Latest news with #B.C.United
CBC
15-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Retiring Conservative MP Ed Fast endorses Independent Abbotsford-South Langley candidate
Abbotsford-South Langley candidate Mike de Jong, who is running as an Independent, has received an endorsement from retiring federal Conservative MP Ed Fast, who represented a riding in Abbotsford for more than 18 years. Fast, who was first elected as the member of Parliament for Abbotsford in 2006, announced last year he would be stepping down from federal politics. Shortly after, de Jong, who won eight terms in the B.C. legislature with B.C. United — formerly known as the B.C. Liberal Party — and held cabinet posts, including finance and forestry, announced plans to seek the Conservative Party of Canada nomination for the newly-formed riding of Abbotsford-South Langley. Early last month, de Jong was "informally advised" that he had been rejected as the Conservative candidate for the riding. The party instead chose Sukhman Gill, a 25-year-old Langley businessman who was raised on his parent's blueberry farm in Langley, according to his website. Fast described the party's move as "profoundly dishonest." "The way the party backroom operators acted to steal democracy from the good people of Abbotsford and Langley is unconscionable," he told CBC's The Early Edition host Stephen Quinn Tuesday morning. He said he still supports the election of a Conservative government, but does not support Gill as his successor. In a press release, de Jong said he's honoured to have Fast's endorsement. "Ed Fast has served this community with integrity and conviction," he said. "He leaves huge shoes to fill and, if the people of Abbotsford-South Langley select me to succeed him as their MP, I will do my very best to honour the legacy of integrity and principled public service he leaves." WATCH | Mike de Jong to run as Independent: Former B.C. Liberal Mike de Jong announces he will run as an Independent 19 days ago Duration 2:23 Former B.C. Liberal cabinet minister Mike de Jong is going solo in the federal election after being rejected by the Conservative Party. He's running as an independent in the Fraser Valley, and as Katie DeRosa reports, he's one of several former politicians who were passed over by the Tories. Fast said voters in the riding will have two conservative-leaning candidates to choose from on April 28. "I know which one I would choose, and I'm pretty sure I know which one the people of Abbotsford-[South] Langley will choose," he said.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former B.C. United MLA courts centrist voters with new political party
Former MLA Karin Kirkpatrick has launched a new political party, Centre B.C., after abandoning attempts to get Kevin Falcon to step down as leader of B.C. United, formerly B.C. Liberals. Kirkpatrick said she was left politically homeless when Falcon withdrew B.C. United from last year's provincial election campaign — and so were many political centrists like her. "There are a lot of federal Liberals who were homeless and voted for the NDP in the last election. We're giving them an opportunity to come back to us," Kirkpatrick told CBC News during a visit to Victoria, accompanied by her 22-year-old daughter. "We've seen so much divisive conversation in politics over the last year … a lot of people in British Columbia were looking for an alternative that was more balanced," said Kirkpatrick, who represented West Vancouver-Capilano from 2020 to 2024. Kirkpatrick ran unsuccessfully as an Independent in the last provincial election. That riding was won by B.C. Conservative Lynne Block. "After the last election where a number of us (former B.C. Liberal MLAs) ran as Independents, we have been contacted by literally thousands of people who are really asking for this," she said. She admits starting a political party from scratch is difficult — and expensive. But it was the only option after Kirkpatrick realized the B.C. United board was not willing to push Falcon out as leader, making it impossible to rebuild the party. Party officials have maintained they're focused on paying their debts and can't afford a leadership race right now. CBC News asked Falcon for an interview. He declined, but in a text message, he said: "The board asked me to stay on only to allow them to avoid the costs and logistics involved in organizing a leadership convention while they focus instead on repaying outstanding obligations. On that basis, I agreed to do so." "We're here today because Kevin Falcon still refuses to resign as leader," said Kareem Allam, a political strategist with Richardson Strategy Group. Allam worked on Falcon's leadership campaign in 2022, but publicly backed the B.C. NDP during October's provincial election. He said the anger many still feel for the way Falcon unilaterally threw in the towel could be channeled into "momentum and energy that can drive into the centrist party." "There hasn't really been a home for centrist voters," Allam said. Allam said he sees a situation where Centre B.C. can eat away at the vote share for the B.C. NDP and the B.C. Conservatives. "It's going to hurt both parties that currently dominate the Legislature," he said. While the next provincial election is three and a half years away, Kirkpatrick said the party is aiming to attract federal Liberals who are energized by Mark Carney's campaign. "I think (people) are coming back to the centre. Over the last few years, it has been very left and very right. You've even seen the B.C. Conservatives split themselves." She's referring to the three former B.C. Conservatives — Dallas Brodie, Jordan Kealy and Tara Armstrong — who left the party last month and accused John Rustad of overseeing a toxic party that has abandoned Conservative principles. Before her political career, Kirkpatrick worked in the non-profit sector, was the assistant dean of UBC's Sauder School of Business and led the Real Estate Foundation of B.C. She said that experience informs Centre B.C.'s core principles of fiscal responsibility and social support for British Columbians struggling with the affordability crisis. As for the party's name, Kirkpatrick said she learned lessons from the rebranding of the B.C. Liberals to B.C. United, which most party insiders say was a flop. "It was really hard for people to engage and understand what the values were," she said. "So I don't think there's anything that can be more clear than Centre B.C." When asked about the new party, Premier David Eby wished Kirkpatrick luck. "The former B.C. Liberal Party is fracturing into multiple parts these days. I guess we'll see where everything lands."
