Will Kelowna West forgive BC Liberal candidate who traded seat with Christy Clark for cushy job in China?

By Nick Valka

The bad taste left in Kelowna West voters’ mouths after Christy Clark’s “parachuting” into the riding seems to be a major factor influencing the electorate’s voting decision for the upcoming by-election.

Residents of the Kelowna West electoral district will hit the polls on Feb. 14 for a by-election to fill the void seat Christy Clark left after resigning from her position back in July following the fall of her minority government.

Lesley McGlinchey, an elementary school teacher in Kelowna, had a problem with Clark ever since she was brought into the riding.

“After she lost her seat in the provincial election, the Liberals were desperate to find their party leader a seat, so she was parachuted into the Kelowna West riding because the Okanagan has long been a Liberal stronghold,” McGlinchey said. “In my opinion, that ‘parachuting’ should be deemed unconstitutional. No one here voted for her and in no way did she represent our riding.”

McGlichey believes that Clark’s motivation solely to be the Premier.

“I believe that she showed her true colours after this recent election; she was to be the Leader of the Opposition,” McGlinchey said. “Instead of assuming that position and representing the riding that elected her, she took her toys and went home. As a result, our riding has been without representation since the election.”

Replacing Clark as the Liberal candidate for the riding is Ben Stewart, who was the previous MLA in Kelowna West and stepped aside to allow Clark to assume the seat back in 2013. He is running against NDP candidate Shelley Cook, Conservative candidate Mark Thompson and Green Party candidate Robert Stupka.

McGlinchey doesn’t have any faith in Stewart after he traded in his seat for a cushy position in China^[1]http://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/ex-mla-who-gave-premier-christy-clark-his-seat-gets-plum-post-in-asia-1.675683. The former Premier, Christy Clark, appointed Stewart as BC Special Representative in Beijing.

With a current NDP provincial government, Stewart and the Liberals winning the by-election is in no way a given, but what is known is that it will not change the current balance of power.

[Photo Credit: Province of British Columbia]