By Mark Squibb
Manoj Khandavelli says that if you had asked him a few years back if he would ever consider seeking nomination in a federal election, the answer would be an easy ‘No.’
But, said Khandavelli, much has changed since then.
“Politics was not in my plan initially,” said Khandavelli. “If you had asked me a couple of years ago, ‘Would you ever run?’ the answer would be ‘No,’ but over the past few years, a lot of my friends, and myself included, have been complaining about inflation, limited consumer choices, divisive politics, housing prices and such, and so I felt like it was my duty to give back to the province that has given me everything, and so I wanted to put my name out and do this as a way to give back , and as a thank-you.”
Khandavelli is seeking the Conservative Party nomination for the riding of Cape Spear, an electoral district newly minted following the 2022 federal electoral redistribution. The district covers much the same ground as the former St. John’s South-Mount Pearl district, with the notable exception that the new riding cedes Witless Bay, Bay Bulls, Southlands, and the Goulds to Avalon while gaining all of Paradise from Avalon – previously, Paradise was split between the two ridings.
A self-described ‘Newfoundlander by choice’, Khandavelli spent much of his childhood in India and Kenya and has lived in Newfoundland for the past decade.
A Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Certified International Wealth Manager (CIWM), and Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute (FCSI), Khandavelli, said he believes his work experience will pay dividends should he be first, nominated, and then elected.
“I believe with the finance and business experience I have I can put up a good fight in Ottawa and bring prosperity back to our province,” said Khandavelli. “People have trusted me to build their wealth, and I want to use the experience I have accumulated for the province.”
Along with Avalon MP Ken McDonald, incumbent MP Seamus O’Regan announced earlier this summer that he would not be running in 2025. Coupled with national distaste for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party (recent Abacus data indicates that if the election had been held on July 14, some 43 percent of voters would have voted Conservative, while only 23 percent would have voted Liberal) a Conservative upset in the Liberal riding is not impossible.
Khandavelli said he had committed to running some months prior to O’Regan’s announcement that he would not be seeking re-election, and he believes he can offer a fresh perspective on issues that matter to voters.
“I’m not part of the political establishment here,” Khandavelli said. “I’m a newcomer, and I think that is what people want.”
Khandavelli also said he believes Pierre Poilievre to be the leader that Canada needs.
“At this particular time, Poilievre is the best choice we have,” said Khandavelli. “You have Trudeau, who seems to be addicted to power… and the NDP are great at prioritizing these utopian policies, which are never reality. Pierre, meanwhile, you can see his history, he came from nothing, and worked hard to be where he is, and he has good policies.”
Khandavelli, along with wife Tracey and cat Aurelius, live “right beside the district” in downtown St. John’s.
The Party has not yet announced a date for the nomination vote.
