Kevin Kraft one-on-one

Over the next few weeks, Castanet News will feature each of the candidates seeking your vote in each of the four Central Okanagan ridings ahead of the Oct. 19 provincial election.

Today, we focus on independent candidate Kevin Kraft who is running in the redrawn Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream riding.

In an election that features polar opposite parties at each end of the spectrum and former BC United candidates claiming the centre ground, Kevin Kraft is a unique candidate.

Kraft, the vice-chair of the Regional District of Central Okanagan is running as a true independent candidate in the redrawn Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream riding.

In an interview with Castanet News, Kraft says he’s running to give those people who feel disenfranchised by the choices offered by the NDP and BC Conservatives.

“There are a lot of people that are not happy with either side,” said Kraft.

“There are also people who have made it clear they are potentially abstaining from this election because they think their vote doesn’t count.

“I hope to offer an opportunity to bring them back and increase voter counts as well as engage the younger demographic that maybe doesn’t know how to get involved or what politics really means.”

Affiliation

Kraft spoke on several topics during the interview.

“I am in the right of centre camp. I was raised conservative in a conservative household with the traditional norms and traditional views. But, you have to remember, I am also a millennial and we were raised differently," Kraft said.

“I guess age is also going to play a factor in this election because I think we approach things differently, more of a collaborative approach. Understanding what both sides are offering and coming up with solutions.”

Issues

Kraft says as a longtime resident of the riding, there are many issues he cares about.

Near the top of the list, getting money to replace Rutland Middle school, “a huge issue for Rutland residents, and I don’t trust either party to address that particular need the way an independent could,” he said.

“Fresh water and fresh water management is a huge issue. We have the opportunity to increase our retention and increase the storage in our elevation reservoirs which I think should be acted on immediately considering our growth in both population and agricultural needs.

“But, I also think there is opportunity in investment, industry and technology that lends itself to achieving all of those desires. Right now, I think we are looking at some of these issues the wrong way because we are lending ourselves to impact and react.”

Independent Voice

“Sitting at UBCM in meetings or listening to leaders talk, there is that void or question a lot of people have…what are we actually going to do to get in the same room and get traction on some of these issues.

“Municipalities and local officials are in the second year of their term. We have seen the reports, the studies, the impacts of fire, we have seen emergency response but we have also seen what we can do to improve and be better.

“We need to take that step further and the only way to do that is through collaboration between the two sides and I really think there is a unique opportunity with the independents, especially the independents in the Okanagan, to be the glue that provides the traction moving forward.”

He says voters have a unique opportunity in this election to elect independent candidates to hold both sides accountable.

You can see the complete interview in the player above.