Who are the Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies candidates?

As the 2025 Federal Election draws ever closer to its conclusion on Monday, April 28, candidates’ forums and debates are beginning to take place in ridings throughout the country.

Each of the five main parties in Canada has put forward a candidate in Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies – the Green Party of Canada’s candidate is Mary Forbes; the People’s Party of Canada candidate is Dave Watson; the NDP candidate is Cory Grizz Longley; the Liberal Party candidate is Peter Njenga; and the Conservative Party of Canada candidate is Bob Zimmer.

Tonight, the first of these forums to be held in the riding, is taking place in Fort St. John, home of incumbent MP Bob Zimmer. The forum is being held at The Lido and will start at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 6 p.m., and is sponsored by the FSJ Petroleum Association.

Who are these people who want our votes?

Mary Forbes is the Green Party candidate. Although she lives in Williams Lake and is currently a trustee with the Board of Education for School District 27, according to an article in the Williams Lake Tribune, Forbes has lived and worked in Fort St. John as an archaeologist in the oil patch.

Forbes wants to build a bridge between herself and her constituents, be a voice for those constituents, and believes that the concerns felt by people in Williams Lake are similar to those in her chosen riding.

Forbes doesn’t see a contradiction in going from the oil patch to running for a federal party which is devoted to environmental causes.

As she told the Prince George Citizen: “People who work in the oil patch, their jobs are the front line of preventing pollution . . . Our hearts are in the forest. We love the land that surrounds us.”

Bear Lake Postmaster David Watson is the People’s Party candidate. According to his bio on the PPC website, Watson has lived and worked throughout Western Canada, in sales, insurance and IT, before becoming postmaster in Bear Lake.

In the 1990s, he joined the Canadian Forces Reserves, and over six years rose to the rank of Captain before concluding his service.

Like Forbes, he has a “deep respect” for nature, but his enduring passion has been computing, an interest that has been with him since the mid-1970s.

Arriving in Prince George in late March, Liberal Party candidate Peter Njenga has been active in helping homeless people in Vancouver and on Vancouver Island since his immigration from Kenya to Canada in 2006.

According to his bio on the Liberal Party website, Njenga “has seen firsthand the opportunities and challenges that middle-class families face every day and understands the priorities and issues of the region.”

Outside of his charity work, which helps both homeless people in BC and orphans in Kenya, Njenga has pursued careers in accounting, business and real estate.

In 2015, Njenga was the federal Liberal candidate for Abbotsford, and in the 2017 provincial election, he ran as an Independent candidate in Surrey South.

“Peter is ready to work with Mark Carney and the Liberal Team to invest in our middle class, and build the strongest economy in the G7,” his bio states.

Dawson Creek radio personality Cory Grizz Longley is the NDP candidate. Longley came in second to MP Zimmer in the 2021 federal election, and according to Facebook is determined to win this time around.

Longley has deep roots in the community and a passion for making life better in Northeastern BC, according to his bio on the NDP party website. He was voted Citizen of the Year in 2007 “for his caring and compassionate fundraising efforts, and known for his no-nonsense attitude and progressive values, he’s committed to fighting for accessible healthcare and meaningful change across the region.”

In an interview with CJDC-TV, Longley said that the NDP’s track record regarding affordability and healthcare were key reasons voters should choose his party.

“The NDP are beholden to no one, and that’s why we’re the part of the people,” he told CJDC.

The Conservative Party of Canada candidate is Fort St. John’s Bob Zimmer. Zimmer has been the MP for Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies since 2011 when he stepped into Jay Hill’s shoes and ran as a CPC candidate in that election.

Like Longley, Zimmer has deep ties to the area – he was born in Dawson Creek and as a child moved to Fort St. John where he graduated from North Peace Secondary School.

A Red Seal Carpenter, Zimmer worked in his father’s carpentry business before going on to become a teacher at NPSS, while continuing to work in construction.

While in Ottawa, Zimmer has most recently served as the Shadow Minister for Northern Affairs and Northern Economic Development Agency. He has also served on several committees including the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agrifood, and the Standing Committee for Natural Resources.

Zimmer is also a long-time member of the FSJ Sunrise Rotary Club, he volunteers for many local events and organizations.

Four of the five candidates have confirmed their attendance at tonight’s All-Candidates Forum at The Lido.