CBC
10-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Former B.C. United MLA courts centrist voters with new political party
Former MLA Karin Kirkpatrick has launched a new political party, Centre B.C., after abandoning attempts to get Kevin Falcon to step down as leader of B.C. United, formerly B.C. Liberals. Kirkpatrick said she was left politically homeless when Falcon withdrew B.C. United from last year's provincial election campaign — and so were many political centrists like her. "There are a lot of federal Liberals who were homeless and voted for the NDP in the last election. We're giving them an opportunity to come back to us," Kirkpatrick told CBC News during a visit to Victoria, accompanied by her 22-year-old daughter. "We've seen so much divisive conversation in politics over the last year … a lot of people in British Columbia were looking for an alternative that was more balanced," said Kirkpatrick, who represented West Vancouver-Capilano from 2020 to 2024. Kirkpatrick ran unsuccessfully as an Independent in the last provincial election. That riding was won by B.C. Conservative Lynne Block. Centrist voters have few choices now B.C. United has quit election campaign, party MLA says 7 months ago Duration 10:30 Karin Kirkpatrick, the incumbent MLA for West Vancouver-Capilano, says news of her party's withdrawal came as a complete surprise to her and many colleagues. "After the last election where a number of us (former B.C. Liberal MLAs) ran as Independents, we have been contacted by literally thousands of people who are really asking for this," she said. She admits starting a political party from scratch is difficult — and expensive. But it was the only option after Kirkpatrick realized the B.C. United board was not willing to push Falcon out as leader, making it impossible to rebuild the party. Party officials have maintained they're focused on paying their debts and can't afford a leadership race right now. CBC News asked Falcon for an interview. He declined, but in a text message, he said: "The board asked me to stay on only to allow them to avoid the costs and logistics involved in organizing a leadership convention while they focus instead on repaying outstanding obligations. On that basis, I agreed to do so." "We're here today because Kevin Falcon still refuses to resign as leader," said Kareem Allam, a political strategist with Richardson Strategy Group. Allam worked on Falcon's leadership campaign in 2022, but publicly backed the B.C. NDP during October's provincial election. He said the anger many still feel for the way Falcon unilaterally threw in the towel could be channeled into "momentum and energy that can drive into the centrist party." "There hasn't really been a home for centrist voters," Allam said. Allam said he sees a situation where Centre B.C. can eat away at the vote share for the B.C. NDP and the B.C. Conservatives. "It's going to hurt both parties that currently dominate the Legislature," he said. While the next provincial election is three and a half years away, Kirkpatrick said the party is aiming to attract federal Liberals who are energized by Mark Carney's campaign. "I think (people) are coming back to the centre. Over the last few years, it has been very left and very right. You've even seen the B.C. Conservatives split themselves." B.C. Conservative leader on next steps for party as caucus loses 3 MLAs 1 month ago Duration 16:04 She's referring to the three former B.C. Conservatives — Dallas Brodie, Jordan Kealy and Tara Armstrong — who left the party last month and accused John Rustad of overseeing a toxic party that has abandoned Conservative principles. Before her political career, Kirkpatrick worked in the non-profit sector, was the assistant dean of UBC's Sauder School of Business and led the Real Estate Foundation of B.C. She said that experience informs Centre B.C.'s core principles of fiscal responsibility and social support for British Columbians struggling with the affordability crisis. As for the party's name, Kirkpatrick said she learned lessons from the rebranding of the B.C. Liberals to B.C. United, which most party insiders say was a flop. "It was really hard for people to engage and understand what the values were," she said. "So I don't think there's anything that can be more clear than Centre B.C." When asked about the new party, Premier David Eby wished Kirkpatrick luck.
