Revelstoke Conservatives have until 4 pm Tuesday, March 8, to ensure their memberships are up-to-date if they want to be able to select the man who will succeed MP Jim Abbott as the party’s candidate in the next federal election.
“As Canadians we enjoy the right to elect our leaders/parties, however, there is a preliminary level to this,” says Mac Campbell, a director of the Kootenay-Columbia Conservative Electoral District Association. “In this case, you must be a member of the Conservative Party to vote for the new candidate.”
There are four candidates: Sparwood Mayor David Wilkes; Cranbrook lawyer John Zimmer; Creston City Councillor Wes Graham; and Russ Kinghorn, a professional engineer with an extensive background in forestry, including several years as manager of the Cranbrook Sawmill. Dale Shudra, a lawyer from Radium who had expressed an interest in running has not filed his papers.
One of these men will replace Abbott as the party’s candidate in the huge riding.
At this time you have an opportunity, if wished, to join the Conservative Party of Canada and take part in this process. The deadline for joining on-line, enabling Conservatives to vote on March 19 (Conservatives in Revelstoke will vote on March 15), is Tuesday, March 8th, 5 p.m. mountain time.
Campbell said anyone can join the party. The website for purchasing a membership is www.conservative.ca. Access by clicking top right hand side under “Contact” then “Join”, at the bottom of this page click on the ribbon that says, “Yes, I agree with the above conditions of membership,” and then follow the on-screen instructions.
Memberships cost $10 for one year, $30 for three years or $35 for five.
