Dan Sheel is making his second run for a councillor's seat on Langley Township council. He first ran in the 2008 municipal election.
He is a 12-year resident of Walnut Grove and has been very involved in the sports community in Langley, with many different sports. A Surrey firefighter, he also ran as a federal Liberal candidate in 2004 in the riding of Surrey North.
He is finishing off a six-year term as a member of the Langley Township parks, recreation and culture committee. He has been involved as a coach and executive with ball hockey, baseball, hockey and basketball organizations.
He was in charge of concessions for the 2010 B.C. Summer Games in the Township, and was in charge of volunteers in that area. He worked hard to ensure that local sports organizations were able to run concessions and keep any of the profits for Langley sports.
"I said to B.C. Summer Games organizers that we could take care of things in Langley, and we did. The money made needed to go back into Langley."
Sheel first got involved with Langley political issues during the debate over the 200 Street interchange at Highway 1. He said he was motivated to get involved because he could not understand why the proposed design was being considered.
Sheel's major issues of the campaign are infrastructure and transit. He says there should be no tolls on the Port Mann Bridge, and is calling for a united voice from this area to make that point to the provincial government.
He is calling for adequate resources for families and seniors, and also in the realm of policing. He also wants to see more infrastructure funding from senior government.
Sheel is running as an independent, and says it is important to elect independent members of council.
"We must elect independent thinkers who are able to work as a team for the good of the community," he said.