Sixth in a series of profiles of 性视界传媒's six first-time MLAs, the following is a Q&A with Mandeep Dhaliwal, who won the 性视界传媒 North riding with 50.67 per cent of the 15,697 votes cast, topping two-time MLA Rachna Singh.
In 性视界传媒 North you defeated an incumbent NDP candidate who had been B.C.'s education minister. Were you surprised by that result?
"Actually, no, I was not surprised. I was very confident. I know it wasn't easy, it was tough, but I was positive and knew I was going to win, my feeling. And yes, I'm very thankful to God. It was not surprising that she lost and I won, no."
Was this election the first time that you ran for political office anywhere?
"Yes, first time."
What made you want to get involved in politics in B.C. and 性视界传媒, specifically?
The main reason was, I am involved in student politics since when I was young in college, in India. And I'm a sportsman, a national champion for kabaddi, but wherever I am, I feel I need to stand for people, I need to stand for society, so I started taking initiative. And especially in 性视界传媒 and B.C., I realized that regarding all our community kids, especially schools, it's the SOGI program. The main reason for standing in an election or coming into the politics was SOGI, not having it."
Your bio says you migrated to Canada with your family when you were in your 20s. From where did you move, and why did you settle in 性视界传媒?
"I moved from Punjab in India. My elder brother was here with his family, in 性视界传媒. That's why we moved here too."
In India, you excelled at the game of kabaddi as a national-level player. Do you still play that sport here?
"I support all the sports, you know, and I respect all the games, but especially I was into kabaddi in India, it's very popular in Punjab and India. Here, I support all of the kabaddi tournaments and encourage people and our community, they love to watch.鈥� I am not (playing) much, no, because I'm involved in so many other things, I hardly get a chance to play. But nowadays I think I'm gaining weight again and, you know, I was thinking that in the morning I should start some kind of exercise again, going to the gym."
Also in India, your bio says you completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in group humanity. Were you employed in that area in that country and also in Canada?
"No, not in Canada, because you know it wasn't easy for me as a new immigrant when I came here in Canada, especially in 性视界传媒. It's not easy when you come to a different country and you have a limitation, you have to work hard to survive on a daily basis. Especially, I had my father and mother with me, right? We all came together, so I had to take care of my own parents as well."
You are now in the business of auto glass repair and supplies. How does owning a small business prepare you for a life in politics, if at all?
"As an ordinary person, it wasn't easy to grow here in Canada. I worked in the taxi business, in labour, a handyman, I worked as a glass worker, repairing glass myself and learned slowly, slowly, start my business. With God's grace, it's running good and after this, it's not easy. With the politics, I don't know, some people may come for the job salary or something, but my goal is different. With God's grace, I have good business 鈥� on the money side, my business is OK. The reason I'm in the politics, in Punjabi we say seva (defined as 'selfless service that is performed without any expectation of reward for performing it' 鈥� ed.), because when I see myself, where I stand today and where I was, I think I should also do something for the community. I also should work for the ordinary people and should help them."
I'm told that you are a member of the BC Sikh Motorcycle Club since 2016 and have gone on rides for charity, including one from Canada to India in 2019. How was that accomplished to a country overseas, and what was the cause?
"That wasn't easy, to be honest with you. At that time, we had a worldwide organization called Khalsa Aid, which provides shetler, food and other stuff wherever problem in the world, not only in India or Canada or U.S., all over, even Africa, so many countries wherever people need it, where there is a war. So we decided, six people, we went to the U.K., in England, and from there we went through so many countries, 22 countries, on the motorcycles and reached India, the Golden Temple. Thousands of other motorcyclists also joined us and that's how we collected $100,000 and we donated to Khalsa Aid. But in 2016 too, we also done one more (ride) from 性视界传媒 to Toronto, across Canada, and collected again $100,000 for the cancer society, donated to them. My son (Diltaj, now 10) was very young at that time, and my wife (Pawandeep) is a nurse, she told me that some sick kids, very small child, don't have much time if they have the cancer and nobody can fulfill their last wish.鈥� I know that they don't have a budget. That's why the motorcycle club did that, for the patients, why not."
Do you live in the 性视界传媒 North riding?
"Yes, I do."
You and the other MLAs were sworn-in Tuesday, Nov. 12. What are some issues that you want to work on first?
"I am new elected. Sometimes people think that, oh, if we are elected and then after that it will be easy, but it's not actually. When I went to Victoria and took an oath ceremony, after that I had training for two or three days. There are a lot of things to do, but in my riding I definitely want to do the best thing for the people, whatever I can. We (Conservatives) are short just a few MLAs, otherwise we would have the government, so now we are on the other side right now, but I will still do what I can. I don't know much yet, you know, about the MLA. I want to know what rights I have, what power I have, what I can do. Truly, from inside, I want to do a lot of things for my people, and we have a lot of issues in the city. That's why we are going to work together, and I'm learning how and what I can do right now."
