Cook in running to be Kelowna West MLA again
For the second time in less than a year, Shelley Cook will try to become the MLA in Kelowna West.
Cook has been selected to represent the NDP in the upcoming byelection, which has yet to be called. She will be acclaimed at the official nomination meeting next month.
“I think she’s an incredibly intelligent candidate,” said Karen Abramsen, president of the B.C. NDP Kelowna West constituency association. “She’s very aware of a lot of the issues of concern, she does her homework, she’s extremely articulate, she’s a fighter and she deserves to be our MLA. You don’t find many people who come with as many qualifications as she does.”
Cook, the former executive director of the John Howard Society, ran in the last general provincial election. She garnered 25 per cent of the votes, losing to thenpremier Christy Clark, who won 59 per cent of the votes.
Clark resigned as Liberal leader and MLA earlier this year after her government lost a confidence vote in the legislature and NDP Leader John Horgan became premier.
Cook said she is optimistic about the upcoming election, but she also remains realistic.
“I’m not naive,” she said. “I know the traditional voting patterns of my community, but what I also recognize is that we certainly have a changing demographic in our community.”
Cook said there are benefits to having an MLA aligned with the government in power, and she hopes voters keep an open mind.
“I encourage people to get out and vote and educate themselves, but to be open to change,” she said. “I think more than ever some of the values and principles of the NDP need to be talked about, and I’m certainly happy to be the person to do that.”
In the time leading up to the election, Cook said she will be focusing on getting out and speaking with constituents about the issues that matter most to them.
Much of her focus will be on transit, access to housing, access to health care and seniors’ care.
“I’m deeply concerned about affordability,” she said.
Earlier this fall, the B.C. Liberals chose Ben Stewart to run in the byelection.
Stewart was elected as MLA in the riding in 2009 and was re-elected in 2013, but he gave up his seat so Clark could run in a byelection after losing in her Vancouver riding.
“I know Shelley very well from our collaborative work we did with the John Howard Society,” Stewart said Monday afternoon. “I look forward to having a respectful dialogue with her.”
Asked if he felt confident going into the byelection, Stewart said he thought it will be a challenge.
“I think it’s going to be tough,” he said. “Byelections notoriously have low turnout, (and) secondly, being a winter byelection, we’re likely going to have many voters that are going to be away on all sides.”
Cook’s nomination meeting will be held Dec. 3 at the West Kelowna Holiday Inn. Registration opens at 2:30 p.m., and the meeting will be called to order at 3 p.m.
Everyone is welcome, and no tickets are required for the nomination meeting.
Later that evening, a dinner will be held at the Holiday Inn with Horgan. Doors open at 5 p.m., and dinner will be served at 6 p.m. Tickets cost $125 for one or $225 for two, available online at bcndp.ca/events.