A day before the writ drops on the provincial election, the former B.C. United candidate for Kelowna-Centre has declared he will run as an unaffiliated, independent.
Dr. Michael Humer has been left out in the cold, along with dozens of other candidates and MLAs, since Aug. 28, after leader Kevin Falcon, alongside B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad announced he was suspending the partysa国际传媒檚 campaign.
Humer made his announcement at a news conference on Sept. 20, with former B.C. United hopefuls Stephen Johnston and Ashley Ramsay. Johnston was the former candidate for West Kelowna-Peachland and Ramsay was the former candidate for Kelowna-Mission. Both have declared that they are also running as independents.
In referencing Falconsa国际传媒檚 actions, Humer recalled comment following Canada's attempt to bring home its constitution in the early 1980s.
sa国际传媒淚 called it the afternoon of the big fork,sa国际传媒� Humer said. "We got forked by Kevin.sa国际传媒�
Falcon and Rustad had promised a riding-by-riding vetting of United and Conservative candidates to determine the best individual to run in the election.
sa国际传媒淯nderstanding that it would be an opportunity to rebuild the coalition, bring the centre and right together in an authentic way to form a government to defeat the NDP,sa国际传媒� Humer added.
As the days ticked by there was no communication from either party. Despite repeated calls, emails and text messages neither Humer, Johnston nor Ramsay received a call that they were chosen to represent their communities.
Humer declared the B.C. United candidate in February, said he was willing and encouraged to join the Conservatives if they called.
sa国际传媒淏ut when it was obvious the fix was in, there was no ability or asking to bring everyone together and get some best alternative. I felt increasingly uncomfortable with that decision and knew that the courageous thing was to say B.C. deserves better so thatsa国际传媒檚 why I got back in.sa国际传媒�
Humer explained why he waited until today to announce why he is running as an independent.
sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 terrified that on Monday the NDP is going to say, sa国际传媒淗ere is all the garbage on these conservative candidates you donsa国际传媒檛 have any choice, so sign us up for another four years'.sa国际传媒�
He added that neither David Eby nor Rustad have shown they can or should govern the province, given what he called their extreme ideologies.
sa国际传媒淲hat a beautiful time for the independent candidate, and the ideology they represent, which is what the people tell them in the ridings.sa国际传媒�
According to Humersa国际传媒檚 campaign team, there are 15 declared independent candidates running in the Oct. 19 election.
sa国际传媒淭his is a growing movement of giving voice back to the individual and to the voter,sa国际传媒� Humer said. sa国际传媒淪o this is the option, basically this is the reset election.sa国际传媒�
Humer was also asked about potential vote splitting.
sa国际传媒淵ou disqualify the intelligence of the individual voter at the door that says you know what this is madnesssa国际传媒nd wesa国际传媒檙e going to stand up and say it must be done better.sa国际传媒�
Humer stressed that he, Johnston and Ramsay are not running as a slate of Okanagan candidates, but they support each other.
sa国际传媒淲e not trying to create a new party on the fly,sa国际传媒� he added. sa国际传媒淲e have to give them (voters) back hope, and we have to figure out about affordability, cost of living, public safety and healthcare.sa国际传媒�
According to the Legislative Assembly of B.C. website, nine independent members have been elected MLAs. The first was Mary Ellen Smith in 1918. The most recent was Vicki Huntington, elected in 2009 and 2013. Before that, James Mowat was elected in 1949.
