Meet Conservative South Okanagan-West Kootenay candidate Helena Konanz

Castanet is conducting a Q&A with each candidate running to represent the South Okanagan-West Kootenay riding in the upcoming Sept. 20 Canadian federal election. Look for one each day this week. Each candidate was asked the same questions, with some additional personalized inquiries.

Conservative Party candidate Helena Konanz is taking her second crack at earning the South Okanagan-West Kootenay MP seat, hoping her history of service in local municipal politics will sway voters.

Q: Let's start with the basic question. Briefly, why should a voter choose you to represent this riding?

A: Well, Chelsea, we've known each other for a while now. And you know how much I've been working locally for our communities, whether I was on the Penticton city council or regional district, these communities are very important to me. In 2019, I got to know the entire riding through the Kootenays, Arrow Lakes, and I want to work as hard as I worked on local government here, I want to work for the entire riding. I know that this riding, South Okanagan-West Kootenay, has been neglected for the last six years, and we deserve a voice.

Q: What's the biggest issue locally that you think has not been correctly addressed by the federal government?

A: Well, there are so many issues. But one of the biggest issues, of course, is crime. We have had a huge problem with crime and drug overdose in this community. We have one of the highest crime rates in BC, and there's no reason for that. And it's something that has been neglected. People should not be afraid to leave their homes. And more and more, that's what's happening. So we need to address that and the Conservatives will address, and I will address locally here, our core issues with crime rate, and one of the unfortunately top overdose rates in BC also.

Q: As the covid 19 pandemic continues, what in your opinion needs to happen in order to get it under control, from a federal level?

A: Well, one of the things that the other parties have been doing is creating a huge fissure in our communities, with everybody throughout Canada, and in our riding. You can see people are afraid. I really believe, and Conservatives believe, that people are actually trying their best, and that we need to work together as opposed to tearing people apart.

One of the things that's been so detrimental is actually calling an election during this time. People are shocked. We've knocked on over 50,000 doors, and we know that people are very concerned, first of all, about having an election at all. And then about some of the measures that have come forward by the provincial government by the NDP, that are important, but also the messaging has been been poor.

Q: Is the vaccine passport part of that, and what are your opinions on vaccine passports in general?

A: Well, vaccine passports, I think it's very important. I've been talking to so many people about this, and vaccine passports are something that have been brought forward on a provincial level. And the Conservative policy is that we should be following provincial mandates.

But what's missing here is the entire toolbox that we need to be using, including rapid testing. Rapid testing has been and is being used all over the world, there are vending machines all over the world with rapid tests in them so that people can use those on a day to day if they need to. And that's something that for some reason is not being used here. Also, of course, we have mask mandates, and we have distancing, and there's just so many other options we can use. But we do believe that you should follow provincial mandates, but messaging really needs to be brought forward better, clearer, and to bring people together more so we can work on this as a community and not tear us apart.

Q: The Interior has been gravely and unprecedentedly impacted by wildfires in some some areas. And we had a an unprecedented heatwave. So what should be done better in regards to protecting residents from environmental disasters like wildfires, and climate change in general? What are your thoughts on what the federal government should be doing?

A: I'm hearing a lot about climate change at the doors, and it's very important to people, but so is the economy. So that the Conservatives are the only party that's balancing both. We need to make sure that we have a future here on this earth, and so we need to work towards cleaning the environment, and the Conservatives have a great platform that uses more of a carrot than a stick approach than other parties use.

But we also have to make sure this isn't on the back of Canadian workers who, as you know, throughout this riding, there are many that have lost their jobs because of the pandemic, and there are many who are just for some reason not working. We have a lack of staff in so many businesses in the South Okanagan-West Kootenay, and we need to inspire and incentivize people to get back to work.

Q: Another major issue in this riding as you're aware, is housing, a lack of rental stock and a difficulty for people being able to afford to get into home ownership or land ownership. What do you think the federal government should be doing to help alleviate those issues in this riding?

A:Well, I'm proud that I worked on that issue for over seven years, being on Penticton city council and on the regional district board. And I am the only candidate, including [incumbent MP Richard Cannings] who actually has brought housing to this community through policymaking. We brought hundreds of rental units forward while I was on council. On the Conservative platform, you'll see that we want to work with municipalities to help bring forward all levels of housing, to help people get mortgages easier, by setting up a seven to 10 year mortgage, and to also build a million homes in the next three years.

It's so that we can stop the pressures for first stage housing. You've seen with our homeless, but also with every level of housing, young people getting into housing, they need to have the opportunity to do that, and Conservatives will help with that.

Q: How do you plan to work with Indigenous communities in this riding and make sure that their needs and concerns are heard at a federal level?

A: Well, again, that's something that's been neglected, but we need to work in partnership with them. And I know that I while I was on city council and the regional district I worked with the Penticton Indian Band quite a bit on different issues and developments that they were working on.

And I feel proud that I was able to work hand in hand with them and help them with their development work and also to just listen to what their concerns are. I think that's what's been neglected is just the listening and then implementation of the, for example, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report.

Q: It has been just two years since the last federal election, when you lost by less than 1,000 votes. At the time, there was some speculation that right-leaning voters were split between yourself and the People's Party of Canada candidate. Have your platforms shifted closer or farther apart? Where do you think that the PPC and the Conservative Party's stand in this riding this time around?

A: So much has happened in the last two years. It's a different world.

We also lost to the NDP, and the NDP got more votes than us. And, of course, the Green Party got some votes, and the Liberals got some. So that's how we look at it. In general, everybody, I take everybody seriously as as competition.

As many of you know, I was a professional tennis player and coach, and I know how to compete and I know that every single candidate that steps forward is a contender or someone that we have to look at as somebody who may get votes.

But my job is to make sure that people know that I am the most experienced person out there. I'm the most experienced candidate that's running. I'm the only candidate that's actually made things happen in government.

The NDP Richard Cannings, he has been in for six years, he's never passed any a bill through Parliament. He has some really good ideas sometimes, but he cannot implement them, because he's a fourth party. And just to remind people, the last time, we had a Conservative Member of Parliament here, that that member of parliament was able to help bring different levels of governance together. And that's when the Penticton pool was built. That's when the South Okanagan Events Center was built, with different governments working together and funding. That's when we twinned the highways between Oliver and Osoyoos, that's when we widened the highway between Summerland and Kelowna. Those are just some of the things that had happened before 2015.

Richard Cannings, we've given him six years to try to get something here. He can't even tell you the things he's been able to bring to this riding. He has some ideas that sound really good, but he cannot implement them in a fourth place party.

Q: Do you think that the PPC and the Conservative Party's platforms are further apart or closer together than they were two years ago?

A: I think they're really different than we are. Oh, my gosh, they have a lot of different ideas that are completely different from us. And actually, the other parties do too. So yes, we are quite different this year. And I thought we were different back then, to tell you the truth. So yeah, every party has new ideas coming forward, because we are in a new world.

Q: Is there anything else that you would like voters to know about you?

A: I want voters to know that I will work hard for them, and their voice will be heard in Ottawa. It's something that hasn't been heard for the last six years and I'm ready to well, again, work hard because this is a really big riding. And it takes a lot of energy and passion to be able to, to be able to help to be able to service all the people in it. And I plan on... I have that, that work ethic and that passion to be able to do that. And that's something that's been missing for the last six years.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.