NDP announces four candidates seeking local nomination

With a federal election just around the corner, the local NDP riding association has announced it has four candidates vying for the seat to replace incumbent, Richard Cannings who announced his retirement last year.

“It is encouraging to see such high caliber candidates put their names forward” said Cannings, “We will need an experienced and adept representative to navigate the challenges that will face our next Parliament. Each of these candidates brings substantial experience and a strong voice to advocate for our unique region.”

The four candidates are Herb Alex, Harpreet Badohal, Miguel Godau, and Linda Sankey.

Alex is from the Osoyoos Indian Band and has deep roots across the riding. He has spent decades working with all levels of government to promote good governance and sustainability. Badohal is a long-time health and safety professional with experience leading teams within the Ministry of Labour. His experience and passion are in developing strategies for a sustainable economic future. Godau is a leader in the Department of Child and Youth Mental Health and has been deeply engaged in advocating for those facing housing, food, and job insecurity. He is the President of the Castlegar Arts Council and an active community member. Sankey is a long-time Penticton resident and community leader with a 30-year history of service including the health care sector, BC Housing, the Penticton Chamber of Commerce, the City of Penticton Housing Task Force and the100 More Homes Collaborative. She is currently the Executive Director of the Brain Injury Society.

Local NDP members will vote to select their candidate on March 1st. “We are committed to a robust democratic process to decide our candidate” shared NDP riding president, Tina Lee. “Our region has been incredibly well served by our NDP MP, Richard Cannings, and we have truly punched above our weight in a minority government and secured significant gains for our community and our whole country” said Lee, referring to substantial social supports including dental, pharmacare, and childcare programs secured by the NDP.

“We are hearing that folks don’t trust a Conservative government to protect our services and our economy against US pressures. Our riding has traditionally embraced more progressive values and I’m confident they will see that the only way to stop a Conservative majority is a local vote to elect one of our strong NDP candidates” shared incumbent Cannings.

Since the 2021 election, the riding has undergone a redistribution process that has seen it shift to include the Similkameen valley and carve out other parts of the riding including Trail, the Slocan Valley, and Nakusp. The last three elections have been won by the NDP, with the Conservatives trailing a close second. The new Similkameen – South Okanagan – West Kootenay riding will again likely be a tight race between the NDP and the Conservatives, since the Liberals have not been competitive in the region for over half century.