Rustad presents statement from Green Party member as further evidence of ‘election irregularities’

BC Conservatives Leader John Rustad claims the party has new evidence of so-called “election irregularities” he says took place in the Surrey-Guildford riding.

The BC NDP swung ahead in Surrey-Guildford by just 22 votes in the October election, and the party won a majority government by one seat.

Conservative candidate in the riding, Honveer Singh Randhawa, has already claimed his own batch of evidence that something went amiss in the riding.

In late January, Randhawa announced he was retaining legal counsel to push back against Elections BC after the agency announced it was pausing its investigation into alleged voter tampering.

Elections BC says it has suspended its review of a complaint from a Conservative candidate over potential violations in the October election as the B.C. Supreme Court considers a similar claim.

“In order to preserve the integrity of the court proceeding, Elections BC is suspending its review of Mr. Randhawa’s complaint pending the outcome of the petition. The court will determine when the petition is heard,” it added.

In October, Conservative campaign manager Angelo Isidorou said he had personally been present for the count and had confidence in Elections BC’s work there.

Rustad organized a media event Thursday to announce that the Green Party candidate for Surrey-Guildford, Manjeet Singh Sahota, had sworn and affidavit as part of Randhawa’s court action.

Like many of Randhawa’s complaints, Sahota’s concern centres around Argyll Lodge, a residential care home for adults with chronic mental illness and substance use disorders.

Sahot swears he was misinformed by an employee at Argyll Lodge, whom he alleges told him the lodge residents didn’t vote.

“Because of my conversation with the caregiver, I was left with an impression that no one votes from the Lodge so I believe I did not leave my campaign materials there either. A few days later I was canvassing in the same neighbourhood, and I did not revisit the house because earlier I was told that the people living at the lodge do not participate in voting,” Sahot wrote.

Meanwhile, the BC NDP has presented its own affidavits, sworn by the Argyll Lodge Manager and a staff member, who says she has been accused of intimidating or forcing residents to vote.

“These accusations have made things much harder for me,” said the staff member.

“I voted for Honveer Randawa, the Conservative Party of BC Candidate. I am so disappointed, ashamed and upset that I voted for him and that he is doing this to me, my family and our clients. I really regret voting for him.”

Rustad says that the Chief Elections Officer “refuses” to investigate relevant facts and is demanding a public inquiry.

1130 NewsRadio has reached out to the BC NDP and B.C. Conservatives parties, as well as Argyll Lodge for more information.

More to come.

—With files from Srushti Gangdev and Sonia Aslam