From Logan Lake to Lumby, a politically inclined Kamloops B.C. Conservative is currently “extending his hand to the residents of the North Okanagan.”
Dennis Giesbrecht ran unsuccessfully for a seat as a Kamloops city councillor both in 2018 and 2022, while in-between turning to provincial politics in 2020, without avail.
Growing up in Logan Lake, Giesbrecht has previously proclaimed himself, "rooted in the B.C. Interior."
The industry inspector with “invaluable insights into successful and less successful projects,” according to the B.C. Conservatives, is now looking to the Vernon-Lumby region for its support in the upcoming provincial election.
The announcement of Giesbrecht’s candidacy for the Vernon-Lumby riding under the B.C. Conservatives came via the party’s website on Sept. 3 following a political shake-up by the B.C. United.
On Aug. 28, B.C. United Leader Kevin Falcon pulled his candidates out of October’s provincial election and suspended the party’s campaign.
This led to Falcon and B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad announcing that under the Conservative banner, they would pool candidates to avoid vote splitting that could favour Premier David Eby’s NDP in the Oct. 19 election.
Former B.C. United members could move into the Conservative fold as the party began reshaping the province’s political landscape.
Since that announcement last week, a series of candidates for British Columbia’s upcoming provincial election have disappeared from the B.C. Conservatives’ online list of nominees.
Some former B.C. United members have begun to congregate under the Conservative umbrella, including Peter Milobar MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson, who is now the Conservative candidate for Kamloops Centre.
"I am joining the Conservative Party of BC to ensure that our communities are heard and that we stand together against the NDP’s harmful policies. It’s time for conservatives to unite and deliver the change this province desperately needs," stated Milobar, on Tuesday.
The Vernon-Lumby riding is currently held by New Democrat Harwinder Sandhu.
