Stephen Fuhr, the Liberal candidate for Kelowna-Lake Country, is encouraging voters to vote with their mind instead of their heart during next month害羞草研究所檚 federal election on Oct. 21.

害羞草研究所淟et害羞草研究所檚 face it. The NDP is not getting into government nor are the Greens. That has got to weigh into your consciousness,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淲e have a two-horse race and the consequences to a blue (Conservative) government will really take away everything that the Greens and the NDP believe in 害羞草研究所� and even the Liberals.害羞草研究所�

Fuhr said all of this rolls into what he calls a 害羞草研究所渂usiness decision害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� commonly known as strategic voting.

害羞草研究所淚t shouldn害羞草研究所檛 be an emotional (decision),害羞草研究所� said Fuhr, during an all-candidates forum on Sept. 19.

害羞草研究所淭he Conservatives aren害羞草研究所檛 going to deliver on what 80 per cent of Canadians want, so the way to stop that from happening would be to vote for the progressive person that can actually win.害羞草研究所�

When asked if he was encouraging strategic voting in the upcoming election, Fuhr said to 害羞草研究所渧ote for the things that you care about but think about who can actually deliver those things.害羞草研究所�

Fuhr continued, saying its ultimately an individual decision and he hopes people vote for him based on the representation he gave his constituents over the past four years in Ottawa.

Other candidates in the riding took issue with Fuhr害羞草研究所檚 sentiment.

害羞草研究所淭he Liberals ran on a platform of electoral reform in 2015, they abandoned that in 2016 and the entire idea of electoral reform and proportional representation 害羞草研究所� which is what the committee recommended 害羞草研究所� is to avoid the need to vote strategically entirely,害羞草研究所� said Justin Kulik of the NDP.

害羞草研究所淚 think it害羞草研究所檚 a little backwards for the Liberals to have voted against adopting that report and then here in 2019 during the election, again telling voters that they need to vote strategically.害羞草研究所�

The Green Party害羞草研究所檚 Travis Ashley said that approaching the voting booth as a business decision is 害羞草研究所渢errible advice.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淪trategic voting seems to have not been working for the past 50 some-odd years,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淲e need to start voting with our hearts.害羞草研究所�

Capital News reached out to Tracy Gray, the local Conservative candidate, for comment, but did not hear back before deadline.

In 2015, Fuhr won Kelowna-Lake Country with just over 4,000 votes, however this came in part due to a deal between Fuhr and the riding害羞草研究所檚 Green Party candidate at the time, Gary Adams.

Adams agreed to drop out of the race and support Fuhr in return for Fuhr promoting parts of the Green Party platform if elected. This resulted in a but no penalties were persued.

While not happy about it at the time, the deal was not opposed by federal Green Party leader Elizabeth May and she did not name another Green candidate to replace Adams in the riding in 2015.

-With files from Alistair Waters

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michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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