The New Democratic Party is close to picking a candidate to run against Green Party leader Elizabeth May and Conservative cabinet minister Gary Lunn in what promises to be one of B.C.'s most watched races in the next federal election.
The Saanich-Gulf Islands riding association has set April 24 for a nomination meeting, said president Starla Anderson. “We will have a candidate and then we'll be making noise.”
So far the only person to come forward is Edith Loring-Kuhanga, a first nations educator and conference organizer. “We feel very foturnate she's taking it on and she'll do a great job if she becomes the candidate,” said Anderson.
Potential candidates have until March 30 to declare their intent, she said.
The Liberal candidate in the riding is climate change researcher Renée Heatherington.
In the neighbouring riding of Victoria, the Liberal riding association has invited “bloggers, online citizen and professional journalists, and social media enthusiasts” to meet candidate and Oak Bay mayor Christopher Causton next week at a local pub. The NDP's Denise Savoie is the incumbent in Victoria.
Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Reach him here.
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freebear
1 year ago
Oh creator!
Thinking I will not participate in the next federal or provincial election!
Choices do not represent me or a real sustainable future for Canada/BC
kalbenos
1 year ago
Blogger Pub night?
It's an intersting idea having bloggers cover federal politics, very original. I look forward to seeing the types of questions they pose to Mayor Causton. I'm from Victoira and know I will have a tough time voting next election. I voted for Denise Savoie last time, but Chris Causton is also a top-notch candidate. I have been very impressed with his work on parks in the region.
Dan the socialist
1 year ago
There was no NDP Candidate
There was no NDP Candidate last time and Lunn still won..With a full slate he will win again.
BC is a right wing province and is moving more and more to the right everyday unfortunately.
Groucho
1 year ago
election???
Great. The NDP are close to picking a candidate in the next election against a strong incumbent and the leader of the Green Party who has inexplicably chosen a riding she will not win.
Woo, at this rate the NDP will next announce that they are close to determining what they will have for lunch tomorrow.
crankypants
1 year ago
Let's see
Let's see. We know who will represent the Green Party, the Conservatives, the Liberal Party and a soon to be named representative for the NDP.
THE QUESTION IS, WHO WILL REPRESENT THE ELECTORATE IN THIS RIDING?
It is said that one cannot serve two masters. Well in my books neither can one represent two masters, a political party and an electorate.
Any candidate that runs under the banner of a political party is really guilty of being in a conflict of interest. We had no better example of this when the federal government cleared the way for the HST to be implemented. Most of the federal BC Conservatives sitting in Ottawa skirted any discussions of the HST by blaming the provincial government except for Dona Cadmen who dissed the HST then miraculously missed the vote. The federal Liberals dissed the HST but either voted for it or abstained as instructed by their leader/puppet masters. The NDP did do as they said and voted against it, but was that because they were representing their constituents or following their leader/puppet masters?
Raedwulf
1 year ago
There was no NDP Candidate
The NDP candidate withdrew his candidacy last election. However a mysterious automated telephone message on election eve urged the constituents to vote for the NDP candidate, whose name was still on the ballot. There was a huge number who voted for a withdrawn candidate, something like 5000 if I remember correctly. More than enough to have gotten rid of Lunn. It was very likely another Conservative dirty trick. Lunn was demoted by Harper to low ball the fallout.
Groucho
1 year ago
crankypants
WELL SAID.
Sask Resident
1 year ago
Why is May in Saanich-Gulf Islands
I still cannot understand why Lizzie May crossed the country to run in a riding she has no chance at winning. She would have had a good chance or allowed the NDP to win in Vancouver Center or Vancouver South, but not Saanich-Gulf Islands. Or does she really not want to win and would rather stay as a pain in the a$$?