Clark targets Delta seats

Christy Clark is hoping a new road in Delta will pave the way for the Liberals to regain a seat lost in 2009.

Heading into the final full week of the election campaign, Ms. Clark made a Monday morning stop in Delta, at a construction site that will soon become part of South Fraser Perimeter Road, a 40-kilometre four-lane route along the south side of the Fraser River, stretching from Deltaport Way all the way to 176th Street in Surrey, with an important connection to the Golden Ears Bridge.

Ms. Clark took the opportunity to reiterate what's become her standard message over the course of the campaign: the Liberals, not the NDP, is the party that can strengthen the economy, which in turn will mean bigger investments in key areas, including infrastructure projects such as roads and bridges.

But it's not the NDP that's the biggest threat in the area, at least in Delta South, where Ms. Clark spoke on Monday. It's Vicki Huntington, an independent candidate who in 2009 won the riding that had been a Liberal stronghold. The riding is one the Liberals hope to win back next week.

Standing with Ms. Clark at the construction site was Delta South Liberal candidate Bruce McDonald, and Delta North candidate Scott Hamilton.

"Both of them were part of making this visionary project happen," Ms. Clark said of the two Liberal candidates. "They have a demonstrated a history of leadership in this community, a demonstrated history of showing courage and vision to make a difference. And that's part of the team I hope British Columbians will send to join me in Victoria on May 14."

Ms. Huntington didn't even know Ms. Clark had shown up in her riding.

"They'd definitely like to get it back," she said in a phone interview, slightly chuckling. "I feel very good, I feel very good about the way things are shaping up."

Ms. Huntington said there's still lingering discontent in the riding over some Liberal policy decisions that helped her win in 2009, including the very road Ms. Clark was touting on Monday.

"They [The Liberals] refused to listen to any discussion about a better route for the road that would have had far less impact on agricultural land and the environment," Ms. Huntington said.

Before stopping in Delta, Ms. Clark visited Liberal candidate Steven Kim's office in the riding of Coquitlam-Maillardville. Later in the day, she boarded a plane to Fort Nelson. Ms. Clark will spend Tuesday campaigning in the north of the province.