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Dean Drysdale wins Conservative nomination in Cloverdale-Langley City

Former Langley Township councillor wins on third round of balloting.
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Dean Drysdale

Former Langley Township councillor Dean Drysdale is the Conservative candidate in the new riding of Cloverdale-Langley City.

Drysdale, who served on council from 1996 to 2002, won on the third ballot over Mike Garisto of Cloverdale. Former Liberal MLA Dave Hayer was forced off the ballot after the second round, while Tako van Popta had to withdraw after the first round.

Voting took place at A.J. McLellan Elementary in Cloverdale on Saturday. More than 1,300 members of the electoral district association took part.

Drysdale has run federally before, representing the Canadian Alliance in the Quebec riding of Vaudreuil-Soulanges in 2000. He was asked by the party to run in that riding outside Montreal, as he is fluently bilingual.

Last week, the Conservative Party told candidates Gurmant Grewal and Paul Brar that they had to withdraw from the nomination race. The reasons have not been made public. That changed the dynamics of the nomination voting, Drysdale said Monday.

“I don’t think anyobody (the candidates) knew exactly where anyone was,” he said.

Drysdale said he plans to finish teaching this semester and then take a leave of absence to prepare for the election, expected next October. He plans to get out into the community and spend lots of time meeting people.

He expects the Conservatives to campaign on the issue of “competence,” citing the party’s record as government since 2006.

Drysdale will face Liberal candidate John Aldag in the riding. The  NDP have yet to select a candidate.

“I’m humbled to have been selected by Conservative members to represent Cloverdale-Langley City in the next election,” Drysdale said. “In the next election the stakes are high and Canadians will have a clear choice between the strong leadership of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and the high risk of Justin Trudeau.”

Drysdale is currently teaching as a Professor of Business Management at Kwantlen Polytechnic University and runs his own consulting firm in the area of corporate finance.

Since 1981, he has served in the Canadian Army Reserves, currently with a rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Trained as an artillery officer, he commanded the 15th Field Regiment, RCA from 2001 to 2004. In 2004, he was appointed Canadian vice-president of the CIOR, which is the NATO association of Reserve Officers. Since 2008, he has served as a Regional Liaison Officer attached to the Joint Task Force Pacific HQ.  He attended the Militia Command and Staff College and has taught as a civilian on the U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College as well as participating in the Persian Gulf War as a journalist attached to the Egyptian Army.

The new riding takes in Langley City, a tiny strip of the Township west of 200 Street and stretches as far west as 144 Street in Surrey.