Okanagan-Shuswap Liberals are standing behind their new leader.
Montreal MP Justin Trudeau captured 80 per cent support during the federal Liberal leadership process that wrapped up Sunday.
“He’s going to bring youth and excitement to the party,” said Janna Francis, the party’s local spokesperson, who was at the Ottawa convention.
“He’s committed to developing policies and working at the riding level. There’s a lot of confidence.”
There have been some questions about Trudeau’s level of experience, but Francis isn’t concerned.
“There’s a lot of depth in the team surrounding Justin Trudeau. He’s a man who believes in the importance of a team,” she said. “Canadians are looking for someone who evokes emotion in politics.”
Polls have indicated the Liberals have more public support than the official opposition NDP, but Francis admits a new leader is only part of restoring the party to its traditional role in government.
“This is day one of a lot of hard work but we’re up to it,” she said.
Colin Mayes, Conservative MP for Okanagan-Shuswap, isn’t sure how much impact Trudeau will have federally.
“It’s great to have a young, good-looking person but you need to have some substance,” said Mayes.
“There’s a lot of hype but not a lot of policy statements you can make judgements on either good or bad.”
Mayes believes media focus on the leadership contest has bolstered the Liberals’ poll standings but he says that may not be sustainable.
“There are still two-and-a-half years of the (Conservative) mandate and we will have to see how it plays out,” he said.
“We’ve had a great record as a government on the economy.”
Nick Hodge, Okanagan-Shuswap NDP president, isn’t concerned about Trudeau and the Liberals undermining the position of his party.
“There’s not much difference between the Conservatives and the Liberals. They govern from the right side and if you want change in Canada, the NDP is the way to go,” he said.
“It’s a matter of spreading the word to Canadians.”
