Veteran NDP MLA Harry Bains (Surrey-Newton) says he’s being urged to run for mayor in Surrey’s next civic election in October but the current BC Labour Minister says he’ll “think about it,” as his focus remains in the provincial arena. Bains said because of his “love for Surrey,” as he’s lived most of his life here, he will give “due consideration and respect” to the idea of running for mayor. Similarly, there were rumours in November that Bains’ fellow NDP MLA from Surrey Jinny Jogindro Sims was approached to run for Surrey mayor but apparently she did not publicize or comment on the rumours. Current mayor Doug McCallum and his remaining council members will be facing an uphill battle retain their seats as old guard Surrey First and high profile newcomers like Bains and potentially Sims get their slates in order as complete new parties or joining Surrey First or Brenda Locke and Jack Hundial already announced Surrey Connect slates.

By DESIBUZZCanada Staff With News Files

SURREY – Veteran NDP MLA Harry Bains (Surrey-Newton) says he’s being urged to run for mayor in Surrey’s next civic election in October but the current BC Labour Minister says he’ll “think about it,” as his focus remains in the provincial arena.

“Number one, my priorities lies with the province,” Bains told the Surrey Now-Leader newspaper this week. “That’s where my passion is. All the issues, health care, education, fair labour laws, public transportation, child care, are all under provincial and I am deeply involved in that.”

“There’s much more to do.”

Having said that, Bains told the Now-Leader because of his “love for Surrey,” as he’s lived most of his life here, he will give “due consideration and respect” to the idea of running for mayor “because of what I feel about Surrey, and the direction Surrey could go, the potential Surrey has.

“Groups from different political spectrums, I might add, felt that I could represent Surrey in the mayor’s chair, in their eyes, really well,” Bains said. Certainly I respect that they have approached me and I’m flattered. I said I will consider and let them know once I’m in a position to tell them.”

Bains said he was approached by people over the holiday period but he has not thought about how he would run if I would run – as an independent candidate or with a slate. Bains has been Newton’s MLA since 2005.

Similarly, there were rumours in November that Bains’ fellow NDP MLA from Surrey Jinny Jogindro Sims was approached to run for Surrey mayor but apparently she did not publicize or comment on the rumours. 

Current mayor Doug McCallum and his remaining council members will be facing an uphill battle retain their seats as old guard Surrey First and high profile newcomers like Bains and potentially Sims get their slates in order as complete new parties or joining Surrey First or Brenda Locke and Jack Hundial already announced Surrey Connect slates.