Four of five candidates speak at election forum for Similkameen-South Okanagan-West Kootenay riding

Photo: Contributed

Gloria Morgan, Liberal candidate in Similkameen-South Okanagan-West Kootenay, at a Penticton and Wine Country Chamber of Commerce forum Wednesday night. She was joined by three of the four other candidates in the riding.

Almost all of the candidates running for Member of Parliament in the Similkameen-South Okanagan-West Kooten riding gathered in Penticton Wednesday evening to pitch their politics to the public.

The event was hosted by the Penticton and Wine Country Chamber of Commerce, and was not a debate but rather a chance for the candidates to answer pre-selected questions, some submitted by the public, on a variety of issues.

"The purpose of tonight's forum is to give you, the residents, business operators and everyone else of the South Okanagan and West Kootenays a chance to hear directly from the candidates," Chamber of Commerce executive director Michael Magnusson said at the start of the evening.

"Our goal is to help you make a more informed decision when you head to the polls on election day."

Magnusson also announced that Conservative Party of Canada candidate Helena Konanz would not be attending "due to a personal emergency," and shared that Konanz was disappointed not to be able to attend.

The other candidates — the NDP's Linda Sankey, the Liberal Party's Gloria Morgan, the Green Party's Philip Mansfield and the People's Party of Canada's Barry Dewar — fielded questions for roughly two hours.

If you missed it, watch the recording of the forum below.

The federal election takes place on Saturday, April 28.