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Kelowna-area MP pays tribute to Prentice

Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola MP Dan Albas says the late Jim Prentice earned the respect of many from his time in office.
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Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola Mp Dan Albas.

Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola MP Dan Albas says while he did not know the late Jim Prentice well, he was shocked and saddened to hear of his death in a plane crash just north the Kelowna airport Thursday night.

The local Conservative MP said he met Prentice a few times at events and always found him to be very cordial and friendly.

While Prentice, a federal MP, cabinet minister and Alberta MLA and premier, had already left federal politics by the time Albas was elected, the local MP said he has met many First Nations leader in B.C. who had a lot of respect for Prentice from his time as federal minister of aboriginal affairs.

Prentice and three others were killed late Thursday night when the Cessna Citation 500 airplane they had just left Kelowna International Airport in crashed about 10 kilometres north of the YLW. It was heading to Springbank Airport near Calgary. He was 60 years old.

Albas expressed his condolences to the families of Prentice and the others on the plane and said the crash pointed the fragility of life.

He said he did not know why Prentice was in the Okanagan and only learned he had been here when he heard about the crash.