New name better suits electoral boundary

By Roger Knox - Vernon Morning Star Published: July 26, 2008

Okanagan Vernon is out as the name of the provincial political riding for the North Okanagan. In is Vernon Monashee. And with the name change comes a new border. Legislation that sets boundaries for the new riding has passed through the provincial House unanimously. “It becomes official as of the next election,” said incumbent Okanagan Vernon Liberal MLA Tom Christensen, also the Minister of Children and Family Development. The current riding’s boundaries run from the end of Swan Lake in the north, south to Bailey Road, east to the height of the Monashee Mountains, and west to the height of the hills on the west side of Okanagan Lake. “My riding hardly changes at all, other than the new name,” said Christensen. “The only real change in the riding is, I believe, the area that’s on the west side of Okanagan Lake now becomes part of the Shuswap riding.” An independent commission has been going around the province looking at riding boundaries, and how the population has shifted around B.C. The commission makes recommendations to government that takes into account both population and geographic area of representation. “I don’t envy them that job,” said Christensen. “It’s tough to find the right balance.”

And what does the MLA think of the new name for his riding? “I kind of like it,” he said. “I like having ‘Okanagan’ in there, but what tends to happen is you think Okanagan Vernon, you don’t think of the eastern part, like Lumby and Cherryville. “To be perfectly honest, Vernon Monashee better explains the boundaries of the riding and, from my perspective, Lumby and Cherryville are an important part of the riding.” The next provincial election will be held on Tuesday, May 12, 2009.