B.C. election 2017: Fraser-Nicola riding

In the 2013 election, BC Liberal Jackie Tegart beat NDP veteran Harry Lali, who won the nomination battle for the 2017 election, despite being asked not to run by NDP leader John Horgan. Lali blamed his defeat on the Kinder Morgan issue (he supported the pipeline.) His vote slipped 1,300 from 2009, while the BC Liberals went up by 175. One potential key factor: the Conservatives took almost 900 votes here in 2013, and are unlikely to field a candidate this time. Traditionally, the riding is a close race. Boundary changes favour the NDP, but the party’s anti-resource economy position may be cause for trouble.

In 2009: Harry Lali was re-elected, defeating Liberal candidate Ella Brown by over 800 votes, 49-43 per cent.

History & Geography: Broadly spanning the area between the Lower Mainland and Kamloops, Fraser-Nicola is a descendant of the old Yale-Lilloett riding. The riding includes the towns of Hope, Clinton, Lillooet, Ashcroft, Lytton, Merritt, and Princeton. With the exception of 2001 to 2005, Harry Lali has held this area continuously since 1991. The farming area between Pemberton and Kamloops has been a strong centre of Liberal support, while Princeton and Lytton have tended to support the NDP.

Candidates

Liberals – Jackie Tegart: An Ashcroft councillor since 2006, Tegart is the former head of the BC Schools Trustees. She sat on the regional school board for 20 years as well. Other community activities include being BC Healthy Communities facilitator, and a member of the Thompson Nicola Film Commission. She has eight grandchildren.

NDP – Harry Lali: He’s back. Despite being asked not to run by Horgan, Lali secured the NDP nomination in March. He’s now on board with his party’s opposition of the Kinder-Morgan pipeline. Lali won this riding in the 1991, 1996, 2005 and 2009 elections, while sitting out in 2001. He served as Transportation Minister in the NDP government from 1998 to 2001. Before entering provincial politics, Lali was an employment counsellor and Merritt city councillor.

Greens – Arthur Green: He works in the film industry as an art department head. An avid cyclist, he pedalled around B.C., New Zealand and Europe. He formerly worked for BC Forest Services, in the Alberta oil and gas industry and in mining.

Social Credit Party – Michael Henshall: Henshall is the only candidate running as a Socred, sharing the name of the party which dominated B.C. politics from 1952-1991.

2017 Stats: Fraser-Nicola

Population (2014): 34,034 (79th)
Population Deviation from Average: -35.9 per cent
Area: 34,830 sq km (9th)
Pop Density: 1.0 (78th)
Average Age: 48 years (8th)
English as Second Language: 10.45 per cent (71st)

Top 3 Second Languages:
German – 1.74 per cent
Panjabi (Punjabi) – 1.03 per cent
Dutch – 0.65 per cent