A photo of former BC Conservative candidate Alexandra Wright.
Image Credit: FACEBOOK/Alexandra Wright
August 12, 2024 - 7:00 PM
Kelowna-Mission's BC Conservative candidate believes she was removed due to a quarrel with a local fruit packer.
Alexandra Wright was the candidate for the BC Conservatives until she was removed over the weekend.
After removing her, the party released a vague statement on X, formerly Twitter.
“Yesterday afternoon the Conservative Party of British Columbia removed Alexandra Wright as a candidate. This decision was made after careful consideration of various factors related to campaign performance and conduct,” the statement said.
BC United implied the decision to remove Wright had to do with the fact that she reposted a statement calling for a criminal investigation into Health Minister Adrian Dix and Bonnie Henry.
Wright said she believes her removal had to do with her contentious past with Sandher Fruit Packing, a company that has been fined numerous times for improper groundwater disposal.
READ MORE: Fruit packers near Kelowna fined another $78,000
She said the company polluted her farm, and in the past she has spoken up about it.
“I was advised by the party that I was underperforming and there were conduct issues. I now believe my ‘conduct’ issues were protesting against Sandher, the conglomerate that has been flooding my farm for the past decade with toxins,” Wright said in a message.
Sandher Fruit Packing recently came to an agreement with the City of Kelowna to step in to help farmers pack and sell their crops after the closure of the BC Tree Fruit Cooperative.
Sandher hosted the BC Conservatives recently but said the removal of candidates is a party matter.
READ MORE: BC Conservatives remove Kelowna-Mission candidate
"We were happy to host the BC Conservative leader, his candidates, and area fruit growers this week to discuss the challenges facing local orchards," Prab Sandher said in an email. "Our industry matters and we will continue to engage all parties to find practical solutions that will protect jobs and secure our food supply.
“Ms. Wright’s candidacy is entirely a party matter and one that we have no comment on,” Sandher said.
Wright said the BC Conservatives offered her money for her campaign if she changed ridings.
“I was advised that people at Sandher were, and I quote, “upset” by my activism. The party elected to drop me and I understand they picked my replacement at least three weeks ago when they asked me to move ridings. They did offer me a substantial amount to donate to my campaign if I moved, but I declined as I don’t like to feel financially compromised in my decision making,” she said.
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