Candidates quick view
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Daniel Blanchard – Marxist-Leninist Party |
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Najeeb Butt – Progressive Canadian |
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Stephen Garvey – Democratic Advancement Party of Canada |
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Darshan Kang – Liberal Party of Canada |
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Edward Reddy – Green Party |
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Devinder Shory– Conservative Party |
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Sahajvir Singh – New Democratic Party |
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Joseph Young – Independent |
Candidate snapshots
Daniel Blanchard| Marxist-Leninist Candidate
Daniel Blanchard, 28, is a student and young worker. He is currently studying education at Mount Royal University. He opposed cuts to post-secondary funding and the introduction of “market modifiers” which set different tuition costs for various programs. These, according to Blanchard, effectively ban working class youth from access to these programs. He believes that education is not only necessary for the future workforce, but it is also necessary to raise awareness of cultural issues.
For Blanchard, “politics is the process in which we sort out and solve problems for the good of the whole society, for the betterment of society.” More recently, Blanchard has taken a stand against the recently passed Bill C-51 anti-terrorism bill. Blanchard says that he believes more people in Canada are getting politically active and working for change.
Email: alberta@mlpc.ca
Phone: 403 978 2457
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Najeeb Butt | Progressive Canadian Candidate
Najeeb Butt is an active grassroots political worker, and an established real estate agent. He has previously run for public school trustee in Wards 5 and 10 in the 2013 election. He says his focus has been on communication between the community and their elected officials. “We as a member of society get together and do the things collectively for the betterment of society and make decisions based on the values that correspond with civil society. We don’t force people to do what the representatives want. As a public representation, I am a subordinate of my people,” says Butt.
Twitter: @VoteNajeebButt
Email: babanajeeb@hotmail.com
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Stephen Garvey | Democratic Advancement Candidate
Stephen Garvey brings his leadership and communication skills to the DAPC and the Calgary–Skyview constituency. He is committed to parliamentary democracy and serving the constituency.
Garvey has traveled throughout many parts of South Asia including India and Pakistan. Through his education and interests, he has cultivated deep appreciation of these culturally diverse countries and people. – As stated on www.calgarydemocracy.ca
Garvey says, “politics is an opportunity for Canadians who believe in serving the people, or in service of the people. That’s the only reason you should run for office – to serve the greater good of the people. It should be for no other reason. There should be no room for catering to special interests, or lobbyists.”
Twitter: @sjgarvey
Facebook: facebook.com/VOTEStephenGarveyDAPC
Website: www.democraticadvancementparty.ca
Email: : info@democraticadvancementparty.ca
Phone: 403 669 8132
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Darshan Kang | Liberal Candidate
Darshan Kang is a longstanding community and professional leader in Calgary. As a former Member of the Legislative Assembly for Calgary—McCall, Kang has extensive experience in public service and a strong track record of community involvement.
Kang served on a number of standing committees during his time as an MLA, including Public Accounts and Families and Communities. Along with serving as the whip for the Alberta Liberal Party, Kang has also served as the Critic for Transportation, Service Alberta, Infrastructure, Tourism, and Parks and Recreation.
Kang has a long history of community engagement, and has been a member of the Saddle Ridge, Martindale, Castleridge—Falconridge, and Skyview community associations. – as stated on www.calgarydemocracy.ca
“I think we should all be concerned about politics and we always getting involved with politics. Anything that a politician does would affect our everyday life. I don’t think people have the right to complain about it. We should all be involved in the political process of the country,” says Kang.
Twitter: @darshankang
Facebook: CalgarySkyviewLPCA
Website: darshankang.liberal.ca
Email: info@electdarshan.ca
Phone: 403 351 6655
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Edward Reddy | Green Candidate
Ed Reddy has been a resident of Alberta since 1996, having moved to Calgary from the Atlantic provinces where he spent ten years in the Canadian Armed Forces as a regular and reservist member. Over the last decade, Reddy has worked for several local and international organizations in Calgary, including five years working for the National Energy Board (NEB) as a group lead for the Client Services department. Reddy’s interest in politics started during the 2011 federal election, when he served as the social media coordinator for Green Party candidate Heather McIntosh’s campaign. During the 2012 federal by-election in Calgary Centre, Reddy served on Chris Turner’s campaign team, supporting and managing social media.
