The field of candidates in the race to represent Squamish and its riding in Ottawa is getting crowded.
Three new candidates - representing the Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada, the Libertarian Party of Canada and the Progressive Canadian Party - had their names added to the list of hopefuls in the West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country riding that appeared on Elections Canada's website on Wednesday (April 13).
As well, Doug Hartt of the Canadian Action Party has been confirmed as a candidate to unseat incumbent Conservative John Weston. In addition to Weston, candidates who had confirmed their candidacy in the riding for the May 2 federal election include Liberal Dan Veniez, New Democrat Terry Platt, the Green Party's Brennan Wauters and Allan Holt of the Western Block Party.
The new candidates are Tunya Audain (Libertarian), Carol Lee Chapman (Marxist-Leninist) and Roger Legassé (Progressive Canadian).
Stay tuned to www.squamishchief.com or the April 15 print edition of The Chief for more information about the three new candidates.
Early this week, Hartt was listed as one of three Canadian Action Party (CAP) candidates in B.C. Party leader Christopher Porter is running in the Victoria-area riding of Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca.
The first two paragraphs under the "About Us" tab on the CAP's website read, "The Canadian Action Party is, above all, a pro-Canadian party dedicated to the principle that Canada can best serve its citizens and the world by re-claiming and maintaining its political and economic sovereignty as an independent country.
"It is opposed to the ascendancy of 'corporate rule' and those aspects of unrestricted global investment that promote colonization of the world's smaller powers and in Canada's case, its absorption by the United States of America."
Lagasse is a public school teacher and district principal for aboriginal education, and a long-time resident of the Sunshine Coast.
He said he intends to focus on "bringing our troops home" from Afghanistan, so that they can be prepared to help in times of disaster and be of service in time of need. Lagassé is also an enthusiastic supporter of the Progressive Canadian Party policy to eliminate post-secondary tuition fees and build a national fast commuter train system "to unite the country coast to coast to coast."
Son of a decorated World War II veteran, Lagassé is opposed to the NATO bombing of Libya.
"Taking sides in factional fighting in far-away countries like Afghanistan and Libya has achieved nothing," he said. "We need to bring our troops home where they can focus on being ready to respond to natural disasters like the high magnitude earthquake geologists say is due on the West Coast any time now."
Audain is a 73-year-old grandmother of four who has been a West Vancouver resident for 35 years.
She said she runs as a Libertarian for most elections - federal, provincial or school board - for the opportunity to engage in discussing why we need less government and more freedom in our lives. She did run one year for the Marijuana Party.
A pioneer of the home education movement and currently involved in education reform issues such as school vouchers and parent rights, Audain's employment history includes work as a psychometrist for the federal government.
With files from Ian Jacques, Coast Reporter
