And they’re off…the election campaign has officially begun in BC and here in the Cariboo.
In Cariboo North, Liberal MLA Coralee Oakes, most recently the Minister of Small Business, Red Tape Reduction and the Liquor Distribution Branch, is seeking a 2nd term.
Two term Quesnel City Councillor Scott Elliott is running against her under the NDP banner along with School Trustee and former Chair of Quesnel’s Board of Education Tony Goulet who is representing the BC Conservative Party.
Richard Jaques, who represented the Green Party in the 2015 Federal election, is expected to run for the Greens provincially in this election as well but has yet to hand in his nomination papers.
The deadline to do that is one week from today.
There are just three candidates so far in the Cariboo/Chilcotin riding.
Liberal Incumbent Donna Barnett, the only MLA in this riding since it’s birth back in 2009, will be seeking a third term.
Barnett is the Minister of State for Rural Economic Development.
Sally Watson, a Director from 70 Mile on the Thompson Nicola Regional District since 2002, is representing the NDP and Rita Geisbrecht is the candidate for the Green Party.
General election day is on May 9th and there will also be several advance voting opportunities beginning on April 29th.