Tuesday October 15, 2024 | CENTRAL SAANICH, BC
BC ELECTION CAMPAIGN DAY 25 of 28
Political analysis by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Your 28-day voter’s guide for BC Election 2024
She’s a senior BC government employee and a first-term municipal councillor with Central Saanich.
Both of those commitments are on hold for Sarah Riddell as she runs her BC NDP campaign to be the next MLA for Saanich North and the Islands.
Strong race in Saanich North and the Islands:
The riding is a large geographical area and politically has been a big part of provincial politics with a now former BC Green MLA Adam Olsen having represented Saanich North and the Islands for seven years (2017 to 2024).
Before that the riding was indeed NDP-orange with Gary Holman as the former BC NDP MLA there (2013-2017). Prior to 2013 for over 20 years the riding was held by the BC Liberals (1991 to 2013).
In this 2024 BC provincial election Riddell for the BC NDP is up against a strong BC Green campaign by Rob Botterell who is aiming to hold the riding Green. The BC Conservative candidate is David Busch. Both Botterll and Busch are lawyers.
Campaign trail:
Riddell has been participating in debates, doing interviews, getting around the riding with door knocking, further meeting the community through phone calls, and by answering questions at all candidates meetings.
Age 39, she has a young child in child care and has appreciated the $10-a-day child care that the BC NDP have made possible. Sarah has two children (age six and three) and her husband is a financial planner.
Riddell notes the cost of living impact of inflation on families and the shortage of things coming out of the pandemic, as well as the housing crisis. She supports below-market housing and making housing easier to build. “The NDP is on the right track with housing. I support the new spectrum of housing policy,” said Riddell last week.
More family doctors:
“We had known for a really long time that a new forward was needed,” Riddell told Island Social Trends in an interview last week.
As the Director of the Medical Services Plan Payment Schedule at the Ministry of Health she was the architect of the new payment agreement between the BC Government and the Doctors of BC which has facilitated more people getting attached to doctors over the past year because more family doctors are now willing to work in BC.
Working with doctors brought out her skill at collaboration. She calls the new model between the Health Ministry and the Doctors of BC “a strong partnership”.
Agriculture on the island:
With deep roots on the Saanich Peninsula, agriculture and food production are also on Riddell’s radar together with the components of climate change and water supply. Many of the south Vancouver Island farming operations are within the Saanich North and the Island riding.
The shift:
“I’ve been a public servant all of my career,” says Riddell. Then in late spring of this year “people started reaching out to me”, she tells Island Social Trends.
“Women have a difference experience,” says Riddell. She encourages women who might be interested in politics to come have a chat with her.
===== RELATED:
- BC Election 2024: advance voting on now for six days (October 10, 2024)
- Six days of advance voting in BC Election 2024 (October 3, 2024)
- Rob Botterell set to fill Olsen’s shoes in Saanich North & the Islands (August 11, 2024)
- BC Green powerhouse Adam Olsen shifts to building the party (June 25, 2024)
- NEWS SECTIONS: POLITICS | VANCOUVER ISLAND | BC ELECTION 2024