Liberals appoint Petra Veintimilla
After criticizing the NDP for appointing election candidates, the BC Liberal Party turned around Tuesday and announced 19 of its own hand-picked contenders.
Included on the list was Petra Veintimilla, a two-term Oliver town councillor, who will represent the Liberals in Boundary-Similkameen.
Veintimilla is midway through her second term on council. She also sits on the board of the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen and chairs the Okanagan Similkameen Regional Hospital District.
The lifelong Oliver resident is the third generation involved in her family’s interior decorating businesses, and has served two terms as president of the South Okanagan Chamber of
Commerce.
Veintimilla said she’d previously expressed interest in running for the Liberals in the provincial election scheduled for October 2021.
“I think that (the Liberals) offer an opportunity for all of us to have a chance to take care of ourselves, our families and our communities,” she said.
Boundary-Similkameen is held by incumbent Liberal MLA Linda Larson, who announced last year her intention to retire from politics.
Veintimilla said Larson did a good job for her constituents, and now it’s time for someone else to step up.
“I just think we need a new generation of leaders with energy that have families of our own and want to see them have the advantages we had and our parents had,” said Veintimilla.
Former Oliver mayor Ron Hovanes was also interested in the Liberal nomination for Boundary-Similkameen, but was told by the party Monday night that it had chosen Veintimilla.
“I’m OK,” Hovanes said in an interview Tuesday.
“I told (the party) I was disappointed, but I accept their decision.”
Hovanes served on Oliver council for 16 years, including a decade as mayor, before being ousted by Martin Johansen in the 2018 municipal election.
“I’ve had no politics in my life for two years, and it’s been pretty nice to have my life back,” said Hovanes, who wouldn’t completely rule out another shot at office in the future.
“I would never say never, but it’s kind of unlikely,” allowed Hovanes.
None of the other parties have announced a candidate yet for Boundary-Similkameen.
In the Penticton riding, the only declared candidates are Liberal incumbent Dan Ashton and New Democrat Toni Boot, who was appointed as a candidate last week and is currently on leave from her position as mayor of Summerland.