The race is officially on in Delta.
Prime Minster Stephen Harper on Sunday confirmed he asked Gov. Gen. David Johnston to dissolve Parliament for a general election to be held Monday, Oct. 19. It's going to be one of the longest federal election campaigns in recent memory.
The Conservatives' Kerry-Lynne Findlay is the incumbent in this riding, which has been reconfigured from Delta-Richmond East to a new riding that leaves out Richmond but now includes North Delta.
Findlay, the Minster of National Revenue, has been making a plethora of funding announcements in recent weeks. In 2011, she took over from long-time Conservative MP John Cummins, who retired, winning 54.2 per cent of the vote. In her recent announcements, she stressed the economy and creating jobs as her government moves forward with its economic action plan.
This time around, she'll square off against Carla Qualtrough and Jeremy Leveque.
When the New Democrats announced Leveque's candidacy in June, the party noted that he was raised in Delta and is a nationally recognized Canadian health care expert and advocate for evidence-based policy. He is also committed to fighting economic and gender inequality and joins leader Tom Mulcair in the belief that the economy can grow while still protecting the environment.
The Liberals in the spring had announced Qualtrough as their candidate. Qualtrough, a legally blind Ladner resident who ran on the Real Delta ticket for school board in last fall's municipal election, is a lawyer, human rights advocate and Paralympic medalist.
Qualtrough said she put her name forward because she shares leader Justin Trudeau's belief in a Canada that protects freedoms and is governed openly, transparently and fairly.
Other candidates are expected to also come forward soon.
It remains to be seen how things may change with North Delta joining South Delta in the new riding. North Delta had previously been part of Newton-North Delta, a riding which had changed hands several times in recent elections and is currently not held by the Conservatives. However, the Conservatives have been quick to point out their candidate in the last election won the polls within the North Delta part.
Harper on Sunday said this is no time to take risks.
"Canadians will make a critical decision about the direction of our country, a decision with real consequences, a decision about who has the proven experience today to keep our economy strong and our country safe," he said.
Mulcair also talked about the economy on Sunday.
Liberal Party Leader Justin Trudeau, who was in Delta a few weeks ago, launched his campaign in Vancouver, his sights clearly set on winning middle-class votes.
In his Delta speech, Trudeau outlined his "plan for fairness" that includes a $3 billion tax cut for the middle class, reducing from 22 to 20.5 per cent the middle class tax bracket from $44,000 to $89,000. He said in order to pay for that cut, the wealthiest Canadians will be asked "to do a little more."
