By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

MP Malcolmson moves to provincial politics, running for Nanaimo MLA position

Oct 24, 2018 | 10:09 AM

NANAIMO – After a nearly-complete term at the federal level, Nanaimo’s NDP MP is trying her hand at provincial politics.

Nanaimo-Ladysmtih MP Sheila Malcolmson announced she’ll run to fill Leonard Krog’s soon-to-be-vacant MLA seat, after he won the Nanaimo mayoral race in a landslide.

“I love the job I have now, I love being Nanaimo-Ladysmith’s member of parliament,” Malcolmson told reporters and supporters Wednesday morning. “But the environmental and housing crisis we see right here in our community can’t wait until the next federal election.”

Malcolmson said she wants to implement solutions on the ground while representing a party in power, rather than suggesting solutions as a third-place federal party. She specifically pointed to heightened oil spill response measures and supports for impoverished women and children as two main issues she hopes to tackle.

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Touching on her time as a federal MP under recently elected party leader Jagmeet Singh, Malcolmson said she’d hoped Horgan could have found someone who’d “won as many elections and had the ability to keep this progressive government going and implementing its work. The only thing pulling me here is the ability right now in this next year to implement solutions, whether it’s affordable housing, justice or environmental protection.”

The 52-year-old Gabriola Island resident has lived in the riding for more than 20 years. Her 2015 in the newly formed riding of Nanaimo-Ladysmith started her first term as a federal representative. She easily won the election, earning roughly 23,500 votes compared to the 16,700 tallied by both the Liberals and Conservatives.

Malcolmson is currently the federal NDP’s critic for the status of women and serves on several standing committees.

It’s currently unclear when Malcolmson will resign from her post as an MP. The timing depends on when MLA Krog vacates his position to fill the role of Nanaimo’s mayor and premier John Horgan calls the by-election. Horgan said a new MLA will be in place in time for early 2019 budget discussions. 

Malcolmson won’t be immediately acclaimed as Nanaimo’s NDP candidate in the by-election, though it’s anticipated there will be little to no resistance during the nomination process. 

BC Liberal leader Andrew Wilkinson accused Horgan of playing politics and sparking two by-elections in a loyal NDP riding and said they’re looking forward to an “energetic” campaign.

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