Retired Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA Doug Clovechok says the close and uncertain results of the provincial election shows voters’ desire for change.
“A lot of voters are not happy with the way the NDP government has been running this province for the last eight years,” said Clovechok.
“It was crystal clear with the number of seats the NDP lost, even their incumbent seats, that British Columbians want change and they want it now.”
As it stands, the BC NDP has 46 seats the BC Conservative Party has 45 and the BC Green Party has two.
However, the election results are still inconclusive, with two ridings requiring official recounts as the two lead candidates have less than 100 votes separating them while other ridings do not have their final ballot numbers in yet.
“As far as the future goes, nobody really knows,” said Clovechok.
“As of right now, we don’t have anybody to form a government. With the two Green MLAs, are we facing a coalition government or is it going to be vote-by-vote? Who knows, but it’s certainly going to be interesting to watch.”
Regardless of where the final results fall, Clovechok says this election should be a wake-up call for Premier David Eby and the BC NDP.
“People are hurting in this province and if the NDP forms government, they’re going to have to change, as Eby said himself. It’s too bad it took them eight years to see their ideological policy does not work for British Columbians, especially out here in the Kootenays,” said Clovechok.
“We’re different than people in downtown Vancouver and I think we have a shot at having a government that understands what it’s like to live in rural British Columbia.”
Clovechok formerly represented the riding for the BC United and moved over to support the BC Conservatives with Scott McInnis’ campaign.
“As I worked with him, I’ve come to know Scott very well. He’s a fine man, he has a big heart, he cares for people and Columbia River-Revelstoke is going to be very well-served by this man,” said Clovechok.
McInnis won the election for his riding, earning 48.1 per cent of the ballot.
In the neighbouring riding of Kootenay-Rockies, Conservative candidate Pete Davis won by a significant margin of 42.83 per cent of the ballot, with Independent candidate and incumbent Tom Shypitka coming in second with 30.52 per cent.
Clovechok says he was glad to see a Conservative victory in the riding, but he still feels for Shypitka, who was his long-time colleague in BC United.
“Shypitka was an excellent MLA, he cared deeply about the people he served,” said Clovechok. “I think Tom is going to be missed. I wish Pete the best, but experience speaks for itself. Tom had eight years in the Legislature, so Pete has some big shoes to fill,” said Clovechok.
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