NDP MLA Harry Bains considers Surrey mayoral run

Several contenders have announced their intentions to run in the Surrey mayoral race this year, and another big name is now a possibility.

Councillor Brenda Locke and current Mayor Doug McCallum have already said they plan to run. Now, prominent NDP MLA and B.C. Labour Minister Harry Bains tells the Surrey Now-Leader he’ll consider running too.

Frank Bucholtz, a columnist with the local outlet, says he was a bit surprised to hear Bains was considering the move, given his current position.

He says if Bains does decide to run, he’d certainly have support.

“I think he’s clearly comfortable in his role in the provincial cabinet as the minister of labour. He’s brought in a number of new initiatives, most recently the paid sick leave. He knows the labour file very, very well, he’s a former union official, and it seems to me, or has seemed to me as an observer, that he’s been very comfortable in what he’s doing,” the long-time columnist explained.

Bucholtz, who’s covered municipal politics south of the Fraser for decades, says if Bains throws his hat in the ring, he could very well end up splitting the votes.

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However, Bucholtz notes a lot of it would come down to who else is running.

“Brenda Locke … has already said she’s running for mayor, and Surrey First, which still exists even though Linda Annis is the only member on council, has said they’re going to put forward a candidate, possibly Linda Annis, possibly someone else. And I think if Harry Bains is not running with either of those groups, which I don’t think is too likely, and there’s four well-known people running for mayor, I mean the votes are just going to get split all over the place,” he told CityNews

However, Bucholtz notes there are a number of things Bains would have to consider before making a decision.

For one, he says Bains would have to consider “what is his prospects provincially and what things is he going to be doing there in the future.”

“I can’t speak for anyone, but I think if I was in a somewhat similar position to him I’d be thinking I have lots of opportunity to make change at the provincial level and, in fact, in the interview that was published in the Surrey Now-Leader he said that. Those are very strong factors,” Bucholtz said.

However, he admits many people see being mayor as “a position of some prestige.”

Bains has called Surrey home for most of his life and has served as MLA for Surrey-Newton since 2005.

Civil elections in B.C. are slated for October.

-With files from Dean Recksiedler