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ELECTION 2015: Fuhr ousts Conservatives as Kelowna-Lake Country goes Liberal

ELECTION 2015: Fuhr ousts Conservatives as Kelowna-Lake Country goes Liberal | iNFOnews.ca
FILE - Federal Liberal candidate Stephen Fuhr is pictured this summer, early in the election campaign., Federal Liberal candidate Stephen Fuhr joins his supporters following his election win in Kelowna-Lake Country, Monday, Oct. 19, 2015. Photographer: John McDonald

"AN HONOUR AND A PRIVILEGE:" CANNAN

KELOWNA – In a surpise upset Liberal Stephen Fuhr has won Kelowna-Lake Country, ousting three term Conservative Ron Cannan.

The riding has been a bastion for the Conservatives but the surging Liberals managed to tap into a desire for change that washed across Canada in recent weeks under leader Justin Trudeau.

Fuhr also enjoyed the support of some local Green Party members, whose candidate opted out of the race and endorsed the Liberal.

He greeted an enthusiastic crowd of party faithful at the Delta Grand hotel tonight, Oct. 19, telling them they achieved the win together.

Fuhr also gave credit to the Green Party members in his victory speech, saying Kelowna-Lake Country was the only riding in the country in which the Greens and the Liberals were able to come together.

“Now there are no colours in this riding. I will work with everyone.”

Cannan said he suffered the same fate as his party but looking back, he said has plenty to be proud of.

"You’re part of a team, (you) play as a team player no matter what happens," he said. "Lots of things (I'm) proud of but I definitely heard from people it was time for a leadership change."

"It's been a privilege and an honour to be serve Kelowna Lake Country in Ottawa," he added. "Lots of good things to be proud of. I want to continue to be involved. I am not going anywhere, whatever the future holds."

ELECTION 2015: Fuhr ousts Conservatives as Kelowna-Lake Country goes Liberal | iNFOnews.ca
Ron Cannan meets with supporters following a shocking loss to Liberal Stephen Fuhr. Photographer: John McDonald

Fuhr is a veteran and former fighter pilot who says he left the airforce six years ago as a Conservative but changed his mind along the way.

To contact the reporter for this story, email John McDonald at jmcdonald@infonews.ca or call 250-808-0143. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

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John McDonald

John began life as a journalist through the Other Press, the independent student newspaper for Douglas College in New Westminster. The fluid nature of student journalism meant he was soon running the place, learning on the fly how to publish a newspaper.

It wasn’t until he moved to Kelowna he broke into the mainstream media, working for Okanagan Sunday, then the Kelowna Daily Courier and Okanagan Saturday doing news graphics and page layout. He carried on with the Kelowna Capital News, covering health and education while also working on special projects, including the design and launch of a mass market daily newspaper. After 12 years there, John rejoined the Kelowna Daily Courier as editor of the Westside Weekly, directing news coverage as the Westside became West Kelowna.

But digital media beckoned and John joined Kelowna.com as assistant editor and reporter, riding the start-up as it at first soared then went down in flames. Now John is turning dirt as city hall reporter for iNFOnews.ca where he brings his long experience to bear on the civic issues of the day.

If you have a story you think people should know about, email John at jmcdonald@infonews.ca

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