Progress Vancouver Gets Big Endorsement From Former Prime Minister Paul Martin

Will entrepreneur Asha Hayer make history as first Indo-Canadian-South Asian councilor in Vancouver as she gets a rousing endorsement from former BC Premier Christy Clark. Clark, who is the ex-wife of Progress Vancouver leader Mark Marissen and on whose slate Hayer is running, spoke at Vancouver’s Akali Singh Sikh Temple on the weekend, praising Hayer and saying with Punjabi-Indo-Canadians making up 20 percent of Vancouver’s population, it’s about time that the city elected an Indo-Canadian councilor and Hayer was the perfect person to make history.

By PD Raj – Senior Writer DESIBUZZCanada 

VANCOUVER – Will entrepreneur Asha Hayer make history as first Indo-Canadian-South Asian councilor in Vancouver as she gets a rousing endorsement from former BC Premier Christy Clark.

Clark, who is the ex-wife of Progress Vancouver leader Mark Marissen and on whose slate Hayer is running, spoke at Vancouver’s Akali Singh Sikh Temple on the weekend, praising Hayer and saying with Punjabi-Indo-Canadians making up 20 percent of Vancouver’s population, it’s about time that the city elected an Indo-Canadian councilor and Hayer was the perfect person to make history.

Progress Vancouver got more good news as the party was endorsed by former Prime Minister Paul Martin, Marrison’s mentor and the man he helped put in the PM’s office in a heated campaign decades ago.

"I'm delighted to have Asha Hayer joining our growing team of candidates for Vancouver City Council," said Marissen earlier.

"I'm so excited to be joining Progress Vancouver's incredible team of candidates," says Asha. "Progress Vancouver is all about bringing left and right together to fix the problems faced by Vancouverites. Vancouver needs results and we have the ideas, and the team, to get it done."

Asha started a successful small business and understands what it means to build something through hard work. A mother of two, she is actively involved in her community, and has been a strong supporter of Kid's Help Phone and other charitable causes.

Asha comes from a long line of community advocates, which includes her mother Betty. She is a sixth generation Indo-Canadian, whose family participated in the establishment of the first Gurdwara in North America, built in 2nd Avenue in Vancouver.

“As a parent and an entrepreneur, I understand the challenges of raising a young family in this city,” she said.

Asha hopes her candidacy will encourage other young women, and women of colour to enter politics. She believes Vancouver's government should reflect Vancouver's diversity. Another issue close to her heart is climate change, as she wants to ensure Vancouver is working on a functional climate strategy which will have a demonstrable, meaningful impact.

Asha Hayer knows Vancouver is founded on the strength of its diversity. Her success in small business inspires her to better cultivate the entrepreneurial spirit of Vancouver.