Musqueam candidate campaigns to become first Indigenous MP for Vancouver-Quadra

Wade Grant’s headquarters is buzzing with activity from volunteers who are working to make him the next federal representative of a riding in Vancouver. “We are building so much momentum in Vancouver Quadra. Thank you all for your volunteerism. Get out there and win this race,” Grant tells the volunteers. “Let’s go.” Grant is from Musqueam First Nation in Vancouver. The riding sits within the borders of his territory. “My mother was chief when I was a child and politics has been in my blood,” he says. “I was born and raised in this riding and I think I owe it to the people who helped me become the person I am today and I want to continue this journey with the Liberal party. I want my kds and my grandkids to have a bright future in this country.” Vancouver Quadra has belonged to the Liberals since 1984. Tom Digby, the Green Party candidate, is trying to change that. “We’ve got a great campaign,” he said. “We are rolling and putting the environment first and I have a great deal of experience in business and government and so I think I am ready to be the voice of Vancouver Quadra in Ottawa.” Alim Fakirani is running for the NDP and Ken Charko is the Conservative candidate. Neither returned calls from APTN News. Vancouver Quadra is in metro Vancouver and home to nearly 115,000 people. The median income is $79,100 according to Elections Canada and has a voter turn out of 62 per cent. Grant says if elected, his priority is to continue to find ways to advance reconciliation. “I have also worked at the highest level of government in British Columbia, in the premiers’ office,” he says. “I’ve made connections right across the country – not only with just First Nations community – but with the greater communities itself, creating real reconciliation that’s going to be important as we move forward  for the next four years.” Digby says his goals, if elected, are to support a strong economy. “We have to have a strong economy and I’m a business Green,” he says, “I really want to focus on establishing clean technologies as the way to move forward. “I mean we really have to stop this oil and gas production, we have to stop public subsidies into it. If industry wants to run itself that’s fine, but we are putting so much public money into oil and gas that it’s just pushing us way too far down the wrong road.” Read More: Decision 2025 Continue Reading