DAWSON CREEK -- The political landscape in British Columbia has shifted with John Rustad's Conservatives now carrying the centre-right banner heading into a fall election campaign.
BC United Leader Kevin Falcon's decision to pull his party from the upcoming campaign has opened the province to a clear left-versus-right choice for voters, but almost two dozen incumbent BC United politicians are now pondering their futures.
“I didn’t leave my party… my party left me,” said Mike Bernier during a press conference in Victoria today.
With a Conservative nominee already in the running in Peace River South, the next move by the three-term incumbent is being left to question.
"What I was told was that if Larry Neufeld locally would step down, that it would be an opportunity for me to do a term as the Conservative candidate. If he chose not to do that, then that leaves it open for me to continue running against him," said Bernier.
Conservative nominee Larry Neufeld told CJDC-TV in an interview today that he has no intention of stepping down. "Until I'm told to stop by those in power I'm committed, and I have no intention of stepping down," said Neufeld.
Bernier, who assumed office in 2013, agrees that Kevin Falcon’s decision to fold the party was best to avoid a centre-right vote split within NDP strongholds primarily in the Lower Mainland.
“For myself, it's always been about making sure that we don't get an NDP government again,” said Bernier, "I've said this since day one, we will never, ever elected an NDP member in the Peace Region so we are not splitting the vote and it comes back down to people getting to decide who they think is the strongest voice for them in Victoria."
Neufeld striking while the iron’s hot, highlighting what he will bring to the region as Conservative MLA.
"Health care would definitely be number one. Criminalization-- or crime and punishment -- would be certainly number two, and reviving the economy is very strong in my mind as well," said Neufeld, a first generation farmer, engineer, and business owner.
“I love finding the root cause of issues and fixing the root cause as opposed to sticking a Band-Aid on it, and I believe that's something that this province desperately needs rather than continually throwing money at issues and mandating them.”
This is as Conservative Leader John Rustad looks to assemble the best possible team of candidates.
“The NDP is what we need to fight against, and fighting against each other is counterproductive to creating a better province, creating a better situation in the province for the citizens,” said Neufeld.
Both Rustad and Falcon are now encouraging those who would’ve voted United to get behind the Conservative party.
In Fort St. John, Conservative candidate Jordan Kealy making it clear in a Facebook post late last night he's also ‘not going anywhere.’
This leaves Dan Davies, who has been representing North Peace in the legislature since 2017, out of a job unless deciding to run as an independent.
*With files from the Canadian Press
