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Date set for byelection in hotly-contested Burnaby-South riding

Move comes after criticism of Justin Trudeau that he left the seat open too long
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NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh will have a chance early February to win a British Columbia seat in the House of Commons. (Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Voters in the riding of Burnaby-South will elect a new MP in just over a month, after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday announced a byelection date of Feb. 25.

The riding has been without federal representation since Sept. 14, when former NDP MP Kennedy Stewart resigned to successfully run for Vancouver mayor.

Federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, who does not have a seat in Parliament and will run in this riding, has criticized Trudeau for not announcing the date of this byelection at the same time as two others in Canada, which were announced late last year.

READ MORE: Trudeau accused of disrespect leaving 3 ridings vacant

READ MORE: Singh’s leadership under microscope as NDP MPs meet in B.C.

The Liberals have picked Karen Wang, while the Greens will not have a candidate in Burnaby-South, as a “leader’s courtesy” to Singh.

Feb. 25 byelections will also be held in Outremont, Que., and York–Simcoe, Ont.


@katslepian

katya.slepian@bpdigital.ca

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