Race finally on in Kelowna West
Premier calls byelection for Valentine’s Day
NDP candidate Shelley Cook has a feeling she can win the provincial byelection in Kelowna West.
“I know this riding has been a Liberal stronghold,” said Cook, “but I think people are rethinking voting Liberal. On doorsteps and in the community, I’ve been hearing how people are impressed with the new NDP government. I’m incredibly optimistic and hope to be the riding’s next representative in Victoria.”
Cook’s excited comments came on the heels of NDP Premier John Horgan on Wednesday calling the byelection for Kelowna West for Feb. 14.
Cook, the former executive director the the local John Howard Society, is currently working on a doctorate in homelessness and housing at UBC.
The seat became vacant when former Liberal premier Christy Clark resigned as party leader and Kelowna West MLA after Horgan’s NDP formed government after last year’s general election.
Liberal candidate Ben Stewart knows the political landscape has changed.
“The Liberals winning this riding again is not a foregone conclusion,” said Stewart.
“The Liberals aren’t the government right now, so I’m working harder on this than any other election in my life.”
Stewart, a co-owner of Quails’ Gate Winery in West Kelowna, was the Liberal MLA for Kelowna West from 2009-13 and won the seat again in the 2013 election.
However, he gave it up so thenpremier and party leader Clark could run in the staunchly Liberal riding after losing in her own Vancouver riding.
Stewart was rewarded with a job as British Columbia’s special representative based in Beijing to promote trade between the province and Asian countries.
At the end of 2016, he resigned from that job to spend more time with family and at the winery.
However, Clark’s resignations opened the door for him to reenter politics.
Stewart is also concerned Liberal votes could be eroded by the winter timing of the byelection when people are travelling to warmer climes or hesitant to go out in nasty weather.
There’s also traditionally low voter turnout for byelections.
Green candidate Robert Stupka is eager to get going on the official campaign.
“Although we’ve been campaigning in this riding for months,” he said.
“When we had a town hall meeting here earlier this month with (Green Leader Andrew Weaver), 160 people came out to hear our message and give input.”
Stupka expects to get support from citizens who have never voted Green.
“The Liberals have no doubt had a monopoly on this riding and the whole Okanagan,” he said. “But the Liberals aren’t the governing party now, the NDP is with the help of the Greens. So, the Greens are in a greater position to influence government and input policy.”
For example, Stupka said the Greens were part of the push to ban corporate and union donations for political parties, to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and fund technology and education to fuel emerging and clean economies.
Stupka is a civil engineer and partner in energyefficient-home design firm Nido.
While Libertarian candidate Kyle Geronazzo doesn’t expect to become Kelowna West MLA, he sees the party’s participation in the byelection as important.
“The more voices the better during this campaign,” said the patio furniture store worker.
“People need to hear the Libertarian platform of less government and more personal freedom. We also feel British Columbians deserve competition for ICBC for their car insurance.”