Conservative Party of B.C. candidate Gordon Skulnec is drawing on his experience in policing, health care and housing as he seeks to represent Kootenay Central in the Oct. 24 provincial election.
Born and raised in Trail, Skulnec said his lifelong connections to the Kootenays have shaped his decision to enter provincial politics.
After attending Selkirk College in Castlegar, he completed a medical radiography program at the British Columbia Institute of Technology in 2004.
He returned to the region to work at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital before joining the RCMP in 2006. His policing career began in Cranbrook and ended with his retirement in Kimberley in 2023.
Skulnec has also spent approximately 20 years working as a rental housing provider.
His interest in politics developed during the 2023 federal Conservative convention in Quebec City, where he participated in policy and constitutional debates.
He said the experience motivated him to become more involved in finding solutions to issues affecting British Columbians.
Now seeking a seat in the legislature, Skulnec has identified private property rights, affordability and public safety as his three main priorities.
He supports repealing B.C.’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, commonly known as DRIPA, and said protecting private property rights would be a central focus if elected.
On affordability, Skulnec highlighted the Conservative Party’s proposal to increase B.C.’s basic personal income tax amount from $13,216 to $32,000, which the party said would provide tax relief to residents.
Public safety is another major focus, with Skulnec outlining proposals to add 500 RCMP officers across the province, increase training capacity at the Justice Institute of British Columbia by 125 seats and hire 50 additional Crown prosecutors.
He also supports expanding addiction treatment and recovery services.
“Instead of giving people that are addicted free drugs and easy access to them, we’re going to give them free help and easy access to help and treatment and support.”
While Skulnec lives outside the Kootenay Central riding, he said his personal and business connections to the region give him a strong understanding of the communities he hopes to represent.
“I’ve been born and raised, I’ve lived my whole life in the Kootenays. My family’s here, my friends here. I know the area quite well. I have deep roots here.”
He pointed to business interests in Salmo and Creston and said he would establish a local presence if elected.
“I am planning on being present here if we win this election, and having an office and everything else.”
Skulnec said rising living costs have left some British Columbians questioning whether they can afford to remain in the province, a concern he said influenced his decision to run.
“It’s pretty sad that one day when you have to sit down with your family and you have to make a decision between, ‘Do I sell everything that I have, pack up and leave BC, or do I stay and fight for it?’ And so, I decided to stay and fight for this province.”
Beyond policy commitments, Skulnec said he wants to restore confidence in elected representatives through honesty, accountability and accessibility.
“Politicians have a history of broken promises and corruption, and I’d like to try to change the way people view politicians by being a man of integrity and a man of honesty.”
He pledged to remain accessible to constituents and respond to their concerns.
“I want to dedicate myself and my team, if I’m elected, that we are going be there to answer the phone, we’re going be there to return voicemail messages, and we’re going be there to return emails.”
Skulnec said he is encouraged by the support of fellow Conservative candidates across the Kootenays and believes collaboration will be important in addressing regional challenges.
“We wanna see some real change in this province.”
Skulnec is running against two-term incumbent New Democrat Brittny Andreson, the BC Green’s Nicole Charlwood, and OneBC’s Hunter Corrigal.
