Kootenay—Columbia

Kootenay—Columbia encompasses the southeastern corner of British Columbia, stretching from the Canadian Rockies to the Selkirk and Purcell mountain ranges. The riding spans the Regional District of East Kootenay, portions of the Regional District of Central Kootenay—including the Town of Creston and the village of Nakusp—and parts of the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District, taking in the City of Revelstoke and the Town of Golden. It shares more border length with the United States—touching Idaho, Montana, and Washington—than any other Canadian federal riding. Cranbrook (population roughly 20,000) serves as the district's largest city and commercial hub, while Fernie, Invermere, Kimberley, and Sparwood are smaller centres scattered across valleys separated by imposing mountain passes. The riding's population of approximately 86,000 is spread across vast terrain, and the median age skews older than the provincial average, reflecting decades of retiree in-migration and limited employment options for younger residents.

Candidates

Rob Morrison (Conservative) A retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer with over 30 years of service, Morrison rose to the rank of commissioned officer before transitioning into diplomatic and intelligence work. He was posted to Islamabad, Pakistan, and operated across 17 countries representing the Canadian government. He later served as Director General with the Treasury Board Secretariat, overseeing information-sharing frameworks among law enforcement agencies and foreign governments. First elected in Kootenay—Columbia in 2019, he brought national security expertise to Parliament and served on the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security.

Wayne Stetski (NDP) Born in Churchill, Manitoba, Stetski spent 35 years working with national and provincial parks, beginning as a naturalist at Pacific Rim National Park Reserve while studying ecology and education at the University of Manitoba. He later became regional manager of the Kootenay parks system and moved to Cranbrook in 1990. After winning the Cranbrook mayoral race in 2011 and serving three years as mayor, he was elected as the NDP Member of Parliament for Kootenay—Columbia in 2015, serving as the party's Critic for National Parks throughout the 42nd Parliament. He lost re-election in 2019 and sought to reclaim the seat in 2021.

Robin Goldsbury (Liberal) Raised in Alberta, Goldsbury moved to the Cranbrook area roughly 30 years ago. She operated award-winning businesses in value-added forestry, marketing, tourism, and property development over nearly three decades. After a decade in forestry, she returned to school and completed a master's degree in neuroscience. She ran as the Liberal candidate in both 2019 and 2021, focusing her campaigns on transportation, health care access, affordability, and housing.

Rana Nelson (Green Party) A Revelstoke resident and first-time candidate, Nelson grew up in Saskatoon and had been active in social justice advocacy before entering politics. After living in Ottawa and Saskatchewan, she settled in Revelstoke with her family, where she raised three children. The pandemic prompted her decision to seek the Green nomination, and she ran on the party's core values of sustainability, social justice, and ecological stewardship.

About the Riding

The Kootenay—Columbia economy has historically depended on resource extraction—forestry, mining, and energy—but tourism and outdoor recreation have grown into major economic drivers. The riding is home to several world-class ski resorts, including Fernie Alpine Resort, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort near Golden, and Revelstoke Mountain Resort, which boasts the longest vertical drop in North America. Heli-skiing, mountain biking, and backcountry recreation draw visitors from around the globe, and the tourism sector supports a significant portion of the service-economy workforce.

The riding sits within the traditional territories of the Ktunaxa Nation, the Secwepemc (Shuswap) people, and the Sinixt Nation, among others. Indigenous communities—including the Ktunaxa Nation's four bands in the East Kootenay—have pursued self-governance, economic development, and cultural revitalization efforts. Columbia Lake—the headwaters of the Columbia River—lies within the riding, and water management along the Columbia system remains a policy issue, particularly regarding the Columbia River Treaty between Canada and the United States, which has been under renegotiation since 2014.

Transportation infrastructure is a perennial concern. The Trans-Canada Highway threads through the riding via Rogers Pass and Kicking Horse Pass, two corridors notorious for avalanche closures and winter driving hazards. Health care access is similarly strained: residents of smaller communities often travel hours to reach specialists or hospital services in Cranbrook or Kelowna, and physician recruitment in rural areas has proven difficult. The riding's economy faces the tension between conservation and resource development—old-growth logging, coal mining in the Elk Valley, and selenium contamination of waterways from mining operations have all generated heated local debate.