3
Infrastructure projects must be completed by March 31
Eagle cams
Biologist provides online glimpse into nests
5
Car Care
Vehicles staying on road longer
16-19
Optimist Delta
Newsstand 50¢
Isles hire coach
YOUR SOURCE FOR LOCAL SPORTS, NEWS, WEATHER AND ENTERTAINMENT! WWW.DELTA-OPTIMIST.COM The Voice of Delta since 1922 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2011
21
Jack Watson to lead junior “A” team 03233930
Deadline looms
Monday is
Pasta Nite
Wednesday is
Sunday is
Chicken Nite
Souvlaki Nite
Tuesday is
Lamb Nite
Thursday is
604-940-0200
Bison Ribs Nite
#220-6165 Highway #17, Delta, BC www.theprimerose.com
Dale Saip is flanked by family members after winning the Delta-Richmond East Conservative nomination Monday night in East Ladner.
PHOTO BY
SANDOR GYARMATI
Saip secures Tory nomination Delta school board chair bests four other candidates in hastily-called meeting to find Cummins’ successor BY
SANDOR GYARMATI
sgyarmati@delta-optimist.com
Dale Saip has been chosen as the Conservative Party’s federal election candidate in DeltaRichmond East. The 51-year-old Delta school board chair beat four other candidates for the coveted nomination in a vote by riding association members Monday night at the Sundance Inn in East Ladner. Saip came out on top after four rounds of preferential voting, edg-
ing Kerry-Lynne Findlay 78 to 66. “For the people who came out and supported me, thank you very much. For the people who didn’t make me their second, third or even fourth choice, you now what, that’s great because that’s what this is all about,” said an emotional Saip, his family by his side, during his acceptance speech. “It’s about expressing our views and our differences. No one will outwork me. It’s not about a job, it’s not about politics, it’s about public service,” he told a crowd
that had thinned out considerably by 10 p.m. when the result was made public. John Cummins, the MP here since 1993, as well as two other longtime B.C. Conservative MPs, recently announced they won’t be running in the next federal election.
Just a couple of days later, nomination meetings to find their replacements were announced. The rapid process is highly unusual because most political nominations give candidates more time to file and sign up new members before an actual vote. Only riding association members as of Feb. 25 were eligible to cast a ballot, which meant the usual controversies associated with mass membership sign-ups were avoided. It left only a relatively small number of party stal-
warts to decide the next candidate. Don Brooks, president of the riding association, said the number of members eligible to vote was around 500. At Monday’s meeting, only 146 ballots were cast, although a number of people who wanted to vote were disputing their ineligibility with representatives from party headquarters. Concerns about a snap election prompted the quick nomination. See SAIP page 3
03237057
When you need to get back on track. ( Located behind Tsawwassen McDonald’s )
604.943.6383