Central Okanagan political candidates are gearing up for a campaign after B.C. Premier John Horgan officially terminated his minority government agreement with the B.C. Green Party on Sept. 21 and called an election for Oct. 24.

BC Liberals Norm Letnick and Ben Stewart 害羞草研究所� who previously represented the Kelowna-Lake Country and Kelowna West ridings respectively 害羞草研究所� will both be back on the ballot in October alongside a new face.

Local developer Renee Merrifield, will be running for the Liberals in Kelowna-Mission. That riding was formerly held by Steve Thomson but he announced in December he would not be seeking reelection after more than a decade in the legislature.

Letnick and Stewart both maintain that this election has been called sheerly out of the political interest of the BC NDP, calling the snap election 害羞草研究所渦nnecessary.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲e have a fixed election date for a reason: so politicians like Mr. Horgan can害羞草研究所檛 try to arrange election dates when it suits political parties,害羞草研究所� said Letnick. 害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 obviously putting his own needs above those of the province.害羞草研究所�

READ MORE: Citing stability, B.C. Premier calls snap election for Oct. 24

Letnick said he hopes people see the election call for 害羞草研究所渨hat it is害羞草研究所� and go to the polls with that in mind.

Stewart said the election call is 害羞草研究所減olitical opportunism害羞草研究所� on Horgan害羞草研究所檚 part.

害羞草研究所淗e clearly doesn害羞草研究所檛 want to have any impediments to be able to govern,害羞草研究所� Stewart said. 害羞草研究所淎nd working with the CASA agreement (with the Greens), which they害羞草研究所檝e done successfully for the last three-plus years, wasn害羞草研究所檛 acceptable I guess.害羞草研究所�

At a news conference in his home community of Langford Sept. 21, Horgan said he has 害羞草研究所渟truggled mightily害羞草研究所� with the decision to call an early vote, but the long duration of the pandemic requires stability. That stability is eroded three and a half years into his term with former B.C. Green Party leader Andrew Weaver sitting as an independent and preparing to retire, he said.

害羞草研究所淚 believe the best way forward is to put the politics behind us,害羞草研究所� Horgan said, adding that sticking to the legislated election schedule would be 害羞草研究所渢ime well wasted.害羞草研究所�

Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com

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