BC United has confirmed that four Kamloops-area MLAs will run for re-election in the next provincial election which is still a year away.
Peter Milobar, Todd Stone, Jackie Tegart, and Lorne Doerkson will be four of 93 people who will make up BC United’s “strong, accomplished, and diverse” slate of candidates.
Stone and Milobar confirmed to Radio NL in April that they will seek re-election, but in different ridings after some significant changes to electoral boundaries that split the City into two ridings.
Milobar will be seeking his third term in office when he runs in the newly drawn Kamloops Centre riding while Stone will be looking for his fourth term in the newly redrawn Kamloops-North Thompson riding.
Milobar, a former mayor of Kamloops, is currently the opposition finance critic. Stone is currently the BC United House Leader, and the opposition critic for Jobs, Small Business, and Economic Development.
Likewise, Tegart – who also confirmed to Radio NL in April that she will seek re-election – and Doerksen will run in the newly redrawn Fraser-Nicola and Cariboo-Chilcotin ridings respectively.
Tegart, like Stone, was first elected in 2013, and will be seeking her fourth term in office while Doerkson was first elected in Cariboo-Chilcotin in 2020, taking over from the retired Donna Barnett.
Tegart is currently Assistant Deputy Speaker in the BC Legislature, while Doerkson is the opposition critic for Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, as well as for Water, Land, and Natural Resource Stewardship.
“These incredible and accomplished candidates are committed to continuing their dedicated service to the people of British Columbia, upholding BC United’s vision and values, and tackling the critical issues that our province is facing,” BC United Leader Kevin Falcon said in a statement. “We are thrilled to have such an outstanding team of individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and dedication throughout their careers.”
“With their collective experience and expertise, I am fully confident in their ability to continue delivering results for British Columbians on the issues that matter most like affordability, health care, public safety, and tackling mental health and addictions issues.”
None of the other parties – the BC NDP, the BC Greens, or the upstart BC Conservatives – have publicly announced who their Kamloops-area candidates will be.
The next provincial election in B.C. is scheduled to be held on or before October 19, 2024.