Three BC Conservative candidates in Central Okanagan ducking interviews and forums

Photo: Contributed

(l to r) Tara Armstrong, Kristina Loewen, Macklin McCall

Three BC Conservative candidates running in the Central Okanagan have something in common.

Tara Armstrong (Kelowna-Lake-Country-Coldstream), Kristina Loewen (Kelowna Centre) and Macklin McCall (West Kelowna-Peachland) have yet to sit down face-to-face for interviews or attend candidate forums.

And with less than two weeks until general voting day, that doesn’t appear to be changing.

Castanet, and other news media covering the Okanagan, have reached out to candidates of all stripes seeking interviews.

Only Gavin Dew, who has sought political office before, most recently running for the leadership of the BC Liberal Party and is now running in Kelowna Mission, has made himself available.

In the case of Castanet, both Macklin and Loewen have not even acknowledged two separate requests while Armstrong did respond suggesting all requests be directed to the central campaign.

The central campaign also ignored requests to speak with the candidates.

The three have also ducked requests to take part in candidate forums, including forums set up by local businesses via the Greater Westside Board of Trade and the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce.

Independent Stephen Johnston was the lone candidate at the West Kelowna debate. McCall declined in favour of door knocking while NDP candidate Krystal Smith was ill.

In Kelowna, acting chamber CEO Colleen Clark says Loewen responded to say she was unable to attend while Armstrong offered no response. Dew attended Tuesday's event.

“It’s unfortunate. It’s disappointing from the perspective of I take our role as the convener of the all-candidate forums very seriously to help educate the general public and our membership on who is going to be their sitting MLA, mayor, councillor or MP,” Clark told Castanet.

“I take it very seriously. I encourage everyone to get out and vote and be an informed voter.

“We try and give that opportunity and when the candidates are…meh, it’s like we are trying to help you help them. I get frustrated they are not seeing the bigger picture.”

While Loewen had one interview with KelownaNow in March 2024 upon receiving the BC Conservative nomination in Kelowna Centre, she has not spoken with local media in an interview since. It does not appear Armstrong has given a single interview since winning her nomination in November 2023.

Loewen was mentioned several times in leaked BC United opposition research documents, with the party highlighting a past Facebook post comparing COVID-19 pandemic restrictions to the holocaust as well as other posts related to conspiracy theories about 15-minute cities and UN world order.

During a recent campaign stop in Kelowna, BC Conservative leader John Rustad was asked pointedly if the collective no-shows were a directive from the party.

“It’s certainly not. Our candidates are free to decide what they want to do in terms of how they want to fight the campaign and how they want to present themselves to their riding,” said Rustad.

“Our candidates are out busy every day knocking on doors. I know for example two of our candidates are out there right now knocking on doors in their riding, fighting for the votes that are needed and connecting with people rather than being here at this announcement.”

Candidates running in the Central Okanagan have voiced their frustration at not being able to debate the candidates while independent Michael Humer questions whether they can be trusted to represent their ridings if elected.

“I’ll do interviews, I’ll do debates, I’ll go to the people because if someone won’t show up to a debate before an election, how can we expect them to represent you after an election,” said Humer.