Justin Trudeau visits B.C. to support Liberal byelection candidate

SURREY, B.C. - The prime minister campaigned in British Columbia today for a Liberal candidate ahead of a byelection in Metro Vancouver.

Justin Trudeau was greeted by cheers at a campaign event in Surrey supporting Gordie Hogg, a former member of the B.C. legislative assembly and White Rock mayor.

He told the crowd that the Liberals made history in the last election by electing 17 Liberals in B.C. to parliament, but records are made to be broken.

The byelection is set to be held on Dec. 11 and Trudeau says he believes voters will send an 18th Liberal in the province to the House of Commons.

Trudeau says Hogg will be an extraordinary asset, not just to Surrey and White Rock, but to the government of Canada.

The New Democrat candidate will be Jonathan Silveira, a real estate agent and founder of Surrey Kids Matter, while former National Revenue Minister Kerry-Lynne Findlay is running for the Conservatives.

The vacancy was created when former Conservative MP Dianne Watts stepped down to run for the leadership of the BC Liberal Party.

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  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and South Surrey-White Rock Liberal byelection candidate Gordie Hogg walk along the pier in White Rock, B.C., on Saturday, December 2, 2017. A federal byelection will be held Dec. 11 for the seat vacated by former Conservative MP Dianne Watts, who stepped down to run for the leadership of the B.C. Liberal Party. (THE CANADIAN PRESS / Darryl Dyck)