PRINCE GEORGE – “I’m not able to make another six-year commitment to this job.”
That was BC Premier John Horgan in late June, announcing his plans not to run again.
And that is exactly why Opposition Leader Kevin Falcon spoke to members of the Prince George Chamber of Commerce this morning.
“This is really a strategic opportunity for the official Opposition,” says Todd Corrigall, CEO of the local Chamber of Commerce, which hosted a breakfast where Opposition Leader Kevin Falcon was the speaker. “To be in front of people, talking about what their vision is. Because we know there’s change coming.”
It was exactly a year ago Falcon was in Prince George, vying for the leadership of the BC Liberals, and now that he is leader, he has a prediction, now that he is.
“I think the one thing that is very possible is that we could be facing an election as early as spring next year,” says Falcon. “Because I can tell you that, now that John Horgan’s leaving, the NDP is having a leadership race. They will select their new leader in December. And it would not surprise me at all that, once again, they break the Fixed Election Date law and go into an early election.”
There are plenty of concerns the North will lose two ridings under electoral reform, based on population. And that means the North is not the place to make or break an election.
“Certainly rural BC and Northern BC are much more friendly,” admits Corrigall. “But I think it’s important to note that a lot of the wealth for BC is created outside the Lower Mainland and spent in the Lower Mainland. So these are very important ridings when we talk about the future of the economy in British Columbia.”
And those Northern resources were the source of a commitment made by Falcon to the Chamber. Specifically, he would move the Ministry of Forests office to Prince George.
“So that you can get decisions being made closer to the ground. So that you can have ministry staff that are able to, rather than look at a map in Victoria, get out, hop into a truck and go out to see some of the areas they’re making decisions around. Decisions that ae closer to the land base are always going to be better decisions.”
Falcon’s tour will take him to Terrace and the Peace Country next.
