2005 Candidates (as received from Elections B.C.):
- Elayne Brenzinger, DR BC
- Joe Pal, -
- Bruce Ralston, New Democratic Party of B.C.
- Barbara Steele, BC Liberal Party
- Roy Whyte, Green Party of BC
Districts Profile:
This northwestern Surrey riding is bordered on the north and west by the Fraser River, on the south by 96th and 104th avenues, and on the east by Highway 1 and 152nd Street. This is a mix of residential sub-developments, farmland and light industry. Manufacturing and retail are the major employers, though at $50,269, this riding has the province's fourth-lowest average family income, as well as an above-average unemployment rate of 10.1 per cent. Immigrants account for 32 per cent of the population. At 18.1 per cent, the province's sixth-highest percentage of South Asians is here, while people of Chinese origin account for 5.4 per cent, Filipinos another 5.4 per cent, and Vietnamese 4.6 per cent.
Political History:
The incumbent in Surrey-Whalley is Elayne Brenzinger. In 2001 Brenzinger won on the Liberal Party ticket but quit the caucus in 2004 to join the Democratic Reform B.C. party after feuding with Liberal leader Gordon Campbell. The runner-up in 2001 was incumbent Joan Smallwood of the NDP, who lost by more than 2,000 votes. Smallwood had held office since 1986, when she defeated Socred Marvin Hunt in the old Surrey-Guildford-Whalley riding by a mere 158 votes. Smallwood's 1991 and '96 wins were far more comfortable: both were by margins of more than 2,000 votes, over Liberals Daphne Edwards and Judy Higginbotham. Before Smallwood, the NDP and the Socreds competed strongly for the district, which was part of the old Surrey district. New Democrat Ernie Hall was the MLA from 1966-75, before being unseated by Socred (and eventual premier) Bill Vander Zalm. In 1979, however, this became a two-member district, and both Hall and Vander Zalm were elected. Four years later the Socreds got both seats, with wins by eventual premier Rita Johnston and Bill Reid.
In 2001, the voter turnout in Surrey-Whalley was 66.8 per cent – the 10th lowest in the province.
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