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NDP choose parachute candidate for Chilliwack-Hope

Vancouver resident Heather McQuillan works in the film industry
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Heather McQuillan is the NDP’s candidate for Chilliwack-Hope. The Vancouver resident works in the film industry. (Submitted)

The election field is growing in Chilliwack-Hope as the NDP has parachuted in a Vancouver resident to run for the party.

Heather McQuillan grew up in Saskatchewan and works in the film industry in Vancouver along with her husband Sean McQuillan, who is the NDP’s candidate for Vancouver South.

She describes herself as “proud progressive Christian,” which is what brought her to the NDP.

“I believe that if you’re going to wear that label, it should be reflected in more than volunteering here and there and being nice to people when you park your car on Sunday,” she said in an email to The Progress. “When I looked at my values as a Christian, the NDP consistently enacted on the things that Christians teach.”

She works in the film industry and is a member of International Alliance of Theatre Stage Employees (IATSE) local 891, the film technician’s Union as well as IATSE local 118, the theatre technician’s union.

• RELATED: Chilliwack Progress Federal Election

Specifically she is involved in set decoration, and last year her team was nominated for a daytime Emmy award.

She is also a new mother.

“My husband, Sean (who also works in the film industry and is running as the candidate for Vancouver South) and I had our first child in January,” she said. “I really see urgency in government stepping up to fight climate change, to work to create affordable housing and develop a system that is sustainable while being acutely aware of the human element of transitioning. People need to know that their families will be fed while we make those moves. Security allows people to make the best decisions for our country.”

Caring for her mother with Parkinson’s disease, McQuillan is focused on the struggles people have dealing with healthcare costs.

”To see her struggle to pay for medication doesn’t seem right. I want to assure that everyone can live life with dignity and that means universal Pharmacare and housing for income levels that reflect median incomes.”

McQuillan represents the last of the major federal political parties to join the race in Chilliwack-Hope.

MP Mark Strahl is running for re-election for the Conservatives. Kelly Velonis is the candidate for the Liberals. Robert Bogunovic is running for the People’s Party of Canada. And Arthur Green is running for the Green Party.

Only Strahl, Green and Bogunovic are officially confirmed as candidates according to Elections Canada. The deadline for nominations is Sept. 30.

So far, a number of all-candidates meetings have been scheduled starting with one hosted by Chilliwack Healthier Community at the Neighbourhood Learning Centre at CSS on Sept. 24 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

After that on Sept. 25 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. is one hosted by the Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce to be held at the Chilliwack Cultureal Centre.

Visit www.theprogress.com/federal-election for all your coverage of the election.


@PeeJayAitch
paul.henderson@theprogress.com

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