The Liberals now have their candidate for the ‘2nd riding’ which is going to represent Kamloops in the House of Commons.

Ken Robertson has been acclaimed as the Liberal Party of Canada’s candidate for Kamloops-Shuswap-Central Rockies.

Robertson is a member of the Neskonlith Band in the Chase area and grew up in the region.

The father of the “four, no more club,” as he jokingly describes his four children, Robertson says he first stepped in the world of policy and politics as an advocate for children with autism.

“I have two of them that are on the spectrum, or autism spectrum disorder,” Robertson told Radio NL shortly after his acclamation to the Liberal Party of Canada’s candidate for the newest Kamloops-area riding.  “This sort of drove me to be that voice for my daughter, who’s nonverbal, for instance, to advocate on her behalf.”

He tells Radio NL the this is what led him to become the founder of “Four Directions Autism,” which he describes as a Toronto-based small business.

It’s described as a “parent support group” that works one-on-one with off-reserve First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and non-status children on the autism spectrum.

For his work in establishing the group, and for his other work in the autism field, Ken Robertson was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal from Governor General Mary Simon in June 2023.

Robertson says he believes getting out and hearing from people on the ground is what’s going to give his campaign momentum.

“We have to reengage with the community at large in Kamloops,” said Robertson.  “We have to make sure we’re hearing from those voices that aren’t being heard.”

Robertson will be up against incumbent Conservative Mel Arnold in the election.

The NDP has also chosen its candidate.

Phaedra Idzan was born and raised in the Shuswap and now make Salmon Arm home.

She boasts a background in the BC, as well as Yukon, Justice Departments, but says she’s worked primarily in the non-profit for the past twenty-five years.

Meanwhile, the People’s Party of Canada is also going to be challenging the outcome in Kamloops-Shuswap-Central Rockies.

PPC candidate Michael Henry describes himself as a fourth generation Revelstokian who comes with an extensive background in trades and engineering.

He describes himself as an energy efficiency expert, whose company has been involved in a number of major projects, including work on Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops.

Also adding into the mix, the Green Party of Canada has also confirmed a candidate for Kamloops-Shuswap-Central Rockies.

Owen Madden is an organic farmer, and the owner/operator of Nature Delivered, which provides fresh vegetable deliveries throughout the Shuswap and north Okanagan region.

That now brings the number of candidates in the newest Kamloops riding up to 5.

Kamloops-Shuswap-Central Rockies was redrawn to take in areas of East Kamloops, as well as Upper Sahali and a portion of downtown Kamloops east of 6th avenue starting in this election.

The other Kamloops riding is Kamloops-Thompson-Nicola which now includes the rest of Kamloops to the west of 6th avenue (excluding Upper Sahali), as well as communities to the west of the City, including Logan Lake, Cache Creek, Ashcroft, Lillooet, Lytton and Merritt, as well as many of the other smaller communities in the region as well.

The Conservatives are sticking with incumbent Frank Caputo, while the Liberals confirmed late Friday afternoon that Iain Currie, a former colleague of Caputo’s in the Crown Prosecutor’s Office, will be carrying their flag.

The PPC has tapped Chris Enns of Clearwater to be its candidate in Kamloops-Thompson-Nicola.

The NDP is expected to announce its candidate for that riding sometime next week.

The Green Party is expected to field a contender in KTN as well.