BC NDP Leader John Horgan (right) meets with Spring Hawes, the BC NDP candidate for Kelowna West, at Vernon’s Ratio Coffee on Saturday, Oct. 3. (Contributed)

BC NDP Leader John Horgan (right) meets with Spring Hawes, the BC NDP candidate for Kelowna West, at Vernon’s Ratio Coffee on Saturday, Oct. 3. (Contributed)

Horgan makes impromptu Okanagan campaign stop

Weather delays caused the premier's flight to Revelstoke to make an early landing in Kelowna Saturday

  • Oct. 4, 2020 12:00 a.m.

BC NDP Leader John Horgan made an unplanned Okanagan visit on Saturday, Oct. 3 after weather caused his flight to land in Kelowna.

What was intended to be a direct flight to Revelstoke from Vancouver, turned into a flight to Kelowna followed by a drive to Revelstoke.

Horgan made a brief pit-stop on the road trip at Vernon’s Ratio Coffee, where he met with voters and Okanagan NDP candidates.

“I was glad to meet with Premier Horgan briefly to talk about the work the government has done in BC,” said Spring Hawes, BC NDP candidate for Kelowna West — who changed her plans last minute to meet with Horgan in Vernon.

“I told him that British Columbia has benefited greatly from his leadership and that the Okanagan is looking forward to the Oct. 24 election, so we can continue moving forward with an economy that works for everyone.”

READ MORE: Horgan talks mass timber, climate targets in visit to Revelstoke

READ MORE: B.C. VOTES 2020: Wilkinson targets pipeline protesters, promises forest stability

Horgan made a more formal appearance later that day in Revelstoke, announcing new promises regarding mass timber technology.

Horgan said mass timber construction has a reduced carbon footprint when sourced from sustainably managed forests.

“Expanding the use of new technologies, like mass timber, will help create new opportunities for workers and communities while helping us meet our net-zero target for reducing carbon pollution,” said the premier.

The NDP promises that if re-elected, their government will keep building on mass timber progress.

On Friday, BC Liberal Party Leader Andrew Wilkinson took his campaign to Merritt, promising to stabilize the forest industry with “working forest” guarantees, and vowing to get tough on protests targeting pipeline and other projects that have permits to build.

-With files from Phil McLachlan and Jocelyn Doll

READ MORE: B.C. suspends some old-growth logging, consults communities

READ MORE: Conservation groups blast province for logging in caribou habitat near Revelstoke

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