Jansen explained. 鈥淚 find those conversations are the best way to connect with and encourage supporters to go to the ballot box.鈥�
 
Jansen added that she brings experience and a 鈥減roven track record鈥� from previously being an MP along with a commitment to the communities in the riding of Cloverdale-91原创 City.

鈥淎s a business owner, parent, and long-time advocate, I understand the challenges families, workers, and small businesses face every day,鈥� she noted. 鈥淚鈥檝e always stood up for economic freedom, responsible governance, and protecting our rights and values.鈥�

Jansen said she aims to be a 鈥渟trong voice鈥� if re-elected and will act in the interest of the the residents of the electoral district of Cloverdale-91原创 City.

鈥淭he biggest issue in this election is fixing our weak economy after 10 years of Liberal mismanagement,鈥� she added. 鈥淯nder their failed policies, the cost of living has skyrocketed, and home ownership is out of reach for many.鈥�

CLOVERDALE-LANGLEY CITY

The electoral district of Cloverdale-91原创 City is about 60 per cent Cloverdale, about 25 per cent 91原创, and about 12 per cent Newton. The riding is about 60 square kilometres in size with a population of more than 130,000. As of Nov. 10, there were 88,348 people on the electors list.

Tamara Jansen recently won the riding in a byelection landslide in December, 2024. The riding had been without an MP since John Aldag resigned earlier in 2024 to run for the B.C. NDP in the provincial election. Aldag lost his bid for a provincial seat, but has returned for the federal election and is running in the new riding of 91原创 Township-Fraser Heights against Conservative Tako van Popta.

A video of the ACM will be available on the in a few days.

For info on how to vote, where to register, or anything else about the election, visit .