Marji Basso (l) and Rhonda Bruce complete a long question and answer session at the Oliver Elks Hall Thursday evening to a crowd of 40. Mostly the party faithful with some members of the public attending as well. Both are vying for the attention of New Democrats in a mail-in ballot in August.

The winner will take on incumbent MLA John Slater in a provincial election expected in September. Questions ranged from poverty – affordable housing – to a National Park in the South Okanagan. Bruce stressed her work in health care and the Hospital Employees Union and Basso used a lot of local examples of working with youth & business groups – pressing for progress on social issues.