Go ahead, call Sangeeta Lalli a parachute candidate.
"Yes, I am, I love skydiving. I'd love to be able to parachute right into the Prince George Airport when I fly in this week," said the young Liberal Party of Canada candidate for the riding of Cariboo-Prince George.
She apologized for not being in the riding she represents sooner, but the election campaign was called during the final stages of the university semester. She is a fourth-year political science student at UBC where she has been active in student politics. She just received permission to defer her exams, allowing her to travel to the region today to get her boots on Cariboo ground.
It is a place she knows well. She has several family roots in the Cariboo region, and many friends. She has spent prolonged visits around the area since childhood. Should she win, she said, she would be moving here to live. In fact, for the purposes of UNBC, she might be moving here anyway. B.C.'s northern university was almost her choice for her undergraduate degree, and it is a strong candidate in her mind for future education, no matter what the election results.
She credited a dedicated election team for starting the campaign on her behalf while she did what she could during spare moments between studies. "I shudder to think what my long distance bill will look like," she said.
After helping prior campaigns by federal Liberal personalities like Joyce Murray, Ujjal Dosanjh, Scott Brison, Bob Rae and Michael Ignatieff, she relishes the chance to put her experience and youthful energy to work for her own run at the ballot box.
"I hope my success as a student shows people that I not only learn well but I put to use what I learn," she said, and promised to be an open ear on the campaign trail translating the Cariboo voice into action in Ottawa.
Issues
1. Do you support Enbridge's $5.5-billion Northern Gateway oil pipeline?
No I do not. I see how it can create jobs, but very short-term jobs, and B.C. has the most to suffer if there is a pipeline leak or if there is a tanker incident. Enbridge will benefit, and Alberta will benefit somewhat, but B.C. will have all the risks and up-front costs if and when an oil spill happens.
2. Do you think Ottawa should provide more funding support to municipalities for infrastructure like roads, sewer and water systems?
It is a necessity. Without those things, municipalities can't operate, which means families are directly affected. This local infrastructure is what we need for our communities to function and they are looking to the federal government. Members of Parliament need to work more directly for their ridings anyway, so it must happen.
3. A 10-year federal health-care transfer deal to the provinces ends in 2014. Should the provinces get more money in a renewed deal?
They need more health-care money already. Hospital waiting times, for example, can only be reduced with additional resources. My sister-in-law, when she was in labour, was sent home from hospital a number of times because they didn't have the space. We wouldn't know how to deliver a baby if it decided to arrive outside the hospital. When you see the Conservatives focus big spending on fighter jets we don't need right now, and on tax cuts to profitable corporations, that is where healthcare suffers - in decisions like that.
Priorities
1. Family Care
Without strong families we cannot possibly have a strong economy. There has been a population decline in Cariboo-Prince George, and that is a major sign of choices being made by families who had to go somewhere else for the health-care they needed or employment they needed. Michael Ignatieff has outlined new ways of supporting families by investing in ground-level economics like healthcare and education and generating industry so families can have their needs met in the places they really want to live.
2. Economic Development
I would work for better investment in the area's old industries - tried and true - such as forestry and agriculture. They need access to new technologies, economic incentives, environmentally clean resources, international trade development, so the area can once again feel the economic boost that would generate, the way they used to for the Cariboo.
3. Education
I have found it very difficult to go to school and work at the same time, and I know many other students are in the same situation or else they are in large debt. The Liberal Party of Canada has made this a major focus. I know if I had the money from [the Liberals' ] Canadian Learning Passport it would have really helped me. I also love that the Liberals would implement the Canadian Service Corps so students can do volunteer work to reduce their student debt, which would also get them valuable work experience and help out important community causes at the same time.
