Latest nominee in race for Conservative candidacy in North Okanagan riding announced

The latest nominee in the race to become the Conservative candidate in the new federal riding of Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee has been announced.

Kelowna radio host Toby Tannas made the announcement Monday and is up against Vernon city councillor Teresa Durning, former Vernon city councillor Scott Anderson and Vernon business owner Rachel Enns. Min Randhawa sought a nomination but hasn’t confirmed that she’s on the ballot at a nomination meeting planned for this weekend. The current MP Mel Arnold will be running in a new riding, Kamloops-Shuswap-Central Rockies.

“As a married mother of two daughters, I know firsthand the challenges facing families in this riding,” Tannas said in a press release issued March 10. “From the rising cost of living to increasing crime, local families and businesses are being squeezed on all sides. I’m running to be a voice for lower taxes, safer streets, and opportunities for the next generation.”

The vote is set to take place at the Coldstream Community Hall starting at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 16. Only members of the federal Conservative party who registered before Feb. 14 can vote in the contest.

Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee is a new riding, but if the election is called before April 23 then the current riding boundaries for North Okanagan-Shuswap will be in effect, according to Elections Canada.

Parliament is prorogued, or paused, until March 24 and an election could happen any time between now and October. If a byelection is called then the current riding boundaries will be in effect. 

_{— This story was updated to clarify who is running for the nomination and corrected to say Mel Arnold is running in the next federal election in a different riding.}