MLA Merrifield reflects on the year and looks ahead

As a local MLA reflects on the year gone and the months ahead, she acknowledges local political followers have a lot more on their mind than who will run the official opposition in this province.

MLA for Kelowna-Mission Renee Merrifield, who is running for the BC Liberal Party leadership, told Kelowna10 the main issue in her constituency is still COVID-19 and it’s not surprising the party membership who will vote in a new leader aren’t very focused on this race.

“I would say that the trauma that’s occurred for British Columbians over the past year has eclipsed any sort of leadership race. It’s unfortunate, because in leadership races, we actually have the opportunity to vote for the next leader of our province, and potentially our premier,” she said. “But I would also say it’s understandable because people are hurting, having a difficult time, people are really struggling and displaced.”

Despite all the challenges, she is proud of the way the community came together to help each other both locally and provincially in the last year.

“If I was to look at what was great about this last year, it was the amount that we as a community came together. It was how we took care of each other,” Merrifield said. “Whether that was checking in on neighbours during a heatwave or making sure that we followed guidelines to keep each other safe during a pandemic.”

Merrifield added her key focus as part of her campaign race includes healthcare, housing affordability, childcare, and an economic plan that she believes would be much better than what the NDP has been able to do as the current government.

“The NDP are four and a half years in on their second mandate and they still have yet to deliver an economic plan,” she said. “We are flying blind right now and without a plan we are going to have these shockwaves sent into our different industries like in the forestry sector over the course of the fall. We need to take this seriously, demand answers, and we are ready, and we will be ready under my leadership.”

Merrifield is the only woman in a seven-person race that also includes Gavin Dew, Kevin Falcon, Ellis Ross, Michael Lee, Val Litwan and Stan Sipos. Three debates have taken place with the fourth one scheduled for Jan.17. The Liberal Party membership will vote on their new leader Feb. 5.

Merrifield continues to advocate for more funding for families with autistic children after the NDP recently announced a change to the way the program would operate. Direct funding to families will be phased out by 2025. She identified COVID as an eye opener for what needs to happen moving forward.

“We've got some really difficult situations coming for families of neurodiversity, and we need to take care of those kids in the way that we are and build upon the successes rather than tearing them apart,” she said. “COVID has really been this light that shone through the cracks of our system, our society, and of our institutions. We have an opportunity now to rebuild out of the pandemic and as we go to an endemic phase in a really meaningful way recreating the systems that have these cracks and really shoring them up.”