Tory candidate keeps low, low byelection profile

New West-Coquitlam: She's the Invisible Candidate, says frustrated NDP challenger

Fin Donnelly has become pretty adept at shadow boxing during the byelection campaign in New Westminster-Coquitlam.

The veteran Coquitlam city councillor said he feels like he has been battling a shadowy figure in Conservative candidate Diana Dilworth, who has refused to take part in most all-candidate debates or do media interviews.

“The Invisible Candidate—if you are going to run for office at least you would think you would show up,” Donnelly, 43, said referring to a term used in a Vancouver Sun article to describe Dilworth. “If that is an indication of what she would be like as a member of Parliament, I don't think people want that.”

It promises to be an interesting battle in the swing-riding that has had very close results in the last three elections with the NDP victorious in the the last two. The seat was left vacant earlier this year when Dawn Black left federal politics and successfully ran provincially for the NDP.

Donnelly said there are three main issues on voters' minds—the HST, rapid transit and the missing salmon.

In her lone radio appearance on CKNW, Dilworth, a Port Moody councillor, said she supports legislation enabling the HST—a stance Donnelly has repeatedly attacked.

Besides Donnelly and Dilworth, the candidates are Liberal businessman Ken Beck Lee and the Green Party's Rebecca Helps.

Federal NDP Leader Jack Layton spent part of Saturday campaigning with Donnelly, including a rally at a shopping mall parking lot.

It was the fourth time Layton has campaigned with Donnelly since June.

“It has been very upbeat and very positive, that's for sure,” Layton said.

“There were lots of honking horns and peace signs and thumb's-up.”

Layton predicted a close result, but predicted that voters will realize Donnelly's merits.

“It's going to go right down to the wrie, I'm sure—it always does in that riding,” Layton said.

“Fin will make a quality member of Parliament—anybody who swam the length of the Fraser River twice is someone who is as determined as you could imagine anybody could be.

“He is someone who is focused on results and he always tops the polls as a city councillor because he delivers.”

Dilworth didn't return a call from The Province. The person answering her campaign office phone on Saturday said she was out knocking on doors.

Voter turnout in the 1998 byelection in the Tri-City area was about 35 per cent.

There are four federal byelections being held on Monday, with ridings in Quebec and Nova Scotia also heading to the polls.

By Stuart Hunter, The Province
November 8, 2009