June 8 is date the provincial New Democratic party's (NDP) local riding association is to select who will carry its banner into this October’s provincial election for the riding of Powell River-Sunshine Coast. Local NDP constituency association president Bill Forst said the decision is to be made at an event at Sechelt’s Seaside Centre.
Speaking with Coast Reporter on May 3, Forst said two of the five candidate hopefuls that the organization introduced in a Feb. 2 press release have completed the provincial party’s review requirements and been confirmed as candidates. The remaining three are still actively involved and are “at different stages in an extensive vetting process” to be approved for consideration as candidates.
Those who have put their names forward are Amanda Amaral (current School District 46 chair), Randene Neill (former Global TV journalist), Jäger Rosenberg (Chatelech Secondary student and air cadet), Jacquie Shields (president of the Sunshine Coast Teachers Association) and Darnelda Siegers (former District of Sechelt mayor and councillor). All five hopefuls are residents of the Lower Sunshine Coast. And that list may not be complete, as Forst outlined that party members have until May 10 to file for consideration to be the riding’s NDP candidate.
The evening will mark the beginning of the official transition to a new public face for the NDP in the riding, with the individual selected as the candidate taking over from the riding's MLA Nicholas Simons. Since 2005, Simons, a former Lower Coast resident who now lives in Powell River, has claimed this area's seat for the NDP in five consecutive elections. In September 2023, he announced he intended to retire at the end of the current term.
More Route 3 sailings promised by BC United's Chris Moore
Our riding's only confirmed candidate, BC United's Chris Moore has a campaign office established on Sechelt's Cowrie Street. In an April 30 press release, he committed to put hourly BC Ferries sailings on Route 3 from Horseshoe Bay to Langdale, if elected.
“The community has long been advocating the need for hourly sailings and has repeatedly been told that there is insufficient demand for this level of service on route 3. To meet the needs of our growing population and of the tourism industry, we need to provide ready and reliable access to our ferry dependent community via this critical transportation link” he said.
He added that, “BC United has plans to improve the connectivity of services to Powell River from the lower portion of the Sunshine Coast as well as connectivity from Powell River to Vancouver Island and Texada Island.”
Conservatives and Greens in candidate selection process
June is also the target to have a local candidate selected to represent the Conservative Party. Angelo Isidorou, spokesperson for that entity told Coast Reporter in a May 5 email "we are still in a nomination process," when it comes to the local riding.
An email received from communications manager with the BC Green Party, Rippon Madtha did not provide details on timing for an announcement of a Powell River-Sushine Coast candidate, but indicated that the party is "planning to run a full slate of 93 candidates in the October election.
"We currently have 17 nominated, with more on the way" the email detailed. The party's website shows that former Town of Gibsons councillor Jeremy Valeriote has been declared as their candidate for the West Vancouver – Sea to Sky riding.
