By Two & Out

There isn’t a person in Kamloops who could defeat Ken Christian in an election

Oct 21, 2018 | 5:00 AM

THE CONCLUSION TO YESTERDAY’S MAYORAL ELECTION in Kamloops was as foregone as the conclusion to the movie Titanic. 

Ken Christian was going to defeat William Turnbull, and it was not going to be particularly close. 

That’s no disrespect to Turnbull, who seems like a sincere fellow with a heart for his community. 

Kudos are his for putting his name down on the ballot for mayor. 

But the other name on the ballot is a political machine in Kamloops; one that chews up and spits out opponents not unlike the grain harvesters of my homeland.

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Christian finished with 87 per cent of the vote.

More than 17,000 people filled in the oval beside Christian’s name, much more than for any other candidate running for any other post.

There was already enough evidence before this year’s election, but yesterday’s vote goes even further to prove this truism: there is not a person in Kamloops who could defeat Ken Christian in an election. 

Not one. 

For two decades-plus now, Ken Christian has been the most popular politician in Kamloops regardless of the position he chooses to run for — be it school trustee, councillor or mayor. 

So let’s speculate wildly for a moment, shall we? 

Ken Christian is on a ballot against literally any Kamloops resident. 

Who wins? 

It’s Christian. 

Past mayors Peter Milobar and Terry Lake were popular in their respective times, but also accumulated political baggage over the years. 

Current councillors Arjun Singh and Kathy Sinclair have made great gains, but could not take down Christian in a one-on-one battle. 

Popular media personalities? 

Even the Kamloops This Week People’s Choice winner in that category changes every year. 

Sports heroes like Mark Recchi, Kelly Olynyk or Catherine Pendrel? 

Even in the outlandish scenario that any one of them entered local politics, Christian would render their star power mute with his folksy charm, broad political message and encyclopedic knowledge of municipal governance. 

Ken Christian is an unstoppable political force, and if nothing changes in the next four years, then neither will the keister parked in the mayor’s chair.