Courtenay – Comox has a new MLA, and mayor Vickey Brown has concerns for how it affects the regional district.
On election night, Brennan Day ended up with 13,145 votes, beating NDP incumbent Ronna-Rae Leonard, while in the Mid-Island Pacific rim riding, NDP incumbent Josie Osborne got re-elected as MLA with 13,588 votes.
Cumberland mayor Vickey Brown says it’s interesting as while they still have Osborne as their MLA, Courtenay – Comox has a new one, which does bring concerns.
“My concern is how she may or may not be able to work with the conservative MLA,” said Brown.
“We share a regional district with two different MLAs, from two different parties and they are going to need to find a way to work together to help us solve the very complex problems that we face in this region.”
Brown says having two different MLAs could be challenging for the Comox Valley Regional District board to navigate because of different opinions on social programs and policies.
Another concern she has is for the Conservatives and NDP not willing to work together.
“How are we going to decide on which programs get funded and which programs don’t if they refuse to work together?” said Brown.
She hopes both Osborne and Day can sit down together and find a path forward in tackling issues such as housing, healthcare, and childcare, and for Day to outline his plans for the Comox Valley as MLA.
