The Liberals have selected their candidate for the federal riding of New Westminster-Burnaby. Lawyer Sasha Ramnarine, 30, will run for the Grits this fall, making his first foray into politics.
“I’m really promoting fairness to the middle class,” Ramnarine told the NOW. “They’ve been forgotten by the government.”
Ramnarine highlighted his small business and immigrant background - he was born in Canada but his parents emigrated from the Caribbean. He grew up working in his family’s Kitsilano restaurant before he pursued a business degree at Simon Fraser University. He eventually went on to become a lawyer and now practises business law with Remedios and Co., a Vancouver firm. His work history includes a seven-year stint with the City of Burnaby as community centre clerk, and in the summer of 2012, he provided pro bono legal advice to seniors at New Westminster’s Century House. While studying law in Ottawa, he volunteered with the Ecojustice Environmental Law Clinic. He lives in Coquitlam but plans to move to New Westminster shortly.
As for political experience, Ramnarine went door knocking for Liberal Lee Rankin in Burnaby-Edmonds in the 2009 provincial election.
Ramnarine said he’s getting involved in politics as a way to bring positive change to Canada and his community.
“I do a lot of volunteer work and I want to make a positive difference and I see getting into politics and working with the community is a way to do that,” he said.
Ramnarine will be running against longtime MP Peter Julian, official opposition house leader for the New Democrats. The Liberals now have candidates for all three federal ridings. Terry Beech is running in Burnaby North-Seymour, and Adam Pankratz is running in Burnaby South.