CBC
11-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
B.C. Conservatives face identity crisis and growing pains amid defections, prof. says
Social Sharing B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad admits it's been a tough week but says it's not unexpected in a party that was built and grown so quickly. "We're still in the building phase. So you know, were some mistakes made? Did we get through a proper vetting process with some candidates? Clearly, we've had a few issues." But the Tory leader says he's still optimistic the Conservatives will continue to expand their membership and strength around the province. On Friday, Vancouver-Quilchena MLA Dallas Brodie was kicked out of the Conservative caucus for comments about residential schools on a podcast, prompting fellow MLAs Jordan Kealy and Tara Armstrong to leave the party. They later announced on Monday they would sit as Independents, with Armstrong saying the party had been infiltrated by "woke liberals." While Leader John Rustad says the party remains focused on holding the governing B.C. NDP to account, political watchers say that Rustad faces a major task in corralling its centrist and centre-right factions. WATCH | Tory defectors to sit as Independents: 3 former Conservative MLAS will sit as Independents in B.C. Legislature 18 hours ago Duration 2:37 Three breakaway MLAs from the B.C. Conservative Party held a news conference on Monday. They are pondering starting a new party and hope to bring more MLAs to their side. It's left Leader John Rustad scrambling to keep his party united just three weeks into the legislative session. University of B.C. political scientist Stewart Prest says it's a byproduct of the party's quick ascent on the political scene just before the election last year, in which both moderate pro-business candidates and those who ran on socially conservative views wound up getting elected. "I think we are seeing the B.C. Conservatives in a slow-moving civil war that's likely going to crystallize around questions of John Rustad's leadership," Prest said on Monday. WATCH | Rustad on the next steps for his party: B.C. Conservative leader on next steps for party as caucus loses 3 MLAs 1 day ago Duration 16:04 Rustad, who faces a leadership review at the end of the year, took on a number of former centrist B.C. United candidates, along with a number of political newcomers as candidates before the election. He allowed free speech within his caucus, refusing to whip them on votes in the legislature, encouraging what he called a "big tent" party. But Prest says that the free speech policy is a byproduct of the Conservatives' inability to coalesce around a single set of values and speaks to the two warring factions within the caucus. "Effectively, we continue to have something that used to be the B.C. United and something that used to be the B.C. Conservatives trying to represent their respective selves within a single party," he said. "And so that kind of grouping is not going to be whippable." Are more defections likely? Rustad says the two MLAs who left his caucus never fully supported his leadership, backing a candidate for party president that wasn't aligned with him at the recent party convention. "It clearly would have been better if we had tried to have everybody stay in the tent. It was something that, you know, I worked on over the period of time to have them in," he told CBC's The Early Edition on Monday. "But these people had something else in mind." WATCH | Recent AGM looks at Conservatives' future: B.C. Conservative members grapple with the party's future direction 9 days ago Duration 2:17 The B.C. Conservative Party hosted its annual general meeting amid supposed internal divisions and fractures. As Katie DeRosa reports, despite the meteoric rise, some party members are still critical of John Rustad's leadership. 3 former B.C. Conservative MLAs, who will sit as Independents, say party has been captured by 'woke liberals' Kareem Allam, a political strategist and former B.C. Liberal campaign manager, says that if the divisions within the Conservatives get worse, there could be more defections and even a three-way split in the caucus. "I think by the end of the year, it's in all likelihood [Rustad] is going to get pushed out," he said. WATCH | Allam weighs in on Tory infighting: B.C. Conservatives could see more defections, political strategist says 17 hours ago Duration 10:16 Defecting MLAs face questions With Kealy and Armstrong leaving the Conservative caucus to sit as Independents, the question of whether they were going against their constituents' wishes — voters elected them under the Conservative banner — came up on Friday. However, within the context of the Conservatives' ongoing identity crisis, Prest says the question of whether voters were betrayed is not so clear-cut for the defecting MLAs. "In many ways, the vote for the B.C. Conservatives was a vote against the NDP as the incumbent party, a vote against the status quo, and the B.C. Conservatives rode that wave without fully ironing out these differences among the different factions," he said. Prest says that, beyond the rarely-used function to recall MLAs, the ultimate accountability for the defecting MLAs and the Conservatives would be at the next provincial election. The political scientist says that if the Conservatives can't present a more coherent alternative to the B.C. NDP then, voters would not entrust them with government.
CBC
04-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Tories reject former B.C. cabinet minister Mike de Jong as federal election candidate
Mike de Jong, one of B.C.'s longest-serving MLAS, says the federal Conservative Party has rejected him as a candidate in the upcoming election. In a statement posted to social media on Tuesday, de Jong said he had been "informally advised" of the decision Monday evening and called it disappointing. "It is difficult to comprehend how I would not be deemed worthy of having my name on the ballot," Dejong said in the statement. De Jong served as an MLA for the B.C. United party — formerly the B.C. Liberals— for more than 30 years. He has served in several ministerial positions throughout his political career, including as minister of finance, minister of health, and attorney general, among others. He has also served as the government House leader. De Jong announced he was seeking the federal Conservative nomination in Abbotsford-South Langley last April. He said the news he would not be a candidate came to him "after nearly a year of campaigning to represent the riding as the Conservative candidate."
