A full-scale rebuild is on the horizon for the BC Liberals following their worst electoral result in three decades.
The party went from 43 seats in 2017 to just 29 leading or elected positions this year – their worst showing in over three decades.
Leader Andrew Wilkinson submitted his resignation yesterday (Monday).
Prince George-Mackenzie MLA, Mike Morris told MyPGNow.com a philosophical shift needs to take place.
“We need to modernize how we approach the environmental issues that are facing everybody across the country and across this province along with a number of other things. I will be participating in the review process and adding my voice to it.”
“You know, we are a big-time coalition party, that’s one of the things that drew me to the BC Liberals in the first place. I think there is confusion on brands between us and the federal Liberal party, we have a lot of support for many of our candidates and supporters within the BC Liberal Party so I think that’s part of it.”
Longtime Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond believes there will be a lot of capable candidates step up to become party leader.
She added they need to re-connect with the province’s current population.
“I know that we need to be a party that is diverse, that looks at inclusion as part of the principles that we believe in so we have lots of work to do and I think whenever there is a challenging circumstance, it also presents an opportunity.”
We asked Bond if she had any desire to become the Liberals new figurehead, however, her primary focus remains on the constituents of the riding.
“Most importantly I want to pour my heart and soul into representing this part of British Columbia and it’s going to be important that we have aggressive and engaged MLA’s who take the message to Victoria.”
“We need to engage with Brtish Columbians right across this province. I think it’s important that there is a viable and credible free-enterprise party and choice for BC residents and remember, we retain a lot of strength across Northern British Columbia and across the Interior of the province. We need to figure out what it is we need to do to resonate with the urban voters.”
Meantime, early figures from Elections BC show over 52% of eligible voters cast their ballots, the lowest turnout since records were first kept in 1928.
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