In 2013: “Kootenay Bill” Bennett won re-election with more than 60 per cent of the vote. His absence in this campaign will change the dynamic of the riding.
In 2009: Bennett won this riding for a third straight election, defeating NDP candidate Troy Sebastian by over 2,500 votes, 51 per cent to 36 per cent.
History & Geography: At the southeast edge of the Province, Kootenay East is bordered by Alberta to the east, the United States to the south, the town of Tochty to the west, and Elk Lakes Provincial Park to the north. The largest town in the riding is Cranbrook, but Fernie, Elkford, Sparwood, and Elko are all population centres. This riding has a diverse voting history — Liberal for the last 12 years, it was home to CCP and NDP MLA Leo Nimsick from 1949 to 1975. The area between Fernie and Cranbrook tends to be quite Liberal, while the town centres themselves lean towards the NDP.
Candidates
BC Liberals -Tom Shypitka: A Cranbrook city councillor and financial adviser. He is a high-level curler, having represented B.C. at the Brier three times.
NDP – Randal Macnair: Has 15 years of political experience, having spent six years as Fernie mayor and nine as city councillor.
Green – Yvonne Prest: A high school french immersion teacher, Prest has spent summers volunteering with CISV: Children International Summer Villages.
Libertarian – Keith D. Komar: The Libertarian party is running 30 candidates, four times as many as in 2013. They have been running candidates in B.C. since 1986, but have never come close to winning a seat.
2017 Stats: Kootenay East
Population (2014): 40,466 (77th)
Population Deviation from Average: -23.8 per cent
Area: 13,210 sq km (19th)
Pop Density: 3.1 (70th)
Average Age: 43 years (32nd)
English as Second Language: 7.75 per cent (86th)
Top 3 Second Languages:
German – 1.57 per cent
Italian – 0.87 per cent
Dutch – 0.40 per cent
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