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Longtime Liberal cabinet minister takes leadership campaign to Nanaimo

Oct 6, 2017 | 4:59 PM

NANAIMO — A longtime BC Liberal cabinet minister visited Nanaimo to explain his vision to refresh the beleaguered party.

Mike de Jong, who’s been a Fraser Valley Liberal MLA since the mid-1990’s, met with supporters at a downtown Nanaimo restaurant Friday.

De Jong said he has fresh ideas, but won’t sway from the philosophy that a government live within its means.

“The vision that we are going to carve out and build and emerge from this leadership contest will be a uniquely free enterprise vision based on free enterprise principles.”

De Jong was pressed on the rationale of a spend-heavy Throne Speech which borrowed heavily from the platforms of the NDP and Greens. He admitted the move caused a lot of confusion, distancing himself from the decision-making process.

“Finance ministers write budgets and premiers write throne speeches.”

De Jong, whose five-year reign as finance minister came to an end following a disappointing election loss in May, said he has several new ideas to lead the party.

He referenced unrestricted access to training and education, a new vision for transportation and infrastructure and ways to address housing affordability and availability as policy items he’d like to put his stamp on.

De Jong acknowledged the Liberals face uphill fights in Vancouver Island ridings like Nanaimo, which is has been an NDP stronghold for decades. He said British Columbia can’t thrive by paying more attention to a particular region.

Several contenders are in the running to become the next leader of the BC Liberals, including Dianne Watts, who visited Nanaimo Tuesday.

Party members will pick a new leader to replace Christy Clark in early February.

 

Ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes