The first week of Canada’s 45th election campaign is officially in the books, and candidates in the West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country riding wasted no time hitting the campaign trail.
Here are just a few notes from the first week of campaigning, presented in no particular order of importance. Be sure to follow the candidates on social media, or stay tuned to their websites for all the latest announcements—and check back next Monday for another weekly roundup of all the latest rumblings from the campaign trail.
-Green Party candidate Lauren Greenlaw took a unique approach to getting her campaign message out, taking the stage at Trickster’s Hideout in Squamish on March 26 for a storytelling event. A few days later, Green Party co-leader Jonathan Pedneault joined Greenlaw for a March 30 campaign event in Squamish.
-Liberal candidate Patrick Weiler made tracks up and down the riding in the campaign’s first week, holding campaign launches in Pemberton on March 27, on the Sunshine Coast and in Whistler on March 28, and in West Vancouver on March 29. The incumbent will land in Squamish for an event at the Brackendale Art Gallery on Monday, March 31 at 5 p.m.
-Conservative candidate Keith Roy was the first to erect election signs in Whistler once the writ dropped, followed shortly after by Weiler—and the Conservative candidate’s first week was an eventful one, judging from his social media channels. Roy held a grand opening for his Sechelt campaign headquarters on March 22, and was also busy knocking doors throughout the riding in the first week. “Knocked on every door in Lions Bay today and heard loud and clear: people are ready for change,” Roy posted on Facebook on March 29. “They want common sense, affordability, and leadership that listens. I’m ready to deliver. Let’s bring it home.”
-Eighteen-year-old Jäger Rosenberg, the NDP’s candidate for the riding, has gotten off to a quiet start, with no signage yet to be seen and no recent or upcoming events being publicized just yet. In his most recent Facebook post on March 26, Rosenberg wrote: “The NDP is the only party in it for you. Volunteer and donate to keep our grassroots movement strong. And remember to get out and vote!” In a follow-up on April 1, the NDP candidate said he spent the first week primarily door-knocking, meeting supporters, going to community events and making social media/printed election content. "I spent Sunday at a press conference and rally with Jagmeet Singh in Port Moody and Burnaby. Appearing on almost all major news networks. I have also been doing several interviews with BCIT news, Ipolitics, Radio-Canada etc," he said. "By no means has it been a quiet start, even if we're still waiting for signs to arrive."
-On his Facebook page, People’s Party of Canada (PPC) candidate Peyman Askari, who also has signs up throughout the riding already, posted a series of interviews with fellow PPC candidates and party brass on March 21. Askari is active on X and other social channels, and has been making tracks up and down the riding knocking doors and handing out signs.
-The candidates will have ample opportunities to engage with one another as the campaign progresses. All-candidates debates are currently being scheduled in communities across the riding, including the Sunshine Coast (April 7 at the Elphinstone Secondary Library and April 9 at the xwesam–Roberts Creek Community Hall) and Squamish (April 8 at the CapU Squamish Campus). Events in Whistler, Pemberton and West Vancouver are yet to be finalized.
-Candidates will be confirmed April 9, with advance polling taking place across the country from April 18 to 21. Election day is Monday, April 28.
-Stay up to date with all the latest election news here.
