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Goldsmith-Jones won't seek re-election in October

Conservative Party names its Sea to Sky candidate
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ONE TERM MP Pamela Goldsmith-Jones, Liberal MP for the Sea to Sky, announced on Wednesday, May 8 that she will not seek re-election in October. File photo.

Pamela Goldsmith-Jones, MP for the West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country riding, will not seek re-election in October's federal vote.

The announcement came in a press release on May 8 (just before Pique's weekly press deadline).

"Serving as your MP and representing Canada on world issues has been a distinct honour. However, when I look forward to the next four years, I feel that I need to spend time closer to home, particularly with my parents," Goldsmith-Jones said in the release.

Goldsmith-Jones, who was first elected in 2015, said she believes in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberal team.

"Going into the next election, I will do all I can to help ensure we have an outstanding candidate and that the Liberal Party continues to have a strong voice in Western Canada."

Meanwhile, the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) has confirmed its candidate for the West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country riding ahead of October's federal election.

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IN THE RUNNING Gabrielle Loren is the Conservative Party of Canada’s nominee for the West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country riding in the 2019 federal election. The election is set for Oct. 21. Photo submitted.

Gabrielle Loren—a longtime accountant and entrepreneur in West Vancouver—won the nomination over one other nominee on Sunday, May 5.

As someone with no prior political experience, Loren is looking at her campaign with an open mind and taking a "common sense" approach.

"I think there's a feeling ... not just in our riding, but in the country, that people are sick and tired of career politicians, and they're just going, 'like, come on people, use some common sense,'" she said, when reached by phone on May 7.

"And that's exactly what I want to do."

Having never been a card-carrying member of a political party before, Loren said the CPC was the party that most closely aligned with her views on the economy.

"I kind of went at it on the basis of, OK, so I just have to push them a little bit more on the environment. We are West Coast here, right?" she said with a laugh.

"So there's little things like that I'm sure I'm going to butt heads with, but I just look at it as, if you just keep your head on straight, you think common sense and you do what your gut and your ethics and morals say you should do, you should be able to do something when it comes to making sure that everyone is represented well."

Though she lived in West Vancouver from 1966 to 2018, Loren and her husband now reside in North Vancouver (candidates do not have to live in the riding where they are seeking election).

Loren said she makes it up to Whistler three or four times a year, most recently to teach tax courses to realtors and to mark her firm's (Loren Nancke Chartered Professional Accountants) "end-of-tax-season" party.

Even with her limited time in the resort, she's identified two key issues ahead of the 2019 vote: housing and staffing.

As for how she'll advocate for Whistler voters on those issues, or the other priorities she'll be focusing on in her platform, Loren is the first to admit she has some legwork to do before the campaign begins in earnest.

"I need to get myself up on what is even possible. I've got a lot of ideas percolating in my head, but I don't know if they're even realistic," she said.

"What I think is really important, is that whoever the MP is, they have to think outside the box. They can't be the person that just follows blindly."

At this point in the process, it's all about listening, Loren added.

"It's one of those things where I don't know what I don't know at this point ... I'm so green, and I admit I'm so green," she said.

"I am willing to listen to anyone, but I have to filter out all the good and the bad and the ugly ... which is the right way to do things? What is it that I'm even able to do?"

With Goldsmith-Jones' announcement, Loren becomes the only confirmed candidate in the Sea to Sky ahead of the Oct. 21 election (a representative with the Sea to Sky NDP said its annual general meeting will be held in three to four weeks. A rep with the Green Party did not respond to queries about its candidate before Pique's deadline).

Find more at www.gabrielleloren.ca.

Loren can be reached by email at info@gabrielleloren.ca