PPC could be factor in Okanagan

Like a cheap horror movie played at the drive-in, circa 1965, the three-headed monster feared by Okanagan Conservatives could be the upstart People’s Party of Canada.

In August, when Maxime Bernier left the Tories and said he was forming his own federal party, the odds were improbable that he’d be capable of running more than a handful of candidates.

Political parties need money, volunteers, voters’ lists, travel itineraries, riding associations, and most of all, time.

Time wasn’t on the side of the new party.

But, Bernier’s army seems organized and has vowed to run a candidate in each of the 338 federal ridings in the Oct. 21, 2019 election.

That will include the Okanagan.

A meeting for the Central Okanagan Similkameen Nicola riding is scheduled for Saturday afternoon in Summerland. An additional meeting for South Okanagan West Kootenay is organized for Nov. 25 in Penticton. A meeting has already been held in Kelowna.

B.C. organizer Glen Wulushka said there are already 32,000 registered members across Canada.

He said there are “well-qualified” individuals who have expressed interest in being candidates.

So what does this mean for local Conservatives?

According to one national polling firm, if the People’s Party collects even two per cent of the vote nationally — something that’s realistic based on the anti-immigration sentiment some Canadians have — it will result in 17 additional seats for the federal Liberals, even if the PPC doesn’t win a single seat.

The PPC will definitely take more votes away from the Conservatives than the other national parties.

Kelowna Lake-Country is presently held by Liberal Stephen Fuhr and South Okanagan West Kootenay by NDPer Richard Cannings.

In Central Okanagan Similkamen Nicola, Conservative Dan Albas is their MP, but his 2015 victory was far from a landslide. Albas finished only two percentage points ahead of Liberal Karley Scott.

Unless the PPC comes up with a five-star candidate, the chances of a victory in any Okanagan riding are improbable.

But a People’s Party candidate collecting between five and 10 per cent of the vote is certainly realistic ... and Conservatives know it.

It can’t be done ... Has anyone heard of the Reform Party?