Observer SALMON ARM
Wednesday September 19, 2012 www.saobserver.net $1.25 HST INCLUDED PM40008236
JAMES MURRAY/OBSERVER
Ready to roll Riders head out at the start of the 14th annual Bike For Life held Saturday from Blackburn Park to promote heathy lifestyles, family solidarity and community involvement through cycling.
Former mayor eyes MLA’s job By Martha Wickett OBSERVER STAFF
Former Salmon Arm mayor Marty Bootsma is coming out of retirement. Bootsma told the Observer that he hopes to replace outgoing Liberal MLA George Abbott and will be seeking the candidacy for the Shuswap riding in the next provincial election. “I’d like to see the BC Liberal Party back in the driver’s seat after the next election,” he said, adding
that he doesn’t see himself taking up a losing battle. “Absolutely not. I keep hearing about a sinking ship. It might be floundering a bit but it’s not sinking.” After serving on Salmon Arm council as a councillor for two terms and as mayor for another two, Bootsma did not seek re-election in the 2011 election. He said he’s been travelling a little, working on his acreage and spending time with his family. Does he have the stamina
to re-enter politics? “Oh, I do,” he said. “I find I have way too much.” And he says he has enough experience for the job. “I’ve dealt with quite a few provincial issues, cabinet ministers and MLAs, I’ve been to quite a few UBCM’s (Union of BC Municipalities conventions)... I know quite a bit about what it’s about and what’s required.” Bootsma said he has a group of supporters
This week Blind Bay beaches re-open after e-coli counts return to normal range. See A4 for details. The SilverBacks regroup to pull out an overtime win against their arch-rivals. Check out page A23.
Marty Bootsma RUNNING FOR BC LIBERALS who want him to run, but wouldn’t say if Abbott is
among them. He doesn’t know if anyone else will be seeking the Liberal candidacy in the riding. As for polls that show the NDP favoured to win the next provincial election, Bootsma points to Alberta. “If you’re going to rely on polls, look at what happened to the Wild Rose Party in Alberta. They were going to sweep the province in polls taken just days before the election,” he said, noting the May 14, 2013 election in B.C. is still sev-
eral months away. Current Mayor Nancy Cooper said she, too, was encouraged by a number of people to consider vying for the MLA position. “I said, for me, can I have the most impact here or, if I was successful, would I have the most impact in Victoria? I think here, right now,” she said, noting she’s working on a number of initiatives with economic development. “For me, it would be better spent here.”
Index Opinion ....................... A6 View Point .................. A7 Life & Times ............... A8 Sports .............. A22-A26 Arts & Events ... A27-A30 Time Out................... A31 Vol. 105, No. 38, 56 pages