Photo: Scott Anderson

The Conservative Party of Canada has chosen former Vernon city councillor Scott Anderson as its Member of Parliament candidate for the new Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee riding in the next federal election.

Anderson was elected by the CPC in a member vote yesterday afternoon at the Coldstream Community Hall. He said he’s deeply honoured to be representing the new riding, which will officially be drawn when the federal election is called.

“I said to my wife last night, the reason I want this is not for the seat, not for the paycheque, and not for all of that stuff. It's for what I can do,” explained Anderson. “I’ll take a little time to get oriented, and then I plan to use this to make positive change and not just sit in the back.”

Anderson said he plans to influence caucus if he’s elected.

Anderson served as a Vernon city councillor for two terms before making a run for mayor and losing to Victor Cumming. He said being a councillor was an independent seat, and as an MP he would be following party politics and the CPC platform.

“Before, I could simply make a motion and debate it in public,” said Anderson. “I believe in the Conservative platform, I can't think of an issue I don't believe in – but I have to cooperate with other people, I can't simply bring my own motions forward in the same way.”

Sunday’s vote took place from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. Anderson said nominees were called back at about 7:30 p.m. and brought into the hall's main room before letting them know who had been successful.

After that, everyone was brought in and Anderson said there was lots of shouting, joy and pictures.

While Anderson is officially the MP candidate, no federal election has been called so he isn’t able to campaign yet.

Canada’s new prime minister, Mark Carney, was sworn in Friday morning and is expected to call an election before March 24, when Parliament is set to return. An election is widely expected to take place in late April or early May.

Vernon is currently served by North Okanagan-Shuswap riding MP, Mel Arnold, who will be running for the Kamloops-Shuswap-Central Rockies riding where he lives.

Photo: Elections Canada

New riding map which will be redrawn when the federal election is called