The MLA for Kelowna Lake Country is now the Liberal candidate for the riding after a snap election call by John Horgan and the governing NDP.
"Quite frankly, I'm very disappointed," said Norm Letnick. And he is coming out swinging now that he suddenly finds himself in campaign mode.
Letnick, the Liberal Health Critic, has refused to let the pandemic get political. Since the emergence of COVID-19, Letnick has largely kept his criticism to himself. But he feels the NDP are now turning that collaborative approach during the health emergency against him and his party.
"John Horgan is trying to take advantage of that by calling an early election when they really didn't have to," said Letnick. "And on top of that when the COVID numbers are going on the increase."
He said, instead of thinking about what's best for everyone, the Premier is focused on his own political future.
"John Horgan is only calling this election because he's looking at polls and thinks he can win a majority government. It's that simple. It has nothing to do with the performance of Bonnie Henry or Adrian Dix or myself working collaboratively during this pandemic. It has everything to do with him thinking he has the best shot at winning a majority today."
If the purpose of the election call is to bring the public into the discussion of the province's response to the pandemic, Letnick said a better way to do that would have been in the legislature.
'What he should be doing is calling a fall sitting," he said, "rather than sending everybody out to the polls and having a caretaker government during the worst pandemic we've seen in over a hundred years."
In the neighbouring riding of Kelowna-Mission, Renee Merrifield will carry the Liberal banner. Incumbent Steve Thomson made it clear in December, that he would not be seeking re-election.
Merrifield takes on the role as the selection of party leader Andrew Wilkinson. It's not as democratic as the typical nomination process, which is one more reason Letnick is critical of the snap election call.
"Because all the parties will have to appoint candidates in many ridings," he said. "It doesn't give any party time to be holding long nomination meetings."
Letnick said Horgan should have stuck to the set election date. British Columbians will now go to the polls on October 24.
