With rumours of a fall federal election, the NDP are nominating a candidate for Steveston-Richmond East on Tuesday evening.
Retired teacher Jack Trovato is expected to be acclaimed as the candidate at a Zoom nomination meeting with no one else vying for the spot.
Trovato said one of his motivations to run is the “growing sense of inequality” in Canada in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, adding the NDP’s focus would be on a “just recovery” post-pandemic.
“There are a lot of people struggling, a lot of families struggling, a lot of businesses struggling,” Trovato said.
He would like to see Canada move forward in a “fair, better, greener manner,” which would include a “green new deal,” a political idea that includes climate action while also reducing income inequality.
Trovato said he’d also like to see the federal government close tax loopholes for the wealthy – for example, not allowing money to go to tax havens – to ensure services like pharmacare, free tuition in post-secondary and solving the homelessness crisis.
The Steveston-Richmond East seat is currently held by Conservative MP Kenny Chiu who beat incumbent Liberal MP Joe Peschisolido in 2019.
In the 2019 federal election, Jaeden Dela Torre, who was only 18 at the time, ran as the NDP candidate, coming in third and securing 15 per cent of the vote.
Trovato is a retired teacher but currently working on-call in the Vancouver School District. In 2002/03, he received the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence.
