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Anti-Harper strategic voting website names four 'crucial' BC ridings

Catch-22, a self-described grassroots group out to “stop Stephen Harper’s Conservatives from attaining a majority” has named four close fought “vital ridings” in British Columbia where one candidate has a much better chance than others of knocking off the Tory in the race.

Those ridings, says Catch-22, are Burnaby-Douglas, Surrey North, Saanich-Gulf Islands, and Vancouver South.

If you live in one and wish to vote strategically against the Conservatives, here’s who Catch-22 recommends should get your nod:

--NDP candidate Kennedy Stewart in Burnaby-Douglas

--NDP candidate Jasbir Sandhu in Surrey North

--Green Party leader Elizabeth May in Saanich-Gulf Islands

--Liberal Ujjal Dosanjh in Vancouver South.

A press release put out by Catch-22 today explains:

In Burnaby Douglas the NDP’s Stewart is trying to uphold the NDP tradition of Svend Robinson and the retired MP Bill Siksay, who won by just 798 votes in 2008. The Liberals and Greens trailed far behind in 2008 and are not seen as a threat to either of the two leading parties in Burnaby Douglas.

The movement of some Liberal, Green and disaffected Conservative voters to Stewart should prevent the election of a Harper Conservative MP.

In Surrey North Catch 22 says the NDP’s Jasbir Sandhu has the best chance to unseat incumbent Conservative MP Dona Cadman. Sandhu and his national leader, Jack Layton, are running strong campaigns, and in 2008 the NDP candidate trailed Cadman by only 1,100 votes.

In Saanich-Gulf Islands Catch 22 is urging New Democrats and Liberals to get behind Green leader Elizabeth May to defeat Conservative cabinet minister Gary Lunn.

Lunn attracted 43 per cent of votes cast in 2008 and defeated his nearest competitor, Liberal Briony Penn, by just 2,635 votes. This year, says Catch 22, Elizabeth May and the Green Party are running much the stronger opposition campaign and deserve to attract many Liberal, NDP and disaffected Conservative voters.

And in Vancouver South, Liberal Ujjal Dosanjh has the best chance of holding off Conservative challenger Wai Young, who is facing two controversial issues. Despite the NDP surge, it is highly unlikely the NDP candidate can overtake Dosanjh as the candidate to beat Young.

The press release says Catch-22 is registered as a third party with Elections Canada, is not affiliated with any political party, and “conducts careful research” in making its recommendations.

David Beers is editor of The Tyee.


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