The candidates have been established for the May 9, 2017 provincial election in the Columbia River-Revelstoke riding and the battle between the BC NDP and BC Liberal Party candidates is already white hot.

District of Invermere Mayor Gerry Taft earned the riding nomination over fellow Invermere resident Spring Hawes Oct. 15 and immediately came out firing at Liberal candidate Doug Clovechok.

It was a move reminiscent of a current much-larger election campaign taking place in the United States and it is disappointing, Fairmont Hot Springs resident Clovechok told e-KNOW.

“After the NDP candidate nomination vote in Columbia River-Revelstoke, it is disappointing that Mr. Taft’s first public communication to constituents involved Donald Trump-style personal attacks. He clearly does not understand this tactic is not what the people of our riding want from those asking to be hired in the next provincial election,” Clovechok said.

“My first public communication to Mr. Taft is simple. Congratulations on your nomination and I look forward to the campaign. I also want to offer my congratulations to the other NDP nominee, Spring Hawes, and although she was not chosen she ran an ethical, principled campaign that clearly aligned with the values of the NDP Party.

“In Mr. Taft’s press release he criticizes me because I have not changed my principles or my party. Mr. Taft is a professional politician and has supported many political parties so far in his young life. He sat on the federal Conservative Party of Canada Board of Directors for Columbia Kootenay, was a member of the BC Liberal Party, a member of the BC First Party and now he claims to support the NDP,” said Clovechok, running for office for the second straight provincial election.

“I would never switch political parties just because I figured it would get me elected. Even after being unsuccessful in the 2013 election, I stuck to the values of free enterprise and fiscal responsibility while advocating relentlessly to give Columbia River-Revelstoke residents a voice on issues that matter to them and their families,” he said.

“Over the past four years I have been listening to and working with people here in the riding. I have worked with provincial ministers, the Electoral Area E RDEK Director and Meadowbrook community to establish Cherry Creek Regional Park just outside of Kimberley, and helped the CSRD Area A Director in Golden and Golden raft company owners to meet with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure on the Kicking Horse Canyon situation. This meeting resulted in a grant to Golden of $40,000 from the province to research best possible alternatives to the canyon issue. I organized a meeting in Victoria with the Mayor of Revelstoke and three BC government Ministers to discuss the TransCanada highway issue and I am also working with Mayor (Mark) McKee on bringing a full time Conservation Officer back to Revelstoke.

Clovechok pointed out he is not “a professional politician; just an ordinary person who wants to put a lifetime of diverse experience to work for you. Mr. Taft is correct that the people of this riding want a MLA who listens and that is exactly what I have been doing over the past four years and will continue to do so.

“I am a proud BC Liberal Party member because of my firm belief that a strong economy is the best way to care for the people we love. We need growth and responsible resource development to pay for the services families rely on, while ensuring they continue to pay the lowest tax rates in Canada,” Clovechok concluded.

Lead image: Doug Clovechok speaks during the grand opening of Cherry Creek Falls Regional Park on June 12. Ian Cobb/e-KNOW file photo

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