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Conservatives asking Kelowna residents if they support removing tent cities

Kelowna voters receiving texts from B.C. Conservative Party
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B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad addresses the Construction Innovation Summit in Vancouver, B.C., Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

The B.C. Conservatives appear to be asking Kelowna voters if they back a plan to remove tent cities from the community.

A reader sent what they thought might be a scam text to ѻý asking that question and to reply yes or no.

conservative-text

This text has been sent to numerous voters in Kelowna.

Capital News called the number provided in the text and reached the B.C. Conservative Party. The number is also listed on the partyѻýs website.

Leader John Rustad is in Kelowna today (Oct. 4) and also has an announcement scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at 1050 Weddell Place across from Tent City, however itѻýs unclear what he will be speaking about. 

Randy Millis, who provided the text to Capital News, said he wasnѻýt sure who he was going to vote for but now knows it wonѻýt be the Conservatives.
 
ѻýI was under housed for a number of years living two years an RV,ѻý he said. ѻýI also worked with the John Howard Society in shelter and supportive housing and did some outreach work with Kelowna gospel mission.ѻý

Millis added that there are many un-housed individuals living around his apartment building.

ѻýI refer to them as neighbours and treat them like anyone else and provide help when I can,ѻý he said. ѻýThe main difference between many people and homeless people is maybe one or two missed rent payments.ѻý
 
In 2023, Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre posted a tweet comparing Kelownaѻýs Tent City to a third-world country. The video he tweeted was criticized as exploiting vulnerable people for political gain. Poilievre said that while Kelowna is a beautiful city, people are ѻýspilling out into the streetsѻý and living in tents.

At the time, Kelownaѻýs Community Safety Director Darren Caul said the tweet was disappointing and pointed out that the city continues to work tirelessly with BC Housing and its not-for-profit partners to find housing solutions for people experiencing homelessness.

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