File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By James Peters

Two and Out

PETERS: The myth of local representation in East Kamloops

Apr 25, 2025 | 12:30 PM

IN THEORY, our Canadian parliament is supposed to be about local representation.

Each electoral area chooses one representative to go to Ottawa, sit in the House of Commons and stand up for the interests brought forward by the communities who sent them there.

Of course, we know a major flaw has developed in that model, as representatives tend to emphasize the ideologies of their respective parties rather than the priorities of their constituents.

In theory, we vote for a person not a party, even though in practice, many vote for party first. The name on the ballot means little.

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Even so, typically we get to see someone from within our midst on that ballot.

This time around, that simply won’t be the case for residents of East Kamloops. That is, people living in a large portion of Downtown Kamloops, Sagebrush, Upper Sahali, Valleyview, Rose Hill, Juniper Ridge, Barnhartvale and Dallas.

Of the five candidates who have put their names forward for election, not one is from Kamloops.

Conservative Mel Arnold and NDPer Phaedra Idzan are from Salmon Arm, Green candidate Owen Madden is from Grindrod and Michael Henry of the People’s Party lives in Revelstoke.

Ken Robertson, the Liberal candidate, has roots in Chase and Neskonlith but is living in Toronto.

The fault for this situation is not necessarily the candidates’ — nor does the fault belong to the parties who nominated them.

After all, most of these folks are from within the riding. They’re just not from the largest population centre within the riding.

The problem is the riding.

In geography, the riding is vastly rural, with several smaller communities along the Trans Canada corridor like Salmon Arm, Revelstoke and Golden.

Those folks have different lives and different priorities than most of us in Kamloops. I’m sure people in Golden and Mica Creek and Shelter Bay feel the same way.

It’s a good reason for us in East Kamloops to bone up on our research of these out-of-town candidates before we head to the ballot box on Monday.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.