There will be a new name representing the NDP on federal ballots this year, and it could be Margaret Maximenko. Maximenko, of Christina Lake, has announced that she will be seeking the NDP nomination in the newly named riding of South Okanagan West Kootenay (SOWK). The Federal riding was formerly called BC Southern Interior and represented by NDP MP Alex Atamanenko who has decided not to run in the next Federal Election.
After a great deal of encouragement from party members, family, friends and supporters Maximenko has declared her intention to seek the nomination and already hitting the campaign trail. A longtime party activist and self-proclaimed “democracy wonk,” she is excited by her political prospect.
“I am excited to participate in this democratic process. Our country is currently suffering from a serious democratic deficit as evidenced by the four federal by-elections currently featuring conservative candidates who were personally hand-picked by Stephen Harper,” declared Maximenko.
“Alex Atamanenko leaves an amazing legacy that would be my honour to continue,” Maximenko stated when asked about her intention. “Alex has served the constituents of the BC Southern Interior with determination and grace and I believe he has the most effective track record of any Member of Parliament in our corner of the world.”
Her candidacy is not yet a sure thing. Maximenko has jumped at the chance to become a nominee and potentially represent the NDP, but she hopes people will run against her. For her, the best result will be that the best person for the job is the one who gets it.
Originally moving to Canada at the age of nine with her parents from Seattle, Maximenko said she has always had a passion for Canada. The move north of the border was motivated by her parents’ sense that the war in Vietnam was unjust, and one they could not support. That political foundation was kept strong, and Maximenko said she has decided to step up as a nominee in response to what she calls a sense of urgency about seeing the rights of citizens disappearing under the Harper government.
This isn’t Maximenko’s first foray into the political realm. She has served as the representational Member of Parliament role during her time as a Rural Director of the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary, as well as two-and-a-half years as Local Government Spokesperson on the Premiers, Commission on Resources and the Environment (C.O.R.E.) along with many other positions within local and regional communities of interest.
“My four top goals are to represent all the constituents of SOWK, work to restore Canada’s standing in the world which has deteriorated significantly under the Harper Regime, focus efforts to support our environment and address the issues around growing inequality that are rapidly eroding the middle class in our country,” she told the Arrow Lakes News in one of her first community visits in the riding.
The new boundaries for the riding of SOWK will now include Nakusp and Penticton but no longer contain Cawston, Keremeos, Hedley, Princeton, Kaslo and Nelson. The riding remains huge and Maximenko feels fortunate that Christina Lake is situated in the centre, therefore travel to address constituent and community issues can be accomplished effectively in either direction.
The next federal election is widely believed to be held Oct. 19, 2015.
