Well placed sources within the BC Liberal party told DESIBUZZCanada that there is going to be a seat swap with BC Liberal MLA Stephanie Cadieux looking to resign her BC Liberal South Surrey seat for BC Liberal leadership front-runner Dianne Watts and run federally for the Conservatives in Watts former riding.

By PD Raj – Senior Writer DESIBUZZCanada

VANCOUVER – Is BC Liberal MLA Stephanie Cadieux preparing to run in former MP Dianne Watts’ riding for federal Conservatives in an eventual by-election and thereby vacating her South Surrey riding for potentially Watts to run if Watts wins the leadership

Well placed sources within the BC Liberal party told DESIBUZZCanada that there is going to be a seat swap with Cadieux looking to resign her BC Liberal seat for Watts and run federally for the Conservatives in Watts former riding.

Cadieux, who has solid fiscal conservative credentials, would likely win the seat for the Conservatives if the swap did occur.

But the source also said that this scenario is far from being a reality since the BC Liberal leadership campaign has just begun and it won’t be until February until the party picks a leader.

“I think this scenario is in place and most likely to happen if Dianne Watts wins the leadership so it’s not a done deal yet,” said the Source. “But since Dianne is the clear front-runner and we expect her to win, we think this scenario will work best for both new provincial leader and Stephanie who needs to take her talents to the federal level.”

Cadieux, who was elected as a BC Liberal Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2009 provincial election, is currently the MLA for Surrey-South.

After the 2013 provincial election, Cadieux was elected in the riding of Surrey-Cloverdale and in the 2017 provincial election, Cadieux moved to the new riding of Surrey South.

Cadieux, a former Minister of Children and Family Development,  also served as Minister of Social Development, Minister of Labour, Citizens' Services and Open Government and Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development during the BC Liberal government tenure.

She was a member of the Select Standing Committees on Health and on Children and Youth, and a former member of the Special Committee to Review the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Cadieux, formerly the director of marketing and development for the BC Paraplegic Association, has been a wheelchair user since a car accident at age 18. She is the second wheelchair user, following Doug Mowat, elected to the provincial legislature.

Her leadership and resourcefulness led her to be voted one of Business in Vancouver's Top 40 Under 40 for 2007.

She has served as President of the Realwheels Society; Ambassador for the Rick Hansen Man in Motion Foundation; a researcher and member of the advisory panel for the International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), a member of the Diversity Advisory Committee for Global BC and as a mentor with the YWCA.