PENTICTON, B.C. – As a senior citizen leaves the Reform campaign office in Vernon, he grasps the candidate’s arm and makes a final request.
“There’s one thing I want you to do for me when you get back in office. Ban those polls during an election. They cause nothing but trouble.”
Reformer Darrel Stinson pro-mises. However, in the Okanagan region of British Columbia, the local polls have buoyed the three Reform incumbents’ confidence because they are leading the rest of the pack by 15 percent.
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Stinson is running in Okanagan Shuswap, Werner Schmidt is in Kelowna and Jim Hart hopes to represent the newly drawn riding of Okanagan Coquihalla. The three ridings represent a cross section of orchardists, ranchers, pensioners, loggers and miners.
Run for the money
With days to go, Reform appears to be running in front although the New Democratic Party and Liberals say they have candidates who can give the incumbents some competition.
Two of the three incumbents were greenhorns when they stepped into the House of Commons in 1993. Only Schmidt had broad political experience as the former Social Credit leader in Alberta during the mid seventies.
The eastern based media wrote them off as cowboys, said Hart. He and Stinson argue that in spite of a mocking press they have influenced thinking in Eastern Canada over taxation and justice issues.
All the candidates expressed frustration with Ottawa because they feel western concerns about native land claims, endangered species and gun control are ignored.
Native land claims are an emotional issue in the Okanagan where there have been several Indian-led blockades protesting the slowness of claims settlements.
“I asked the minister of Indian affairs as a goodwill gesture to come and talk to these communities. That fell on deaf ears. We’re frustrated with those type of things, especially when it is the minister’s responsibility to look after these issues,” Hart said.
Priority is employment
Canadian unity may be a large issue on the national scene but in these constituencies jobs are number one.
“There are people who have lost their jobs, who are looking for jobs, there’s people who are concerned about having a job in the future,” Hart said.
All the candidates hear the protests from small and medium businesses worried about survival.
Hart defeated a NDP MP last time and before that, the southern Okan-agan was Progressive Conservative. He doesn’t envision a Tory comeback any time soon.
“With Western Canadians I think that mood is that they still remember Brian Mulroney. They remember the nine years of high taxation and increased deficit and debt. I don’t think it’s going to come back overnight,” Hart said.
In the opposing camp New Democrat Jim Finnis sees himself as the big competition to Hart.
“The race is between myself and Reform,” he said.
His party has challenged the Reform performance, arguing it could have spoken out more for the concerns of B.C. For example, it didn’t fight against the cuts to transfer payments of more than $1 billion, which caused health and education budgets to be slashed in the province, said Finnis.
In the Liberal’s camp, candidate Bruce Murdock, a Peachland resident who for the last several years worked in Ottawa as a government policy adviser, is thought to be a credible candidate as well.
Stinson’s main opponent is Liberal Lyle McWilliams. He was NDP MP for the region prior to 1993 and this time is running as a Liberal. He has been critical of Stinson’s behavior in the House of Commons.
In the last session of Parliament Stinson challenged a Liberal MP to a fight for calling him a racist.
“They call us extremists because we worry about our women and children,” he said.
Optimistic of outcome
Known for his outspoken behavior, Stinson predicts a large win for Reform, which could put the traditional parties on the run.
“We’ve got the dog by the throat, now’s the time to pull him off the chow,” said Stinson.
In this constituency Reform is pushing for a senate election. Sen. Leonard Marchand is due to retire and Reformers are circulating a petition to elect the province’s next senator. Stinson believes an upper house is necessary but said political appointments don’t represent a region’s interests properly.
