A well-known array of potential candidates for the upcoming Kelowna, B.C., municipal election is starting to emerge.
Late last week, nomination packages for the Oct. 15 election became available through the city clerk’s office. To date, two people have expressed interest in the mayoral position and another 16 for council.
David Habib and Glendon Smedley are currently the only two people who have expressed interest in Kelowna’s mayoral seat. Habib is known for his connection to the Liquid Zoo and Smedley ran for council in 2014.
Tom Dyas has expressed his intent to run, though has yet to pick up a nomination package, nor has current mayor Colin Basran.
Of the 16 people who have picked up nomination papers for council are current councillor Loyal Wooldridge and former Kelowna Lake Country MP Ron Cannan. Cannan was unseated in 2015, when Liberal MP Stephen Fuhr was elected. Cannan also was on council from 1996 to 2005.
One of the most highly-recognizable names on the council list is David Lindsay. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lindsay became a well-known anti-mask and anti-mandate rally organizer.
Lindsay was charged with two counts of assault following an incident that took place outside of Interior Health’s building in downtown Kelowna during the summer of 2021.
Another person with a similar background who’s picked up a nomination package is Bruce Orydzuk.
Orydzuk gained notoriety when he was caught on video yelling at a security guard to “go back to his country” after the guard asked him to leave the property of a COVID-19 vaccine clinic on Springfield Road on July 13, 2021.
Orydzuk was later charged with one count of “uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm” after he verbally attacked a Global TV reporter at a separate anti-vaccine rally last year and will appear in court on Thursday on that charge.
Also picking nominations are Heather Friesen, Brian Rogers, Greg Dahms, Gord Lovegrove, Anthony Shephard, Allen Vanderheide, James Wendland, Bal Grewal, Elaine McMurray, James Kay, Amarit Brar and Amarjit S. Lalli.
Kelowna residents will head to the polls on Oct. 15 to elect a mayor and eight councillors for the 2022–2026 term. In addition, voters will elect four trustees to the School District No. 23 Board of Education.
To get the latest information on the election, go to kelowna.ca/election where all the details on where and when to vote will be listed.