232601
232189
Vernon  

Harwinder Sandhu shares her thoughts on her historic election win

Sandhu feeling grateful

There will be a changing of the guard in the Vernon-Monashee riding.

BC NDP candidate Harwinder Sandhu secured victory on Sunday after Elections BC staff completed their absentee ballot count. The race for the Vernon-Monashee seat was close right from the get-go, and the final tally shows Sandhu narrowly beating incumbent Eric Foster by 424 votes.

"I'm feeling great and very thankful, it's been stressful and exciting at the same time," she said moments after she was officially elected. "I'm so grateful to everyone who trusted me, and I'm excited to represent all the people of Vernon-Monashee, not just the ones who voted for me."

This is a historic win for Sandhu in multiple categories. She is the first NDP candidate to represent the riding since Lyle McWilliam was voted in via by-election in 1984. Sandhu is also the first person of colour to be elected in Vernon-Monashee, and the second woman to be voted in.

"It's no secret that during previous campaigns, including this one, I faced racism and misogyny," says Sandhu. "What kept me going was my faith in good people, because I always say 90 per cent or more of people are good and accepting."

Sandhu is a nurse at Vernon Jubilee Hospital, and she is feeling bittersweet about leaving her post. She is a patient care coordinator in one of the COVID wards at the hospital, and while she's overjoyed at her new position as MLA, she says she will miss helping people at the hospital.

"I hope there is a way where I can pick up shifts on a casual basis, so if that's not a possibility I will be out and about meeting people," she says.

Sandhu aims to make herself as accessible to the public as possible, citing the need for a clear line of communication as a key component to providing representation. She maintains her priorities that she laid out during her campaign, which include focusing on social services and issues.

"I will focus on child care, senior care, health care, mental health services and helping small businesses," says Sandhu. "We also need to focus on the environment and do what we can to help our planet."

The Vernon-Monashee election race was one of the closest in the province right until the very end. All four candidates ran respectful campaigns, even if they all didn't see eye to eye on certain issues.

"I would like to thank Mr. Foster for his years of service, and kudos to a great campaign to Keli Westgate and Kyle Delfing," says Sandhu. "It takes lots of guts, hard work and dedication to run and stand up for what you believe in."



More Vernon News

225429