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- Kimberley candidates reflect on historic election
- Bittersweet night for Shmigelsky as NDP soars
- Wilks will take place in new Conservative majority
- Bush urges supporters to vote NDP
- Advance polls see heavy turnout in Cranbrook, Kimberley
- Candidates hash it out at Kimberley forum
- Candidates forum in Kimberley tonight
- No candidates forum in Cranbrook
- Layton hosts Cranbrook barbecue
- Bush goes after Wilks on Jumbo
- Federal candidates debate in Kimberley
- Bill Green's entry makes five candidates for Kootenay-Columbia
- Bill Green for the Greens
- Kootenay-Columbia becomes a three-way race as Bush enters election.
- Canadians likely to head to the polls in May
- Wilks wins Conservative nomination for Kootenay-Columbia
- Conservatives head to the polls
- Mark Shmigelsky wins NDP nomination
- Shmigelsky seeking NDP nomination
- Bush drops Liberal bid
- Bush says he’ll seek Liberal spot
And then there were four. The political landscape in the Kootenay Columbia riding is getting crowded. Another candidate has declared, this time perennial Liberal supporter Betty Aitchison from Kimberley.
Aitchison has worked behind the scenes at the riding association level for years. She ran in the last election coming in fourth behind MP Jim Abbott, NDP candidate Leon Pendleton and Green Party candidate Ralph Moore.
This time Aitchison faces Conservative candidate David Wilks, NDP candidate Mark Shmigelsky (himself a former Liberal) and independent Brent Bush (who also considered a run as a Liberal, and has run as an NDP candidate). Bush runs as an Independent this time.
For Aitchison, her decision was simple. She feels the Liberal Party must be represented in the coming election in this riding.
"I feel people should have options in this debate on the future of the country," she said.
"What's happening in the present parliament does not represent Canadian values as I see them."
Aitchison says a case in point is the current budget, which she says offers a little sprinkling of things to keep voters happy and many other things that should cause great concern. Prisons for example. She says there is far too much emphasis on punitive measures over prevention which is not conducive to a good society.
Aitchison is also concerned around women's issues, and as the only female declared thus far, feels a responsibility to keep them in the public eye.
"We're 55 per cent of the population and I think women here are still being treated indifferently."
She points to the lack of funding for the Cranbrook Women's Shelter as an example.
Aitchison says she will do her best to get the message out in this geographically huge riding. One thing she believes would help is the use of technology.
"With today's technology, one would think video conferencing could be set up for some of the debates," she said. "That way people could have access and be able to ask questions directly of all the candidates, and all candidates would be able to relate directly to the community itself."
