Scott Anderson of Vernon is throwing his hat into the ring for the Conservative Party of Canada nomination for the new Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee riding. (submitted photo)

By Pete McIntyre

federal politics

Former Vernon councillor seeks federal Conservative nomination

Mar 18, 2024 | 10:43 AM

Former Vernon city councillor Scott Anderson has announced he will seek the nomination for the Conservative Party of Canada in the new federal riding of Vernon-Lake Country- Monashee.

“This nomination race will not be easy, and I ask for the support of everyone who wants to have a firm voice in Ottawa,” Anderson said. “I’m asking anyone who want to support me, to become a member of the Conservative Party of Canada and to let me know so I can tell you where and when the voting will be.”

Anderson, who owns a Vernon waste removal business, served two terms on Vernon council, ending in 2022 when he ran for mayor, losing to Victor Cumming.

He has also ran provincially for the Conservatives in the North Okanagan, and was once an interim leader of the BC Conservative Party.

Anderson says he has been endorsed by four former Members of Parliament, including Darrel Stinson, the former Conservative, Reform and Alliance MP for Okanagan-Shuswap from 1993 to 2004.

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“I support Scott Anderson as Member of Parliament for the Conservative Party of Canada. I know him to be an honest, dependable, and hardworking man who is willing to listen and get the job done,” Stinson said.

Anderson said he is also endorsed by John Duncan, former Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and MP for Vancouver Island North, by John Cummins, former MP for Delta/Richmond, and by former MP for Comox-Alberni, William Gilmour.

The new federal riding will come into effect when an election is called, as long as it is called after this coming April 22.

Current three-term North Okanagan Shuswap MP Mel Arnold is expected to run in the new riding of Kamloops-Shuswap-Central Rockies which includes his home city of Salmon Arm.

Anderson said in a news release, there are two steps to becoming a Member of Parliament. First, a nominee contestant must run against other nominee contestants who may step forward to seek the nomination. That is an internal contest voted on by party members only.

The second step is the general election, when the selected candidate will run against candidates from other parties.

“The first step is the most important step,” Anderson said. “In order to become the candidate, I need to earn the vote of the majority of CPC members in the new riding. Only Conservative party members are able to vote for the nominee they want to represent them.”

There have been no other announcements to date about other candidates running for the Conservative nomination in Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee.

The next Canadian federal election will take place on or before October 20, 2025.