It is unfortunate that controversial Surrey school trustee Mary Polak confirmed that she will seek the B.C. Liberal Party nomination in the upcoming Surrey-Panorama Ridge byelection. Gordon Campbell might attempt to blame a defeat on her personal record, which includes wasting over $1 million of school funds to fight Surrey's book ban all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada.

The byelection, made necessary by Gulzar Cheema's resignation when he chose to run in the federal election, will be the first opportunity voters have to cast a ballot against the Campbell government. The NDP's Jagrup Brar, Executive Director of the Surrey Self Employment and Entrepreneur Development Society (SEEDS), can be counted on to offer a tough challenge to the Campbell Liberals. Whoever they choose as their candidate, the byelection will be about sending a message to the Campbell government.

Premier Campbell might deny representation for voters in Surrey Panorama Ridge until after the fall sitting of the legislature. Section 35 of the Constitution Act gives him six months from the date the seat was declared vacant to call the election. As awkward as social conservative Polak might be for them, it is not in Campbell's interest to push the possibility of a byelection defeat closer to the date of the May 17, 2005, general election. The legislature is scheduled to sit on October 4th. In order for the new member for Surrey Panorama Ridge to fully participate in the session, Campbell should set the date of the byelection upon his return from Athens. He should be familiar with hot races by then.