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By Liam Verster

Election Results

Coldstream and area Conservative MLA-elect still not speaking with media, NDP candidate pleased with effort

Nov 1, 2024 | 3:05 PM

The MLA-elect for the Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream riding has again refused to speak with media.

Conservative Party of B.C. representative Tara Armstrong, was elected to the seat in the 2024 Provincial General Election with 14,302 votes, or 53.92 per cent support.

Armstrong did not speak with media after she was announced as the area’s Conservative candidate or during the campaign, and also did not attend all-candidates forums.

Vernon Matters emailed Armstrong, requesting an interview to discuss the results of the election.

In response to the request Armstrong said in an email:

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“For the time being, I won’t be committing to any interview requests, as I’m extremely busy getting my office and my constituency assistant staff sorted out – and preparing for my new role as MLA.”

Armstrong did not respond to any further emails from Vernon Matters.

Meanwhile, Anna Warwick Sears, the NDP candidate in the Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream riding who was making her first foray into politics of any level, noted it was a bit of a “wild campaign.”

“Things kept changing, so you’re trying to adjust and ride the wave,” Warwick Sears explained.

“People coming in as new candidates and then leaving and whatnot. But our aim was to just be steady and keep focused and reach out to people and connect with people.

“It felt really good. I think we did actually amazingly well considering it was kind of an anti-incumbent election and we were a new bunch of people in the campaign team, and got a lot of votes.”

She added it “was exhilarating “to be out on the campaign trail and enjoyed getting out and meeting people she otherwise might not have ever met.

Warwick Sears told Vernon Matters she didn’t have plans to pursue politics in the future, although she did note she’s “not shutting the door to anything.”

Warwick Sears finished second in the riding with 9,349 votes, or 35.24 per cent support. Independent Kevin Kraft finished third overall with 1,724 votes, followed by Andrew Rose of the B.C. Green Party with 1,151 votes.