Oliver town councillor Petra Veintimilla is hoping to pick up the baton for the BC Liberal Party in the B.C. riding of Boundary-Similkameen.
She said there’s more power in provincial politics.
“Being that most of the resources flow to municipalities from the province, I think I’ve created a bunch of really strong relationships over the past couple of years with my experience on council and the regional district,” Veintimilla said.
“I think those relationships will be helpful and useful in pushing forward initiatives that are important to the riding.”
Liberal MLA Linda Larson won the seat by nearly 2,300 votes in 2017, or 10 per cent, but she is retiring from politics and the BC NDP has the riding on its radar to flip in 2020.
BC Liberal leader Andrew Wilkinson campaigned with Veintimilla in the riding on Sunday, just six days before general election day.
WATCH BELOW: Petra Veintimilla is running for the BC Liberal Party in the riding of Boundary-Similkameen, She speaks with Global Okanagan about the tight race and her priorities, if elected.
The BC NDP is represented by ecologist and Regional District of Kootenay Boundary director Roly Russell while Darryl Seres is running for the BC Conservative Party.
Arlyn Greig will appear on the ballot as the fourth candidate representing Wexit BC, but she said she’s been fired from the western separatist party and declined an interview.
Candidates are pounding the pavement to meet with voters in the massive riding, which stretches from Princeton, Keremeos and Osoyoos to Grand Forks and Christina Lake.
Russell, a Grand Forks resident, said it is time for a shakeup in the riding.
“It’s been under a Liberal MLA for the last 20 some years and I think that there is a very clear recognition that there is some value in having a sitting MLA that is part of a potential majority government,” he said.
Seres, who lives in Osoyoos, said voters should send a Conservative MLA to Victoria.
“The main reason I decided to run is because I just don’t see the main parties representing the people of the riding, it seems as though the major parties are beholden to special interest groups,” he said.
WATCH BELOW: Roly Russell is representing the BC NDP in the riding of Boundary-Similkameen. He speaks with Global Okanagan about why he thinks the “safe” Liberal seat should swing to the NDP, and the most important issues facing the riding.
On the issues, Veintimilla said she will promote equitable access to health care in rural communities.
“We are very excited with our announcement that an elected BC Liberal government will be investing and upgrading and modernizing the Princeton hospital, which is huge for Princeton and area,” she said.
Seres said access to specialized health services, seniors care and more funding for mental health and addictions services are key.
“COVID has shown us that we absolutely have to make it so that workers at these care facilities can afford to live and not have to work at multiple facilities, that’s just been an absolute tragedy,” he said.
Russell said re-stimulating the economy is a major priority.
“The recovery from this pandemic is top of mind for everybody and will permeate all of the other aspects of what we are doing for the next four years,” he said.
“The BC NDP has already made it clear that we are going to have targeted tax credits to support those local businesses and I also think we really have to advocate hard to get those supports for small businesses.”
WATCH BELOW: Darryl Seres is representing the BC Conservative party in the riding of Boundary-Similkameen. He speaks with Global Okanagan about the attempted resurgence of the BC Conservatives and his priorities for the region, if elected.
All candidates said there needs to be more local input when it comes to the controversial national park reserve in the South Okanagan-Similkameen.
“The benefits of a national park outweigh the negatives. That being said, I truly and strongly believe that it’s not an MLA’s role to take a strong position one way or another and push their own agenda,” she said.
“I’m in support of it,” said Russell. “My background is in ecology and I’ve seen enough global examples of where parks like that are both a significant economic benefit and significant environmental benefit.”
Meanwhile, Seres said the future of the national park should go to a public vote.
“I am campaigning strongly for a yes/no referendum on the proposed national park reserve. I very strongly believe it is not the place for provincial or federal governments to come in and impose their will on the people of the riding, it is the people of the riding that ought to have the final say on this,” Seres said.
Access to affordable, quality child care is also top of mind for all political hopefuls as well as ICBC reform.
It’s a race to the finish line as voters head to the polls on Saturday.
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