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Lone Filipino bet in British Columbia guns for new term

Mable Elmore is seeking a fresh term in British Columbia's legislature.

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Rowena Papasin

TFC News

<div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9mtCVjiCEbI?&amp;feature=youtu.be&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> </div>It was a full house for Filipino-Canadian Mable Elmore as she began her campaign for her fifth consecutive term as provincial lawmaker in British Columbia.She was with with three other NDP candidates — former cabinet ministers Adrian Dix and George Chow, and new candidate Sunita Dhir, at the opening of their joint campaign office in the southern district of Vancouver on the eve of the month-long campaign period.Elmore’s Filipino supporters came out in full force as they stressed the importance of ensuring that the Filipino community will continue to have a voice in the provincial legislature.“[It&#x27;s] to represent the community people and also the working people, as we are look for housing and healthcare,&quot; said Julie Diesta of the Migrant Rights Network. &quot;So, I believe that the NDP and Mable Elmore can work for the people of BC.”Marina Hamoy of Migrante B.C., meanwhile, said Elmore would help ensure that the proposed Filipino cultural center in the province would finally be built.“We need her,&quot; said Hamoy. &quot;I believe that she can do it after the election.”The month-long campaign for the provincial elections in B.C. kicked off on Sept. 21. This formally dissolved the provincial parliament and the positions of all members of the Legislative Assembly.Elmore, with the help of volunteers like Vargas and Hamoy, has started door-knocking and talking to constituents in the Vancouver-Kensington riding. After serving for 15 years as a member of the Legislative Assembly, she said she still wants to continue as a public servant.“I continue to be passionate about working to help people and also protecting public services and healthcare,&quot; Elmore shared. &quot;I&#x27;m still motivated and looking forward to seeking another term.”But Elmore admitted that their party has to work hard in these elections, as latest polls in B.C. reveal a tight race between the B.C. NDP and the B.C. Conservatives.“We need a lot of people to get involved, to help, support, [and] volunteer,&quot; she said. &quot;It&#x27;s going to be neck and neck. And so, it&#x27;ll come down to every vote.”The B.C. Conservative Party has criticized the NDP for the lack of affordable homes in B.C. and the crime rate, among other issues.But former Health minister Adrian Dix, who is also running for re-election, reminded voters that it was the Conservatives who implemented cuts in many essential services, including in healthcare and education, when they were in power.“That&#x27;s our job,&quot; Dix said, &quot;to make sure that people understand the importance of this election. They (Conservatives) put Bill 29 in place, the largest layoff of women workers in history, many of them Filipino, and we ended Bill 29 and repatriated healthcare workers and raised their salaries and supported them.”Filipino-Canadian tattoo artist Mayo Landicho, another supporter of Elmore, admitted he is concerned about the surge in popularity of the B.C. Conservatives. But he believes the B.C. NDP can pull it off.“With the things they’ve done before, and there’s more working class—working class is the power—so I still believe that they can win this time,&quot; said Landicho.Elmore hopes her example as an elected official will inspire the younger generation of Filipino-Canadians to follow in her footsteps and run for public office in B.C. in the future.