It felt like the right time.
That’s what independent candidate Amarit Bains says about his decision to put his name on the ballot in Delta for the upcoming federal election.
Born and raised in North Delta, Bains said there are a plethora of issues, both locally and nationally, that are of concern to residents but aren’t being really addressed by the main parties, which is a good opportunity for an independent who has no obligation to toe any party lines to represent the community.
A lawyer, Bains noted he’s always had an interest and involvement in politics, starting from a young age and throughout his school years.
“In terms of getting involved in this election, I just didn’t see how any of the parties really appealed to me and a lot of Canadians. A lot of people are dissatisfied with everything that’s happening in politics. I wanted to be that alternative that people could reach out to and someone who will actually listen to their needs in Delta. I just want to be Delta’s voice in Ottawa,” he said.
Bains said Delta has a high proportion of seniors and an aging population, and what he’s heard over and over is that government pensions aren’t enough to sustain seniors. People are forced to burn through their savings and have to do without in many cases, he said.
“There needs to be more help for seniors. The thing with the CPP is that it’s not stable. A lot of the investments the federal government has made is in fossil fuels, so, sure, we can increase the CPP but now it’s just an empty election promise because you have to ask if the CPP is even strong enough, especially as the baby boomers age. We need to see that addressed.”
Another issue that needs addressing is a national pharmacare program, Bains said, noting Canada is the only country that offers universal health care without pharamcare.
“The Liberals and NDP both said they’d support that, but it sounds like a lot of election promises. We need to make life more affordable for the middle class and another key issue that got me to run was that the Liberals previously said they’d help the middle class, then they took away small business tax credits. Now you can only have one person claim the credit. This affects small businesses and middle class families primarily,” explained Bains.
As far as the challenge for anyone running as an independent in a federal election, Bains said, “I knew it was going to be an uphill battle but I’ve seen more Greens start to win and Jody Wilson-Raybould is also an independent, and a lot of people are dissatisfied, so I felt this is the best time to run. People really want another voice, and it’s easier to interact with people in this day and age.”
