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.