Similkameen (2013: 1386 vote win; 46.6 per cent-38.9 per cent).
Held by BC Liberal incumbent Linda Larsen, who has to deal with local controversies such as school closures and a debate over a new provincial park that divides the riding. Not usually friendly turf for the NDP, however, and the party’s anti-resource economy position will hurt it. Larson boosted the BC Lib vote by a whopping 2200 (likely because there was no Conservative candidate) while the NDP increased by 1300.
In 2009: Former Osoyoos mayor John Slater won this riding for the BC Liberals in a competitive three-person race.
History & Geography: Part of the South Okanagan riding that existed for nearly a century, Boundary-Similkameen consists of all areas between Hedley and Christina Lake that are south of Penticton. Osoyoos is the largest town, but Oliver, Keremeos, Grand Forks, Greenwood, and many other historic towns populate this area. It has voted either Social Credit or Liberal in 14 of the last 15 elections, with B.C. historian Bill Barlee taking it for the NDP in 1991.
Candidates
BC Liberals – Linda Larson: Larson has had a low profile since being elected to Victoria. She is the Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Education. A former city councillor in Oliver, Larson was mayor of the town from 1997 to 2005.
NDP – Colleen Ross is a Grand Forks city councillor. She previously was vice president of the National Farmers Union of Canada and has been outspoken in her criticism of the Liberals support of the Kinder-Morgan pipeline and “the neoconservative undermining of people’s livelihoods, environment and healthcare system.”
Green – Vonnie Lavers: The former Executive Director of the Kelowna Food Bank, she received a Governor General’s Award in 2012 for her commitment to providing healthy food to families in need. Since resigning from the food bank in 2013, she has been in consulting and public relations.
Independent – Peter Entwistle: The former chief of staff at South Okanagan Hospital in Oliver, Entwistle resigned in protest over what he said was a decline in patient care.
2017 Stats: Boundary-Similkameen
Population (2014): 42,340 (75th)
Population Deviation from Average: -20.3 per cent
Area: 15,614 sq km (16th)
Pop Density: 2.7 (72th)
Average Age: 54.5 years (2nd)
English as Second Language: 16.24 per cent (44th)
Top 3 Second Languages:
Panjabi (Punjabi) – 3.69 per cent
German – 2.79 per cent
Russian – 1.42 per cent
Comments