B.C. election 2017: Kelowna-Mission riding

In 2013: BC Liberal Steve Thomson won re-election by a 2:1 margin over the NDP challenger. This is a long-time, safe BC Liberal seat.

In 2009: BC Liberal Steve Thomson, replacing longtime MLA Sindi Hawkins, easily won this seat, defeating NDP candidate Tisha Kalmanovich by nearly 6,000 votes, 54-26 per cent.

History & Geography: Created in 2001, Kelowna-Mission comprises of virtually all of Kelowna south of Highway 97, including the Mission. It has changed in size and name as the Okanagan has grown, but has solidly voted for the Social Credit and Liberal parties for decades, never once voting NDP. Kelowna-Lake Country is part of the old Okanagan South riding, which former premiers W.A.C. and Bill Bennett held between them for 45 years.

Candidates

BC Liberals – Steve Thomson: The Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources, Thomson is the former executive director of the BC Agriculture Council, and has been general manager of the BC Fruit Growers Association and the BC Milk Producers Association. He played for the Canadian National Rugby Team, and his still helps to operate his family farm, which was established in 1896.

NDP – Harwinder Sandhu: A Vernon resident and nurse, Sandhu immigrated to B.C. from India in 2001. She had originally run for the NDP nomination in the Vernon-Monashee riding, but was defeated by Barry Dorval.

Green – Rainer Wilkins: A certified sommelier, Wilkins works in the wine industry. He also serves as vice-President of the Kelowna Arts Council.

BC Conservative Party – Charles Hardy: The BC Conservatives are a mere shadow of the party from the 2013 campaign, when they fielded 56 candidates. In 2017 there are five. It’s a small-government, right-of-centre party.

2017 Stats: Kelowna-Mission

Population (2014): 60,403 (14th)
Population Deviation from Average: 13.7 per cent
Area: 528 sq km (38th)
Pop Density: 114.4 (48th)
Average Age: 45.2 years (22nd)
English as Second Language: 14.06 per cent (53rd)

Top 3 Second Languages:
German – 3.83 per cent
Panjabi (Punjabi) – 0.69 per cent
Ukrainian – 0.66 per cent