File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Sydney Chisholm

BC Votes

Newly-elected Kamloops MLAs ready to head to Victoria as opposition

Oct 29, 2024 | 5:30 PM

KAMLOOPS – Kamloops MLAs-elect Peter Milobar and Ward Stamer will be headed to Victoria as members of the opposition for the next legislative session, possibly before Christmas.

“The premier’s indicating that he would like to be back in [session] relatively soon,” said Milobar, Kamloops Centre MLA-elect. “Now, how long of a session that would be and whether or not it’s just for a bit of a speech and some pieces of legislation that they call exposure bills…we’ll wait and see what the government’s final plans are around there.”

The two Kamloops Conservative candidates knew they would be headed to Victoria in the first 45 minutes after the polls closed, but until this week, whether they would be forming government or opposition was still up in the air. The BC NDP is expected to form a majority government, securing the most votes in 47 ridings across the province.

Sitting as the opposition is nothing new for incumbent Milobar, who was first elected as an MLA in 2017, as part of the BC Liberals. This time around, Milobar will be sitting with the Conservatives alongside several new faces.

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“There’ll be a lot of learning. I think we have 36 new electeds who have never been in the legislature before, and the NDP have a great many on their side as well,” Milobar told CFJC News. “It’s really about us now as incoming MLAs, helping to mentor and bring along all those new MLAs as well and and help them find their voice and their style that they want to use in the legislature.”

Kamloops-North Thompson’s Ward Stamer is one of the new faces.

“I’m excited. I mean, really, I truly am. I’ve never been an MLA,” said Stamer. “The first couple of meetings will probably be a little unsettling because of the history of the building and, you know, what’s actually transpired. I found out that there have been fewer than 1,000 MLAs since 1871, so it’s kind of a special place to be. But I’m quite sure that I’ll be able to navigate through those halls.”

There are still judicial recounts for two ridings – Surrey-Guildford, where the NDP lead, and Kelowna Centre, currently held by the Conservatives.

Judicial recounts have historically not changed election results, though Milobar hopes to see it favour his party.

“We would hope to then have a positive result in Surrey-Guilford and hold our vote lead in Kelowna Centre,” said Milobar. “We’ll have the definitive answer, I guess, in 7-to-10 days when that process plays out, but in the meantime, we will be advancing as if the NDP has a majority.”