Bobby Deepak will take another crack at becoming an MLA.
For the second time in as many elections, the Prince George labour lawyer will be the B.C. New Democrats' candidate in Prince George-Mackenzie.
In 2013, he lost to B.C. Liberal Mike Morris by 3,465 votes. But Deepak believes it will be a different story this time around.
"It looks like people in Prince George-Mackenzie are wanting change in government," he said in an interview. "They're ready to vote the B.C. Liberals out. We've met with so many people, so many organizations, and there is a desire to have a change."
Deepak's nomination will be accepted by acclamation during a constituency association meeting on March 4, according to a statement issued Tuesday.
Everything that's needed for an election, from a campaign office to volunteers to a social media team, is ready, "so that when the nomination meeting takes place, we'll be hitting the ground running,"he added.
Deepak's community involvement has included being a founding member of the Stand Up for the North Committee, sitting on the city's select advisory committee on economic development and being a member of the Nechako Rotary Club. He also helped organize the "Save Our Community"
rally in Mackenzie in 2008.
In the statement, Deepak accused Premier Christy Clark of allowing the wealthy and well-connected to benefit from the province's economic growth at the expense of everyone else.
"The rest of us are left with flat wages, rising cost of living and living paycheck to paycheck," he said. "The B.C. Liberals imposed indirect taxes such as significantly higher MSP premiums, higher ICBC rates, higher Hydro rates, provincial parks fees and a host of other user fees that have increased significantly under the B.C. Liberals.
"At the same time, we have still seen massive cuts to social programs, school closures, cuts to education, cuts to workers' compensation benefits and a host of other cuts," leading to growing inequality.
Conversely, he said NDP leader John Horgan will "champion the things British Columbians care about," such as $10-a-day daycare, a $15 minimum wage, phasing out MSP premiums and shortening waiting times by "solving the shortage of doctors and other healthcare workers."
"The more funds people have to spend means more money in our local economies for small businesses," Deepak said. "It's time that the economy benefited everyday people."
The election is set for May 9 with the writ to be dropped 30 days prior.
