Conservatives chose candidate to run in federal election

VERNON – A Salmon Arm businessperson will lead the Conservative charge in the North Okanagan-Shuswap riding in 2015.

The party faithful have nominated Mel Arnold as their candidate as voting came to an end Saturday night.

Arnold beat out challengers Wayne Lippert of Vernon, Janet Green of Lumby and Scott Anderson, also from Vernon, according to the Conservative Association’s Facebook page.

Arnold has owned and operated Complete Marine Detailing in Salmon Arm for 25 years. He has also been involved with the Salmon Arm Chamber of Commerce, the Shuswap Pro Development Association and the B.C. Wildlife Federation.

The Conservatives were the last of the four main political parties to choose their candidate for the upcoming federal election.

Cindy Derkaz is running for the Liberals, Jacqui Gingras is the NDP’s candidate while Dave Smith will represent the Green Party.

Chances are good Arnold will be replace the retiring Colin Mayes as the riding’s Member of Parliament if you look at the voting history over the past two decades.

A politically right leaning party has held the riding since 1993 when Reform’s Darrel Stinson beat Liberal Lyle MacWilliam. Stinson was the MP as a member of the Alliance party and then the Conservatives until 2006 when he left politics.

Conservative Colin Mayes took over when he was elected in the 2006 federal vote and passes the torch to Arnold fas the party’s candidate for the 2015 election.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infonews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.