CHANDIGARH: A record 15 Indian-origin candidates hailing from Punjab have been elected to the British Columbia legislature as the Conservative Party won the provincial election and defeated the New Democratic Party (NDP) on October 24. Of these, 11 are Conservatives and four are from the NDP.
According to the 2021 census, South Asians account for 9.6 per cent of British Columbia’s population.
The 15 Indian-origin Canadians who won their ridings (constituencies) crossed the previous historic high of 14, set in 2024. Of the 15, 11 are Conservatives, and four are from the NDP.
Seven among them were re-elected. They include Deputy Premier Niki Sharma, who retained her Vancouver-Hastings riding, and Speaker Raj Chauhan, who won again from Burnaby-New Westminster.
Mandeep Dhaliwal retained Surrey North, a seat he won in 2024 by defeating NDP minister Rachna Singh. Garry Purewal won Surrey-Fleetwood by defeating NDP incumbent Jagrup Brar, who was born in Bathinda district and had held the seat since 2004. Harj Dhaliwal won Surrey-Newton by defeating NDP incumbent Jessie Sunner.
Garry Thind won Surrey-Guildford, defeating NDP incumbent Garry Begg, a week after also winning a school trustee seat in Surrey's civic election. Zeeshan Wahla took Surrey City Centre from the NDP's Amna Shah in a close contest, and Jessy Sahota won Surrey-Serpentine River.
The other Conservative victors include Monica Mohan (Delta North), Pavneet Singh (Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream), Harman Bhangu (Langley-Abbotsford), Jody Toor (Langley-Willowbrook), Steve Kooner (Richmond-Queensborough), and Deep Sandhu (Vancouver-Fraserview).
The other NDP winners are Ravi Parmar, a minister in the government, from Langford-Highlands, and Rohini Arora from Burnaby East.
The wins came on the back of a Conservative sweep of Surrey, which has one of the largest Punjabi communities outside India.
British Columbia Premier David Eby called the mid-term election as he sought a stronger majority on the back of his opposition to US President Donald Trump’s policies targeting Canada. The election call backfired. On Sunday, he announced his resignation as NDP leader. "I accept full responsibility," he said.
This is the Conservative Party’s first majority government since 1928, and Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson said, "BC is definitely blue." The final counts are expected in early November, and the seat tally and the Indian-origin figure could change.
The results place Indian-origin legislators hailing from Punjab on both the government and opposition benches.
Once confirmed, the 15 winners would constitute approximately one-sixth of the provincial legislature, providing substantial representation in debates over public spending, services and legislation.
Their success reflects the diaspora’s participation in mainstream Canadian politics through party organisations, election campaigns, community work and public service.
The winners come from varied professional backgrounds, including business, law, policing, education and organised labour. The strong Conservative Party showing among these candidates also points to a change in the party composition of Indian-origin representation.
These new legislators will face expectations to address housing costs, healthcare access, education, employment and public safety while representing constituents across cultural backgrounds.
The election changes British Columbia’s provincial government. Immigration policy and relations with India remain principally federal responsibilities, although provincial leaders can influence debate and advocate for their communities. But for families with roots in Punjab, the victories carry significance beyond electoral numbers. They demonstrate opportunities for immigrants and subsequent generations to enter public life and help shape the communities in which they live.