Businesswoman seeks Tory nom
Okanagan Newspaper Group
KELOWNA — Renee Wasylyk believes she will lead Kelowna’s Conservatives to victory in the 2019 federal election.
“Absolutely, I wouldn’t be running if I didn’t think I could win,” the hopeful for the Conservative nomination in Kelowna-Lake Country said in an interview.
“I come with a lot of history, a broad base of experience and almost all of the areas (required to be a strong member of Parliament). I do believe I have the heart of the community. That’s important to me. I want to carry the voice of the community. For me, if I didn’t believe I have a chance (of winning), I wouldn’t be doing this.”
Wasylyk made her official announcement at a brief gathering of supporters and friends, Wednesday at The Innovation Centre.
Conservative MPs Dan Albas of Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola and Mel Arnold from North Okanagan Shuswap are both endorsing Wasylyk.
“(Party leader) Andrew Scheer asked me to do some outreach for the party, making sure we’re connecting with community champions and to find someone who would take up the mantle in this area,” Albas said.
“I talked to people in the not-for-profit sector. They said Renee. I went to the business community and they said ‘Renee would be a natural.’ I went to the Conservative party, and they said ‘someone like Renee would be fantastic.’ I’m glad she called me back.”
Albas made a similar endorsement from Helena Konanz in South Okanagan-West Kootenay, last month.
Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran was in attendance Wednesday, but did not speak.
Born in Drumheller, Alta. in 1975 and raised in Southern California, Wasylyk has a Masters degree in theology from Taylor Seminary and a masters of business administration for the University of Liverpool. She located to Edmonton before moving to the Okanagan, 20 years ago, where she founded Troika Group of companies.
During her high school years, she was president and vice-president of the student council in a school with more than 3,000 students.
She serves on several boards, including The Breakfast Club of Canada and First West Credit Union. Her volunteer efforts include Opera Kelowna and the Nature Trust of B.C.
The Conservatives lost Kelowna-Lake Country in the 2015 election. Incumbent Ron Cannan fell by 4,000 votes to Liberal Stephen Fuhr. Cannan has said he won’t attempt a comeback in federal politics.
Wasylyk is the first to announce her intention of seeking the nomination. The date for the Kelowna-Lake Country nomination meeting remains unknown at this time.