According to Reddy, “the parties should be working together because all the political parties bring a perspective, a valid perspective. If we can merge these perspectives into a single government, then it is far more effective to collaborate together.”
Twitter: @edreddy
Facebook: reddy4change
Website: www.greenparty.ca/en/riding/2013-48013
Email: ed.reddy@greenparty.ca
Phone: 403 472 7977
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Sahajvir Singh | NDP – New Democratic Party
In 1999, Sahajvir Singh was involved in starting a Sikh youth group in Calgary. A businessman and community organizer, Singh says he gained a strong knowledge of this riding as a longtime resident, community volunteer and land developer. When asked how he defines politics, Singh replied, “We have this incredibly special right to vote. It’s something that other people in other countries, that some people are dying for that right. The way that I define politics is that it is a means of everyone being engaged and seeing who the next leader is going to be.”
Singh also serves as a member of a Calgary Police advisory board. He has volunteered as a local youth group leader for over 15 years. Singh says he loves our city’s rich cultural diversity and is proud to be raising his young family here.
Phone: 403 479 2222
Website: sahajvirsingh.ndp.ca
Facebook: facebook.com/sahajvirsinghndp
Devinder Shory | Conservative Candidate
Devinder Shory was born in Barnala, Punjab, India as the second youngest of eight children. Shory set up his own general law practice in Calgary Northeast after being called to the bar in 1998. He was recognized for the contribution of his free legal guidance through the Law Society of Alberta. In October 2008, Northeast Calgarians elected Shory to the House of Commons as their representative. In 2011, they re-elected Devinder with an even greater percentage of the vote. He says Canada should open her arms to all who work hard, play by the rules and focus on making Canada an even better place for future generations. – As stated on www.calgarydemocracy.ca
“Politics in my view is purely social service, and you take that responsibility of being a responsible citizen of the country,” says Shory.
Twitter: @NortheastShory
Facebook: mpshory
Website: devindershory.ca
Email: voteshory@gmail.com
Phone: 587 333 7501
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Joseph Young | Independant Candidate
Joe Young is a Canadian political activist. He is a member of the Communist League, and contributor to its newspaper, The Militant.
Young has campaigned for federal, provincial and municipal office in Ontario and British Columbia. He has previously campaigned as the Communist League candidate in Parkdale for the 1990 provincial election, and called for the government to settle native land claims and pull Canadian soldiers out of the Persian Gulf. Later that year, he was the Communist League’s candidate for Mayor of Toronto. In the campaign, he proposed tighter guidelines for gun use by the Toronto police, and a shorter workweek for all Torontonians.
Young says, “Politics is the movement of masses of working people to transform society. That’s the only time when real politics goes on, it’s actually not in the elections – nothing really changes. It’s when millions of working people start really fighting against the attacks on them, and start looking to take power out of the wealthy, that’s when you have real politics.”
Young campaigned for Vancouver East in the 1993 federal election and was the Communist League’s sole candidate in the 2001 provincial election.
Phone: 403-457-9044
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Calgary Skyview at a glance
One of the most ethnically diverse ridings, Calgary Skyview was previously part of the former Calgary Northeast riding. Calgary Northeast was split by the 2012 federal electoral boundaries redistribution, with the northern part becoming Calgary Skyview, and the southern part becoming Calgary Forest Lawn.
Neighbourhoods in Calgary Skyview include Harvest Hills, Martindale, Taradale, Whitehorn, Temple and Skyview Ranch. Calgary Skyview is often associated with its largest landmark, the Calgary International Airport, as well as large areas for industrial and commercial development.
According to the National Household Survey, 43.15% of the residents in the area are immigrants, with one of the largest populations of Punjabi and Asian citizens in Calgary. Over 14% of the population is Muslim, and a further 15% is Sikh.
As of 2011, Calgary Skyview contains roughly 73,291 eligible voters. Of the population over the age of 15 in this riding, over 70% are in the workforce. Most households contain single families, with an average of two children.
A conservative MP has held Calgary Northeast in the Federal elections since 1988, with MP Art Hanger representing the riding from 1993 to 2008. However, one of the provincial electoral districts which covers part of Skyview, Calgary McCall, voted for a Liberal MLA between 2008 and 2015, and Calgary Northeast had the strongest percentange of Liberal support of any riding in Calgary during the 2011 federal election. Conservative Devinder Shory is the current incumbent for the riding, facing seven other competators for re-election.
Map courtesy of elections.ca
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