Dale Parker, the BC United candidate for Nanaimo-Gabriola, had just received a stack of lawn signs and brochures when his party imploded. Days later, he’s the riding’s B.C. Conservative candidate, wondering if he can recycle them.
“Things change quickly in B.C. politics,” said Parker, a public service worker who lives in Mill Bay.
“I’m pretty good on protecting the environment so I’m going to seek direction from the party if there’s things that can be repurposed.”
Parker was vacationing in Strathcona last week when he stopped in Gold River for supplies and his phone “blew up” with messages. They said BC United Leader Kevin Falcon had suspended his party’s campaign and released all the candidates to avoid vote-splitting on the right that could hand the NDP a win in the Oct. 19 provincial election.
That was Wednesday. On Sunday, he got news that he’s in as the candidate for the riding and Conservative Viraat BK Thammanna is out.
Thammanna, who said he has knocked on close to 6,000 doors while campaigning, posted on social media that he had stepped away from his campaign as his party reorganizes to collectively defeat the NDP.
Thammanna thanked his family, team and volunteers for their time and donations, adding “now is the time for us to unite for the well-being of our beautiful British Columbia; we cannot afford to continue on the current path.”
In an interview, however, the Canadian Forces veteran and former business administrator said he was “very disappointed,” and would have preferred a collaborative discussion with B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad rather than a call Thursday from the party asking him to step aside for a BC United candidate.
As someone who has served on a variety of committees and organizations in his community, he said he was excited to be nominated as the Conservative candidate in Nanaimo-Gabriola.
“I’m a grassroots candidate and then they are bringing in a person from out of town that not many people know,” said Thammanna. “It doesn’t make sense for me but I respect my party leadership’s decision.”
As for Parker, he said he’s focused on studying Conservative policies. “That’s the big thing for me now is to get informed.”
Last week, Parker wasn’t so sure about the B.C. Conservatives and some of their candidates’ views.
One of the most worrisome, he said, was former Prince George-Mackenzie candidate Rachael Weber, whose social-media content about the “5G Genocide” and the “anti christ” had drawn criticism from BC United.
Weber confirmed in a Facebook post that she had been replaced in what she called “a matter of deep sadness for me.”
“I believe this Conservative Party of B.C. is no longer Conservative but running under the guise of the name Conservative,” Weber wrote on Monday. “They have allowed many BC United (Liberal) candidates to infiltrate the party and have lost sight of the real Conservative values we as Conservatives hold dear.
“Your new Conservative candidate for this riding will more than likely be BC United Liberal opposition.”
Parker said Weber’s departure is a sign that the deal between the two right-wing provincial leaders to pool candidates under the Conservative banner, improve the vetting process, and put the most electable candidates forward “seems to be working.”
“John’s made a number of moves over the weekend and some of the people I was referring to seem to be replaced already.”
Rustad said Tuesday that BC United MLAs Ian Paton, Peter Milobar and Trevor Halford are joining his party in what he called a sign of “growing momentum” to unite the ticket.
Paton, who represents Delta South, and Halford, who is MLA for Surrey-White Rock, will continue to stand in those ridings, while Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Milobar will seek election in Kamloops Centre.
No explanation was given as to why Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond, who was first elected as a B.C. Liberal in 2001 and has held various cabinet roles, was not selected.
In the riding of Esquimalt-Colwood, NDP MLA Mitzi Dean, a cabinet minister, announced Saturday she’s stepping aside for “personal reasons,” leaving the party scrambling for a replacement candidate.
Maurine Karagianis, who served as NDP MLA for Esquimalt-Metchosin and then the reconfigured riding of Esquimalt-Royal Roads from 2005 to 2017, said she’s confident the new NDP candidate can win the region, despite the late start.
“I expect them to hold this constituency as a New Democrat seat,” said Karagianis. “It may be a tough race but elections are always hard work and you can never take anything for granted. I don’t believe my community wants the regressive far-right ideology of the Conservatives.”
The riding’s BC United candidate, Meagan Brame, declined an invitation last week to run for the Conservatives. A Conservative candidate has yet to be named.
B.C. Green candidate Camille Currie, meanwhile, said her campaign continues to “gain momentum.”
In Oak-Bay Gordon Head, previously held by retiring NDP MLA and cabinet minister Murray Rankin, former journalist and Victoria city councillor Stephen Andrew has been nominated as the B.C. Conservative candidate.
Diana Gibson, a small business owner, is the NDP candidate and Lisa Gunderson, deputy leader of the B.C. Greens, is that party’s candidate.
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