A day before the writ drops on the provincial election, the former B.C. United candidate for Kelowna-Centre has declared he will run as an unaffiliated, independent.
Dr. Michael Humer has been left out in the cold, along with dozens of other candidates and MLAs, since Aug. 28, after leader Kevin Falcon, alongside B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad announced he was suspending the party鈥檚 campaign.
Humer made his announcement at a news conference on Sept. 20, with former B.C. United hopefuls Stephen Johnston and Ashley Ramsay. Johnston was the former candidate for West Kelowna-Peachland and Ramsay was the former candidate for Kelowna-Mission. Both have declared that they are also running as independents.
In referencing Falcon鈥檚 actions, Humer recalled comment following Canada's attempt to bring home its constitution in the early 1980s.
鈥淚 called it the afternoon of the big fork,鈥� Humer said. "We got forked by Kevin.鈥�
Falcon and Rustad had promised a riding-by-riding vetting of United and Conservative candidates to determine the best individual to run in the election.
鈥淯nderstanding that it would be an opportunity to rebuild the coalition, bring the centre and right together in an authentic way to form a government to defeat the NDP,鈥� Humer added.
As the days ticked by there was no communication from either party. Despite repeated calls, emails and text messages neither Humer, Johnston nor Ramsay received a call that they were chosen to represent their communities.
Humer declared the B.C. United candidate in February, said he was willing and encouraged to join the Conservatives if they called.
鈥淏ut when it was obvious the fix was in, there was no ability or asking to bring everyone together and get some best alternative. I felt increasingly uncomfortable with that decision and knew that the courageous thing was to say B.C. deserves better so that鈥檚 why I got back in.鈥�
Humer explained why he waited until today to announce why he is running as an independent.
鈥淚鈥檓 terrified that on Monday the NDP is going to say, 鈥淗ere is all the garbage on these conservative candidates you don鈥檛 have any choice, so sign us up for another four years'.鈥�
He added that neither David Eby nor Rustad have shown they can or should govern the province, given what he called their extreme ideologies.
鈥淲hat a beautiful time for the independent candidate, and the ideology they represent, which is what the people tell them in the ridings.鈥�
According to Humer鈥檚 campaign team, there are 15 declared independent candidates running in the Oct. 19 election.
鈥淭his is a growing movement of giving voice back to the individual and to the voter,鈥� Humer said. 鈥淪o this is the option, basically this is the reset election.鈥�
Humer was also asked about potential vote splitting.
鈥淵ou disqualify the intelligence of the individual voter at the door that says you know what this is madness鈥nd we鈥檙e going to stand up and say it must be done better.鈥�
Humer stressed that he, Johnston and Ramsay are not running as a slate of Okanagan candidates, but they support each other.
鈥淲e not trying to create a new party on the fly,鈥� he added. 鈥淲e have to give them (voters) back hope, and we have to figure out about affordability, cost of living, public safety and healthcare.鈥�
According to the Legislative Assembly of B.C. website, nine independent members have been elected MLAs. The first was Mary Ellen Smith in 1918. The most recent was Vicki Huntington, elected in 2009 and 2013. Before that, James Mowat was elected in 1949.
