NDP puts forward 3rd candidate for federal riding of Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo

The NDP put forward its third candidate Monday for the federal riding of Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo, family justice counsellor Cynthia Egli.

The NDP asked former candidate Dock Currie to step down earlier this month because of "aggressive" comments he made on social media two years ago, and the party's first candidate for the riding, Gina Myhill-Jones, pulled out of the race for personal reasons at the beginning of August.

Egli, who is also a counsellor and mediator with B.C.'s Ministry of the Attorney General and a member of the BCGEU provincial executive, said she was inspired to put her name forward because of her daughter's birthday. 

"Today is our youngest daughter's 18th birthday and I was quite sad when I heard that the NDP didn't have a candidate anymore," said Egli.

"I've always taught my kids to have the courage to do what's right. So, I wanted someone on that ballot for them to vote for, for me to vote for, for the whole riding to vote for."

She added that she loves party Leader Jagmeet Singh and the NDP's values. 

"Why I think I'm going to be a great candidate is that I'm a working class mom. I am not a politician," Egli told Daybreak Kamloops host Shelley Joyce.

"I feel that we're in the place we are today, where our kids are worrying about the future, they're worrying about going to school and debt load, and they're worrying about [living] paycheck to paycheck and paying their car insurance ... because the Conservatives and the Liberals have been in power all these years."

The union activist hopes to rebuild voter confidence in her riding by "living my values," she said.

"I know I will fight for people in Kamloops. I've had a history of fighting for my clients. I've had a history of fighting for people in the union," said Egli.

"So, I feel that I can take the actual voice of Kamloops people to Ottawa."

Confirmed candidates in the Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo riding are Liberal Party candidate Terry Lake, Conservative Party candidate Cathy McLeod, Green Party candidate Iain Currie, Communist Party candidate Peter Kerek and People's Party candidate Ken Finlayson.