Ann Warwick Sears has been sitting across the table from politicians for years advocating for local water issues as executive director of the Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB).
Now she is attempting to switch sides by seeking the provincial NDP nomination for the newly redrawn riding of 琉璃神社-Lake Country-Coldstream in the upcoming election this fall.
"Part of it for me is having a voice on the other side, having that seat at the table where the decision-making takes place," said Warwick-Sears.
"I feel there are so many serious issues with wildfires, the structure losses on 200 properties last summer (from the McDougall Creek wildfire), affordable housing and protection of our water supply system."
While her focus has been on water, she says environmental issues may differ but they are all interrelated to our economy, our quality of life and our food production.
"There is a really strong overlap of environmental issues going on right now and everyday cost of living challenges that affect our ordinary daily lives."
Warwick Sears, 59, has had plenty of experience dealing with politicians since she began with the OBWB as water stewardship director in 2006 and then replaced the retiring executive director in 2007.
"I know a lot of the people serving in local municipal government and worked closely with Okanagan MLAs for the past 18-plus years, so I feel pretty familiar with what their world is like, but I know the day-to-day experience as an MLA would still be different from what you tend to see from the outside looking in."
She feels all MLAs and their parties want the same things - clean water, healthy environments, quality education for our kids, affordable housing opportunities and access to family doctors.
"We all want the same things but have different approaches on how to get all that," she said.
She calls herself a strong advocate for the pathway that Premier David Eby is proposing to meet those objectives compared to the other parties.
鈥淚鈥檓 eager to take on this new challenge,鈥� said Anna Warwick Sears. 鈥淲e need a strong, clear voice for this riding in Victoria.鈥�
Thus far, there have been no other nominees for the 琉璃神社-Lake Country-Coldstream riding, although there has been some confusion with some declaring themselves nominee candidates publicly already for the federal election mandated for next year.
She expects the constituency candidate nomination meeting to take place sometime in early July, at which point she will take a leave of absence from her OBWB job to head out on the campaign trail.
"It is both exciting and scary," she said. "It is a lot to take on initially. I am not new to politics but there are a lot of rules and processes and other things I have no background in that you have to understand and learn.
"I am learning a lot really fast but I have a lot of support to help me as well."
That support includes her partner and other people around her. Municipal officials who have endorsed her candidacy such as Lake Country Mayor Blair Ireland, Vernon Mayor Victor Cumming and Water Supply Association of B.C. chair Bob Hrasko who is also executive director of the Black Mountain Irrigation District.
"Her abilities and energy are recognized regionally, nationally, and internationally across all party lines,鈥� Cumming said. 鈥淪he would be an excellent asset to our legislature.鈥�
