Gone are the days when ethnic groups, especially visible minorities, could be stereotyped as supporters of a certain political party. In ridings with high numbers of visible minorities, most parties today have to vigorously woo voters of all stripes to fairly reflect the diversity of Canada. Not only are the parties evolving but the interests of the ethnic electorate are increasingly more diverse. For example, a large portion of the South Asian population used to back the Liberal Party federally and NDP provincially. That was when large numbers of the population were employed as mill workers, small fruit and vegetable pickers, tree planters and truck drivers. As a result, they gravitated towards parties which appeared to represent the interest of the struggling working class. Also, where systemic discrimination was rampant, parties that stood on a policy of inclusion incurred favour. Now, with the South Asian economic base diversifying and most parties gaining sophistication in declaring anti-discrimination as an inherent principle (the merger of Conservative and Canadian Alliance helped), loyalties have become muddied. Although a large majority still declares itself working class, B.C. has seen a mushrooming of ethnic minorities in various professions. People own businesses, manage banks and financial companies and pursue various careers, which means they bring various political issues to the table. For example, Dr. Upninder Jogi, an Abbotsford psychiatrist, says he’s fed up with the Liberals’ unequal treatment of the western provinces in transfer payments. “It is Quebec and Ontario which benefit under the Liberals,” he said. Jogi criticizes Prime Minister Paul Martin for calling an election before clarifying details of the sponsorship scandal. Although it might be hard to stop a Liberal victory, Jogi hopes their current majority will be dented by strong opposition from the Conservatives and the NDP. Angrej Gill, a Mission security guard, still views the Conservatives as the Canadian Alliance Party. “I don’t trust Alliance’s motives towards immigrants from non-European countries,” he said. Gill, a political activist who has voted NDP in B.C. and Liberal federally, fears the Conservatives will push a two-tier health care system that offers different standards of service to rich and poor. Surrey builder Pritpal Dhaliwal, on the other hand, says he’s disillusioned with Canada’s political process. He says candidates run for public office for selfish interests and do not deal with issues that are important to working families. The father of three is concerned about youth violence and the lack of RCMP resources. He believes youth need more educational opportunities in vocational schools and universities. In addition, he said government should offer employment assistance to skilled immigrants whose talents and abilities are not being recognized nor utilized by Canadian employers.