Stephen Johnston profile

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 former BC United and now unaffiliated independent candidate Stephen Johnston who is running in the West Kelowna-Peachland riding.

Stephen Johnston hopes his political experience can propel him to a seat in the legislature in Victoria.

Johnston, a two-term West Kelowna city councillor is running as an unaffiliated independent candidate in the West Kelowna-Peachland riding after BC United suspended their campaign.

“I can tell you, you need experience to be an MLA, you need the networks, you need the connectivity, you need the relationships and the ability to know how to get things done,” said Johnston during a one-on-one interview with Castanet News.

“I think that’s a really important piece, and I offer that trusted leadership, that proven integrity and that experience in local government.”

Johnston touched on a number of topics during the wide ranging interview.

Staying In The Race

Johnston makes no bones about the fact he is a centre-right conservative and has been his whole life and, like many of his BC United colleagues left high and dry by BC Conservative leader John Rustad, believes a true choice has been taken away from voters.

“What you have now is the NDP who deviates over here and a conservative party over here with a huge gap in the middle of people being disenfranchised.

“For me, it is important the centre-right, free enterprise opportunity is there for people. I think keeping the conservative party in check, hopefully with some high calibre independents that get elected could be a really good thing for B.C. and a really great thing for our community.

“If I am elected as an independent in West Kelowna-Peachland, and we are able to hold the balance of power, it’s an exceptional opportunity for the community to advocate for the things that we’ve been needing for a long time and attract investment that has been really non-existent for the last 10 years.”

Platform

“I have put a fair amount of work drafting policy that is a carry over from BC United because we did have some really good policy, with a bit of my own spin, and I encourage people to check that out.

“Somebody asked me if anything the NDP says is garbage and I said no, good policy is good policy. (Premier) Eby dropped some soft policy on doctors notes…eliminate the requirement of a doctors note under five days. That makes sense.

“That’s one of the powers an independent brings, we can support good ideas and help make policy adjustments to the conservative policy that makes it better, stronger and more representative.”

Issues

“Housing affordability is big across the board, but health care is a huge thing in West Kelowna. We are really light on health care services.

“You drive down the highway and you’ll see walk-in clinics have a lineup before they open every day. Our Urgent and Primary Care Centre, we’re happy to have it, but we need it to be staffed more with more robust hours.

Johnston says improvements to Highway 97 are crucial, pointing specifically to interchanges at Boucherie and Westlake roads, the Westbank Centre couplet and the dangerous intersection at Trepanier in Peachland.

“I encourage everyone to look into the candidates. You need to be educated on who you are voting for.

“I’m a local through-and-through. I understand the heartbeat of the community, the issues at hand.”

You can see the complete interview in the player above.