Day One of selection for the new leader of the BC Liberals has begun.
And on the eve of the three-day voting process for the provincial party, a 91原创 MLA was on home turf last night asking for members to pick him for the job.
Mike de Jong, MLA for the Abbotsford West riding (which includes a small section of the eastern 91原创鈥檚 Glen Valley neighbourhood), is one of six candidates running for leadership of the BC Liberals.
He ended the campaign at Newlands Golf and Country Club in 91原创 on Wednesday night, surrounded by a few hundred staunch supporters rallying for him to be leader.
He vowed to work towards ending the cycle of poverty, building the supply of homes in B.C. (including affordable housing), ensuring increased job growth in the province while balancing the budget, expanding the transportation network, decentralizing more government, and investing in the education of B.C.鈥檚 youth.
But the promise that drew the most applause during the evening soiree was a specific commitment to transportation.
鈥淚 like SkyTrain. I call it my stretch limo,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd the time has come to bring the SkyTrain to 91原创.鈥�
It was a promise to connect SkyTrain from UBC through to 91原创 鈥� and eventually destinations east including Abbotsford and Chilliwack 鈥� he told the jubilant crowd.
But while de Jong stuck to reiterating his key 鈥渆lection鈥� issues, much of his time was spent thanking his supporters.
They included a few Liberal MLAs, past and present, who came out for the last-minute push at Newlands.
Abbotsford-Mission MLA Simon Gibson, Surrey South MLA Stephanie Cadieux, Richmond Centre MLA Teresa Wat, and Peace River South MLA Mike Bernier were among them.
But leading the pack, and actually introducing de Jong, was Fort 91原创-Aldergrove MLA Rich Coleman 鈥� who is, for at least a few more days, serving as the interim leader of the opposition.
De Jong, the aspiring leader, gave specific thanks to Coleman for all of his support, recounting how the two first met at a party nomination meeting at the Aldergrove legion back in 1995.
鈥淔rom that moment on, a bond was created,鈥� de Jong said, thanking his buddy for his 鈥渟teadfast鈥� support.
He called Coleman a 鈥渕an who values, creates, and fosters that sense of team.鈥� That commitment to team has never been more apparent than when he 鈥渦nselfishly stepped forward鈥� when the 鈥渦nexpected events鈥� of last summer occurred and the Liberals were removed from government, de Jong said.
鈥淲e needed someone in a hurry to step forward and, quite frankly, accept a thankless job. There鈥檚 nothing fun about shepherding a group who have just unexpectedly lost an election鈥� lost a leader鈥� and faced with the鈥� need to select a new leader.鈥�
When introducing de Jong to the ballroom full of people, Coleman specifically pointed out that de Jong and Bernier were instrumental in helping secure a new $60 million school to replace R.E. Mountain Secondary in 91原创, and that he had worked closely together through the years on many other projects key to this community.
Despite drawing some criticism for publicly supporting de Jong鈥檚 leadership quest, Coleman said he was 鈥減roud鈥� to introduce the man he hopes will lead the party and ultimately the province.
This is a man he鈥檚 worked with for 22 years, who was 鈥渢here in 1995 as the only person who showed up and to congratulated me when I got my first nomination, he took me under his wing and taught me the legislature. When you work on project after project after project together successfully, you build a friendship. You build a trust, and you build a loyalty鈥� to me everything in politics is about loyalty 鈥� it鈥檚 about being there for each other and being there when each other鈥檚 needed, in the tough times and the good times as well.鈥�
Well, Coleman said, he鈥檚 there for de Jong, and he鈥檚 hoping this is the 鈥済ood times鈥� as he encouraged Liberal members to pic his friend to lead the party.
鈥淗e has been a strong person for us,鈥� reminding the party members present that he was not just the minister who presented five balanced budgets but that he also served the 鈥渦ngrateful job鈥� of minister of health during the BC Liberal鈥檚 16 year in office.
鈥淚 look at one more thing,鈥� Coleman said, describing de Jong as someone who could take power away from the NDP and 鈥渢ake on [Green leader Andrew] Weaver and [NDP Premier Mike] Horgan on province-wide TV and kick their butt in a debate.鈥�
鈥淚t can only be one guy,鈥� Coleman said. 鈥淗e can do the job and is ready for the task.鈥�
鈥淣ow it鈥檚 over to you,鈥� de Jong told the room of Liberal faithful, reiterating his desire to be the 鈥渘ew captain of the team.鈥�
Continuing the hockey metaphor, he said he鈥檚 anxious to be the one to take Horgan and Weaver to the boards.
鈥淭he puck is going to drop on the electoral rematch sooner than we think鈥� and we鈥檙e going to be the first choice for British Columbians鈥� I can help you make this happen.鈥�
There are six people vying for Christy Clark鈥檚 old job, including de Jong, Dianne Watts, Todd Stone, Andrew Wilkinson, Michael Lee, and Sam Sullivan.
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