A former mayor of Telkwa is back in town and ready to jump back into politics.
Sharon Hartwell has thrown her name in the ring to represent the BC Conservative Party in the Stikine riding. She was the mayor of Telkwa from 1995 – 2009.
Hartwell ran in the 2009 provincial election for the then-BC Liberals but lost to the NDP’s Doug Donaldson. After moving away to Alberta for eight years, she is back in town and ready to join the Conservatives this time.
Hartwell said not only have her political views changed over the years but she appreciates the values of the leader of the Conservatives, John Rustad.
Rustad was removed from the Liberal caucus by leader Kevin Falcon in 2022, he then sat in the legislature as an independent member before joining the Conservative party. Rustad cited “irreconcilable differences” with Falcon in explaining his party change.
“John has made it perfectly clear that his experience of being sort of benched, as it were, when he was speaking out for his constituents, that that wasn’t sort of acceptable to the leader’s views,” said Hartwell. “And I do firmly believe that we need to represent the people in the riding and not a party line, some things are going to coincide and some things are not. The things that are important to Bulkley Valley, Stikine are going to be different than Vancouver, and we need to be able to address those things.”
Hartwell said she is mainly getting back into politics now because of the state of health care in the province.
“I’ve got a very big concern about what’s happening with BC health care. That’s probably what’s driving for me the most of this. When I read about Bill 36, and what the NDP government are purporting or trying to implement it to me is just absolutely not right,” she said.
She said the most disturbing part of the bill is the lack of discussion about it.
Bill 36, or the Health Professions and Occupations Act was passed into law last year and it replaced the existing Health Professions Act and brought change to the province’s oversight and regulation of health professionals.
Also running for the Conservative party is Jonathan Dieleman. He was the candidate in 2013 but lost the provincial election to then-incumbent NDP MLA Doug Donaldson.
A vote to decide who will represent the party will be held at the end of November.
Rustad said both are excellent candidates for the Conservative Party of BC .
READ MORE: Race to represent BC Conservative Party in Stikine