North Okanagan Shuswap MP Mel Arnold with Heather King, general manager of the IPE. (file photo credit: Facebook/Mel Arnold)

By Pete McIntyre

federal politics

MP will seek fourth term, but in what riding?

Dec 21, 2023 | 5:00 AM

Mel Arnold says he will seek another term as a Member of Parliament, but it will likely be in a different riding.

Arnold, a member of the Conservative Party, has represented the North Okanagan- Shuswap riding since 2015.

“Yes, I will be seeking a fourth term, and depending on when it is, there is a potential boundary border redistribution that would take effect after next April, and we have yet to see if an election will be called before that date or not, but I do intend to run in the next election,” Arnold told Vernon Matters in a year-end interview.

While the Salmon Arm resident currently represents the North Okanagan-Shuswap, under the boundary changes, he would likely run in the new Kamloops-Shuswap-Central Rockies riding, which includes Salmon Arm, rather than the new Vernon-Monashee riding.

“That would probably be where I would put my name forward in that new riding. I live in Salmon Arm, so it would be central to that new riding where I live, and I’m familiar with as well.”

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Arnold said the new riding would bring changes.

“It would be a big change,” he remarked. “It’s a long riding. I did a Google Map check on that and I believe its 430 kilometres from Highway 5 in Kamloops to the Alberta border. But I already have a lot of those communities in the riding that I currently am elected for, and I always look forward to new challenges, meeting new people, and I look forward to that if we have the election after April of next year.”

The three-term MP said he will continue to represent the entire North Okanagan-Shuswap until the election is actually called.

“It’s not just a matter of switching over next April, but I still will be the elected representative for the North Okanagan-Shuswap until such time that an election is called,” Arnold remarked.

Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government has until October 20, 2025, to call an election.