The NDP candidate for Kamloops-North Thompson believes her life experiences will translate well into a term as the area MLA, if elected this Saturday.

Sadie Hunter says it was that desire to serve people that also drew her to run for Kamloops city council in the first place.

“I think the people of Kamloops-North Thompson need somebody who can fight for them and can do it from a place of experience. I really do believe that that provides a whole different way of understanding and knowing and perspectives,” she said. “I know what happens first hand what happens to families and communities when a mill shuts down, and I also know how hard it is to be a single parent and be low income and try to figure out how you are going to pay your bills.”

“It was a tough situation, you know working three jobs at the same time. I do feel that having that experience but then also my educational background in environmental science and journalism brings a really unique but powerful passion to fight for people.”

Hunter is in the middle of her first term on city council after she was elected in 2018. Earlier this month, she was also elected a Director-at-Large on the Union of BC Municipalities executive for the 2020-21 year.

“I ran for UBCM Director at Large because we need a voice at the table,” Hunter added. “So when this came up as a possibility for myself, it only made sense that if I had an opportunity to be an advocate directly at the table, and to bring the issues that are impacting our communities directly to the table, then why wouldn’t I take that?”

Running against Hunter is the Liberal incumbent Peter Milobar, the Green Party’s Thomas Martin, the Conservative’s Dennis Giesbrecht and independent candidate Brandon Russell.