Punjabi immigrants win BC polls

Sarbjit Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 10

Indo-Canadians have registered significant wins in the British Columbia elections. Most Punjabi immigrants have won on the New Democratic Party ticket from the Surrey region.

A former basketball player, Jagrup Singh Brar has been elected from Surrey Fleetwood. He belongs to Deon village in Bathinda district. Before moving to Canada, he played basketball for India at the national level.

Harry Bains, elected for the fourth time, has won from Surrey Newton. He defeated Gurminder Parihar of the Liberal Party. Bains is a member of the BC Assembly since 2005.

First-timer Rachna Singh, has won from Surrey Green Timber as NDP candidate. She is daughter of Punjabi writer Dr Raghbir Singh and wife of journalist Gurpreet Singh. Rachna has had her education in Chandigarh. Raj Chouhan, elected fourth time in a row, has won from Burnaby Edmonds as NDP candidate. Chouhan was president of the Canadian Farm Workers Union.

Ravi Kahlon has represented the Canadian hockey team in the Olympics twice. He has been elected from Delta North as NDP nominee. From Surrey Panorama, Jinny Sims defeated Liberal’s Puneet Sandhar. Former TV reporter Jas Johal has been elected from Richmond Queensborough, defeating NDP’s Aman Singh.