The People's Party of Canada have quietly made a change to its candidate running in Columbia-Kootenay-Southern Rockies.
Laurie Baird will tentatively be on the ballot for the PPC instead of Andrew Skinner for the April 28 federal election.
Skinner announced his candidacy in a Jan. 25 post that included a picture of Skinner shaking hands with party leader Maxime Bernier. He was also among the party's candidates listed on their website when the election was called on March 23.
Skinner's page has since been replaced by one for Baird, who the party describes as "a seasoned mortgage broker with over two decades of experience in the Okanagan and Kelowna real estate markets." It's not clear if Baird lives in the riding or what connections she has to the region.
A spokesperson for the PPC said Skinner decided to withdraw from the campaign for personal reasons.
"Laurie Baird agreed to step in to ensure that voters in the area had the option to vote for the party and to help make sure the criteria is met to get our party leader into the national debates."
Other candidates running include incumbent Rob Morrison of the Conservative Party, the NDP’s Kallee Lins, Reggie Goldsbury for the Liberal Party, Green Party candidate Steven Maffioli and independent candidate Jim Wiedrick.
Baird told the Star by email she is still working to get the 100 signatures required by Elections Canada to be on the ballot. Federal rules require candidates collect at least 100 signatures of people who are qualified electors and live in the riding the candidate intends to run in.
Nominations close April 7.
