Challenger: Skoreyko faces tough questions.

By Lachlan Labere OBSERVER STAFF Sep 06 2006 http://www.saobserver.net/
Challenger: Skoreyko faces tough questions. Difficult choices can bring out the best and the worst in a family, even in Okanagan-Shuswap Conservatives. Last Friday evening, about 20 local Conservative Party supporters attended a meet and greet at Salmon Arm's Royal Canadian Legion, hosted by Dean Skoreyko, the Vernon-area resident and businessman who will be incumbent MP Colin Mayes' sole challenger during tonight's Conservative nomination meeting. The outcome of it and Thursday's Vernon meeting will decide the local representative in the next election. Those who had come to listen to Skoreyko may have belonged to the same party and related to one-another on a first name basis; however, not all seemed to approve of Skoreyko's running against Mayes, who is in his ninth month as MP. One audience member repeatedly asked Skoreyko to explain why Conservatives should pick him over Mayes, expressing the opinion that Skoreyko's running is divisive for the party and the constituency. "The issue is one of the democratic process to me," Skoreyko replied. "It's the inherent ability of who is going to be the best representative of the area. By deciding that through this nomination process, we'll find out one way or another. "I get this sense that there's something wrong with challenging a sitting MP. What I don't understand is if it was okay for Colin Mayes to challenge Darrell Stinson, then why is it not okay for me to challenge Colin Mayes?" Charlotte Kehler, a supporter and long-time family friend of Skoreyko's, was quick to defend the Conservative candidate and his devotion to the party. "I've been with the party since the beginning from way back, and never ever did I see Colin at any meetings or any functions that we've had ever in all the years that I've been on board," said Kehler. "Dean, on the other hand, has been a hard worker and has done a lot in the party nationally, for Darrell and for the board, and he's worked very, very hard and that's why I am supporting him." With more questions, however, and further comparisons of character, Skoreyko's cool gave way to an aggravated exchange with one audience member who Skoreyko accused of leaking information to the media. "You leaked documents to the paper as a board member, you gave them out," shouted Skoreyko. This outbreak ended with party member Bill Louth expressing disapproval. "Had I known you could have walked into a room full of Conservatives and have them try and cut each others throat, I wouldn't be here," said Louth. "Because I was in the grassroots when it started with (Preston) Manning. And I've come up through the worst of them, and I've seen Ms. (Belinda) Stronach leave and everything else. And this is a disaster. I am here to see what kind of a man you are, and I'll get my own opinion." In agreement with Louth that any fighting should be done in Ottawa, Skoreyko concluded the meeting. Outside, in the considerably cooler evening air, he explained that what had just transpired was not reflective of his aspirations for the party. "You like to keep family arguments in the family," said Skoreyko. "I think this mentality of us versus them has kind of crept into the party slightly, and it's not something that we should be fostering on any level. You don't necessarily have to be negative towards somebody else to put yourself forward." Tonight's nomination meeting, for party members only, runs from 4 to 9 p.m. at the Seniors Centre.