Peter Milobar is hoping to become the second mayor in a decade to represent Kamloops-North Thompson in the legislature.
After being chosen the new B.C. Liberal nominee on Nov. 19, he was congratulated by current Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Terry Lake, who called from the Vancouver Airport.
Milobar was also congratulated by nomination challengers Steven Puhallo and Mike Grenier.
“It’s been a hard-fought nomination,” Milobar told reporters after the announcement by the party. “It’s been very respectful and team-building for the whole party and riding.”
With Milobar’s nomination, all three parties in the legislature have named candidates for both city ridings. Milobar will face the NDP’s Barb Nederpel and the Green’s Dan Hines. Also running is Peter Kerek of the B.C. Communist Party.
Lake first won the seat in 2009 for the B.C. Liberals after spending one term as mayor of Kamloops. He decided in September not to run for a third term as MLA.
A party source speaking on condition of anonymity said Milobar won 53 per cent of the first-ballot vote, meaning second choices on the preferential ballot did not need to be counted.
About 60 per cent of the riding’s 880 members cast a ballot at one of four locations: McArthur Island in Kamloops, Sun Peaks, Barriere and Clearwater.
Speaking to about 200 members on McArthur Island before the vote, Milobar gave a rousing endorsement of natural-resource development.
“We need to return a party to Victoria that values the benefits of human resources, but also understands the benefits natural resources bring to our region,” Milobar said. “We can’t allow four years of a party that only says ‘no.’”The B.C. Liberals have held both Kamloops ridings for 15 years.