Harper shuts out Surrey and Delta: Dhaliwal–Second largest city in BC gets no cabinet ministers, parliamentary secretaries

OTTAWA-Prime Minister Stephen Harper has shut out this region, including Surrey, the second largest city in British Columbia, Liberal Member of Parliament Sukh Dhaliwal charged. Harper appointed none of his MPs from Canada’s 12th largest city as Cabinet Ministers or Parliamentary Secretaries in his government.

“Stephen Harper doesn’t care about Surrey and Delta. We are one of the fastest growing major regions in Canada and yet Harper has given us no voice in his government,” Dhaliwal said.

“Harper has no interest in listening to us. He’s all too happy to have us add to seat count, but then we’re shut out of the room when it’s time to make decisions. It is outrageous that Harper is taking Surrey and Delta for granted.”

Harper appointed 37 cabinet ministers and 27 parliamentary secretaries from his 143 member caucus.

“It’s not as if he didn’t have the space. Stephen Harper has created one of the largest executives ever—half of his MPs have positions of responsibility. Even rookie MPs were promoted to higher offices, yet Harper couldn’t find a single spot for any Surrey and Delta MPs,” Dhaliwal said.

“Politics is about respect and clearly Stephen Harper has no respect for Surrey and Delta,” Dhaliwal concluded.

Sukh Dhaliwal is the Member of Parliament for Newton - North Delta. He was elected in 2006 and re-elected in 2008.

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