Local roots tested at ballot

Prince George-Mackenzie Conservative candidate Kiel Giddens believes living locally provides an important connection to the people and issues an elected representative is responsible for.

“ I’m raising my kids here. I’ve been a volunteer here for many years, and I work hard because I love this community. So I believe that living here and being a part of the community is the best way to represent to the people. And just knowing what the Prince George McKenzie needs going forward,” Giddens said.

However, living outside an electoral district does not necessarily mean a candidate would be unable to effectively represent it.

UNBC political science lecturer Jason Morris says a candidate coming from another part of the province may initially lack the depth of knowledge someone with longstanding ties to the area already possesses.

Morris says local expectations can also play an important role in how voters perceive their candidates.

“There’s no reason to assume that somebody from a different part of BC couldn’t do a great job representing a different area, with all the resources we have of technology and keeping in touch. That being said, the political culture of individual electoral districts historically expects somebody to have lived and breathed and dined and wined and raised families and started businesses, put their kids through school and saw them graduate all in that same place.”

Morris also notes there is no prohibition on a candidate seeking a seat in one electoral district while living in another.

Ultimately, he says, voters are the ones who decide whether that matters when they cast their ballots.

Former Prince George-area MLA Pat Bell believes local roots are especially important in northern communities.

Bell says someone who has spent significant time in the community can develop knowledge and relationships that are difficult for an outside candidate to quickly replicate.

“ I think you should be from the community and you should know the community. When someone stops you on the street and asks you about an issue that the community is facing, you should be able to respond to it. It’s very difficult to do for someone that just steps in on short notice,” Bell said.

Bell also pointed to issues such as the challenges facing the forest industry as examples of regional concerns he believes candidates need to understand.

The three perspectives highlight the debate surrounding so-called “fly-in candidates.” Local residency may provide candidates with established relationships and firsthand experience, while living somewhere else does not automatically determine how effectively someone could represent a riding.

For voters, the question may be less about where a candidate comes from and more about whether they understand the community they are asking to represent.

CKPG News reached out to the NDP and the BC Greens for interviews, but both did not respond.

by Nick Dube

Local roots tested at ballot

What's Trending