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The federal political picture in the East Kootenay will be slightly clearer come this weekend.
The NDP Federal Riding Association of Kootenay-Columbia will be holding their nomination convention in Cranbrook at the Heritage Inn on Saturday, Jan. 15. Of the three nominees, one will emerge to carry the party standard into the next federal election, whenever that may be.
The three nominees are Rhonda Barter of Creston, Chris Nagy of Nakusp and Mark Shimgelsky of Invermere.
Riding president Deb Daniel said a mail-in ballot has been going on, and those ballots will be brought to the convention.
Voting will conmmence shortly after the nominees make their presentations, and the mail-in ballots will also be counted at that time. Voting is open to all members of the NDP in good standing. Members will be required to present identification to vote.
Former NDP MLA and cabinet minister Corky Evans will be speaking in the afternoon, after the votes are in.
"By 2:30 they should be counting the vote, and that's when Corky will begin speaking," Daniel said. "At that point the doors will be open to any media or public that would like to listen to him.
Once the votes are counted, the candidate will be announced.
Members will also be able to take part in a Sustainable BC workshop.
Jim Abbott, the long-serving Conservative MLA for Kootenay-Columbia, will not be seeking re-election. The Conservatives have yet to nominate their candidate - so far three men have put their names forward: David Wilks of Sparwood, Wes Graham of Creston and Dale Shudra of Invermere.
"It's a whole new ballgame," Daniel said of the current state of flux in Kootenay-Columbia. "It will be nice to carry on with a formal candidate."
