NDP to acclaim Joan Phillip tonight

Another candidate is set to officially join the fray in Central Okanagan Similkameen Nicola (COSN) tonight as the New Democrats are set to acclaim Joan Phillip.

This will be Phillip’s second campaign after contesting the 2019 Federal Election and finishing in third behind Incumbent MP Dan Albas and the Liberal candidate.

“I still believe that people living in this riding deserve good leadership, leadership that’s going to fight for them at the national level,” said Phillip during a recent trip to Merritt. “I think that people are getting to a point where the same-old same-old isn’t cutting it anymore.”

“We’ve had 153 years of the same two parties that have done nothing but enrich the rich and the poor get poorer,” added Phillip.

The riding that encompasses Merritt has been altered a few times over the past decades but regardless of territorial lines its been a right of centre stronghold, last held by the NDP in 1988. Phillip believes climate change could be a key policy to swing the riding.

“If we look around us it’s going to be climate change weighing heavy on everybody’s mind. We’re on fire and we need leadership that going to do something about it, not just pay lip service to it,” said Phillip. “This provides up an opportunity to raise these issues and have a discussion about it.”

While no election call has been made, it’s wildly speculated that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be dropping the writ soon, and Phillip is ready to hit the campaign trail.

“We are prepared. I think its bad timing but none the less we’re prepared,” confirmed Phillip.

Two other parties in COSN have acclaimed candidates, Incumbent Tory MP Dan Albas, and Liberal Sarah Eves will be running. The Green Party and People’s Party of Canada have not named candidates.