Photo: Helena Konanz

"Frustrating" is apparently too mild a word for how some local Conservative Party of Canada members feel about their Similkameen-South Okanagan-West Kootenay federal candidate nomination process, which led to sitting Penticton city councillor Helena Konanz being picked for the ticket.

On Sunday, news broke that Konanz was the party's choice in the upcoming snap federal election.

Less than three months prior, Konanz had publicly affirmed her intention to complete her entire city council term, which expires in October 2026.

The Konanz nomination news was not welcomed by some members of the local Conservative Party of Canada Electoral District Association, which has an executive board and assists with matters like local party events, campaigning, fundraising and, typically, the nomination process.

But not the nomination this year.

Nathan Bergen is a board member with the Similkameen-South Okanagan-West Kootenay CPC Electoral District Association, and he feels the local CPC members did not have their voices heard.

"Frustrating doesn't begin to describe it. It's not even in the realm," Bergen said.

He explained that no nomination race had been held, which was the first blow.

There were four people who had publicly thrown their hats in the ring — former MLA Dan Ashton, Chris Pequin, Gary Johal and Kevin Klipperstein — and he claims that Konanz's name was in the mix as well behind the scenes, as early as late last year.

"As a [29 member] board, we got together saying, 'Okay, they're clearly not going to hold a nomination race.' And out of respect for all the candidates that were sort of declared, we held sort of a blind ballot, if you will," Bergen said.

"There were five names on the ballot of who we would like to see as our candidate for the next federal election."

It was, in Bergen's understanding from conversations with fellow board members, a resounding majority for Chris Pequin.

Bergen said the board then forwarded that recommendation to the national CPC representatives responsible for British Columbia.

"We were completely and totally ignored," Bergen said.

"The really annoying part is it's not just who they selected, it's the manner in which they went about selecting. And repeated calls from our board of directors, emails, were going unanswered."

Multiple other members of the board independently contacted Castanet, expressing their concerns about the process and the outcome. One shared their frustration that hundreds of people signed up to be CPC members, at $15 a pop minimum, with the ostensible understanding they would have a voice in the nomination process.

They did not.

Chris Pequin, the board's apparent preferred choice, declined direct comment to Castanet but posted publicly on social media on Monday, expressing disappointment.

"It’s with a heavy but resolute heart that I post this today. The Conservative Party of Canada has denied the Similkameen-South Okanagan-West Kootenay members their voice, bypassing our nominees to appoint a candidate as of Sunday. I’m not one to wallow in my set backs, and choose to move on in gratitude," he wrote.

"To the three other brave nominees: Gary, Dan and Kevin thank you for your courage and tireless work. I would have happily supported any of you should you have been voted in, as I’m sure you would have supported me."

Bergen said the reason the board backed Pequin is that he has been putting the work in for a long time, aiming at a federal seat.

"The candidate that we wanted to see, as a board, he is a very humble man and doesn't like saying boastful things, but he is solely responsible for rebuilding the Conservative brand [locally], and, more importantly, the Conservative credibility in the riding," Bergen said.

Castanet reached out to Helena Konanz, asking for comment on the specific frustrations, including the allegation she had been in the mix for the nomination since late last year. She responded via email, in full:

"I was honoured to have been asked to run as the Conservative Party candidate after a snap election was called on Sunday. I will be working hard to earn the votes of the good people of this riding so that I can join Pierre Poilievre in Ottawa to axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget, stop the crime and put Canada first, for a change.”

The Conservative Party of Canada did not respond to a request for comment.