Amanda Shatzko

Image Credit: Submitted by Amanda Shatzko

The new boundaries for the old Kelowna-Lake Country riding now include Coldstream and an experienced local politician hopes to represent the riding from there.

Most candidates in the crowded race to represent the riding for the BC United Party are from Kelowna, but Amanda Shatzko, currently vice-chair of the Regional District of the North Okanagan, says she’s as confident she can represent the entire riding.

“I don’t really see that I have any challenges,” she says. “I feel that I have a track record in this riding for bringing energy, knowledge, and fresh ideas to the decision-making table while also getting results. I also have built really strong relationships with all the jurisdictions in the riding and as a two-term elected official which would let me hit the ground running in Victoria.”

With experience ranges from her role at the Regional District of North Okanagan to being a political science Ph.D. candidate, as well as a wide range of organizations.

“I’m running for MLA now due to the boundary changes that occurred in our riding which involves Kelowna, Lake Country, Coldstream and three areas in OKIB,” she said. "Community leaders have encouraged me to run because I am the only candidate having over 30 years experience working in this specific riding because I grew up here and I have family all the way from Kelowna to Lavington.”

While she states she would have to follow the party’s platform if she is elected as their candidate, Shatzko identifies healthcare, education and housing as key issues within the riding.

“Depending on the area, different issues will become a priority such as... working on healthcare, affordable housing, and education. But looking at Rutland, we’re looking at having new schools built, looking at issues of crime. In the North, there are things such as the ALR that the farmers want to work on. Other projects like in the middle where they need assistance with projects of funding from the government which are all things I can work on.”

“I have a track record of bringing in a lot of provincial and federal funding to the Okanagan area for projects, so that’s one of my strengths and something that I can do.”

She’s motivated as well to find solutions to the housing and drug crisis Kelowna, Lake Country and Coldstream are all facing.

“We’re finding that they (the housing crisis, the drug crisis, and the climate crisis) are intertwined, it’s not a simple solution, and when we’re making solutions for these things we have to keep in mind the variety of people that it’s affecting once the solutions are implemented,” she says. “For crime and drug issues, there are often underlying issues such as mental health, it’s a variety of issues under that and those types of issues need to be addressed. For the housing crisis, different types of housing are missing in our community and those need to be developed through a variety of ways…As for climate change, there are projects that need to be worked on in regards to reducing our carbon footprint that a variety of different organizations in the riding are working on that need provincial support.”

While other candidates have pointed to similar issues within the riding, Shatzko finds herself to stand out from other nominees, and be a unique candidate for the party.

“What makes me stand out from other candidates who might say the same is that I have a track record of media and projects saying it for me other than just saying it for myself: I am a younger person who has been an elected official for many years, I specifically know this riding really well and I know I am the only one that has connections throughout this entire riding from growing up and working in the three jurisdictions that are combined in the new riding.”

“With my academic experience, I understand legislation really well, as well as policy and contracts. I just think I have the most energy, knowledge and experience to do it; I have lived the lifestyle of diplomatic work for this past decade, so I am not a stranger to Victoria, and I can do the work that is necessary for the area whilst making sure that no one in the riding is ignored or forgotten because it is such a diverse riding.”

The candidate for BC United will be chosen by its members. Shatzko reminds people that if they wish to have a say in who is selected as the candidate, they should join their riding associations.

“It’s an internal vote, so if people want to vote for who they want their BC United candidate to be, they’ll need to get themselves involved in that.”

The party hasn't yet set a date for the nomination but as many as a dozen candidates are expected to be in the running.

The NDP hasn't made any candidate nomination information available and does not yet have a candidate.

The elections will take place on or before Oct. 19, 2024.

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