Candidate names on the federal election ballot for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country riding were confirmed April 13, and the list is much larger than first thought.
Nine candidates are seeking the seat currently held by Conservative Party candidate and incumbent John Weston. Trying to wrestle the perch in Ottawa from Weston are Liberal Dan Veniez, New Democrat Terry Platt, Green Brennan Wauters, Western Block Allan Holt, Canadian Action Doug Hartt, and finalized Wednesday morning, Libertarian Tunya Audain, Marxist-Leninist Carol Lee Chapman and Progressive Canadian Roger Lagassé.
Lagassé is a public school teacher and district principal for aboriginal education, and a long-time resident of the Sunshine Coast.
While recognizing general issues, he intends to focus on “bringing our troops home” where they can be prepared to help in times of disaster and be of service in times of need. Lagassé is also an enthusiastic supporter of the Progressive Conservative Party policy to eliminate post-secondary tuition fees and build a national fast commuter train system “to unite the country coast to coast to coast.”
Son of a decorated, twice-wounded World War II veteran who was a founding member of the Royal Canadian Legion Laverendrye Branch No 220 in Sainte-Anne, Manitoba where he grew up, Lagassé is opposed to the NATO bombing of Libya.
“Taking sides in factional fighting in far away countries like Afghanistan and Libya has achieved nothing,” he said. “We need to bring our troops home where they can focus on being ready to respond to natural disasters like the high magnitude earthquake geologists say is due on the West Coast any time now.”
Lagassé said he has a desire to make Canada a world leader, not one to be feared because of its connection to overseas aggression, but to be loved and respected because of its ready assistance approach to diverse global and local issues as they arise.
Audain has been a West Vancouver resident for 35 years and is a 73-year-old grandmother of four.
She said she runs as a libertarian for most elections, federal, provincial or school board for the opportunity to engage in discussing why Canadians need less government and more freedom. She ran one year for the Marijuana Party.
A pioneer of the home education movement and currently involved in education reform issues such as school vouchers and parent rights, her employment history includes work as a psychometrist for the federal government.
Hartt and Lee Chapman did not respond to requests for interviews or provide Coast Reporter or the other three riding newspapers with biographical information by deadline on Wednesday afternoon.
