Join Pierre Poilievre in Penticton: Upcoming Election Events You Won’t Want to Miss!

As the federal election heats up in Kamloops and the Okanagan, there are some key events and updates worth noting in the lead-up to polling day.

This Saturday, April 5, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre will host a "Canada First Rally" at 3:30 p.m. at 1704 Government Street in Penticton. In February, Liberal leader Mark Carney visited Kelowna, but there’s been no word on additional visits.

On April 9, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., the Penticton Chamber of Commerce is organizing a forum for the candidates vying for the Similkameen-South Okanagan-West Kootenay seat at the Cleland Community Theatre.

This past week, the Liberals introduced Gloria Morgan, a former chief of the Splatsin First Nation, as their candidate in the riding. The Conservative Party is represented by Helena Konanz, a seasoned Penticton city councillor, while the NDP has nominated Linda Sankey, a director at the Penticton Brain Injury Society.

Further discussions are set for April 22, when the Kamloops and District Chamber of Commerce will host back-to-back online forums for the Kamloops-Shuswap-Central Rockies and Kamloops-Thompson-Nicola electoral districts. The first forum kicks off at 6 p.m., followed by the second at 7:30 p.m.

Candidates in Kamloops-Shuswap-Central Rockies include the Liberals’ Ken Robertson and the incumbent Conservative MP, along with Phaedra Idzan from the NDP. In Kamloops-Thompson-Nicola, Miguel Godau from the NDP is challenging Conservative MP Frank Caputo, along with Iain Currie, a two-time Green Party candidate now running for the Liberals.

Candidates must officially enter the race by 2 p.m. on Monday, April 7. Official candidate lists will be released on April 9. Advance voting begins over the Easter weekend, from April 18 to 21, and voters can vote early at any Elections Canada office until April 22.

If you’re not registered, online registration closes at 6 p.m. on April 22. However, you can still register in person at polling stations. Registered voters will soon receive voter information cards in the mail.

Election Day is set for Monday, April 28.

Recent studies show that public interest in elections is rising, with voter turnout expected to be higher than previous years. According to a report from Elections Canada, turnout for the last federal election was around 60%, but many predict this could increase this time around due to more engaging candidate platforms and the significance of issues like healthcare and climate change.

For more details on the voting process, you can visit Elections Canada’s Get ready to vote webpage.

In this charged environment, it’s clear that the upcoming weeks will shape the political landscape across Kamloops and the Okanagan.

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