One of Northern B.C.’s most well-known MLAs says he won’t go down without a fight in the upcoming election, even after the spectacular implosion of his party.
Peace River South MLA Mike Bernier said he was caught off guard by BC United leader Kevin Falcon’s abrupt decision Wednesday to suspend the party’s provincial election campaign, release all its candidates, and throw his support behind BC Conservative leader John Rustad.
Falcon said it was the hardest decision he’s made in his life, but he came to it because he believes it is the only way to defeat the BC NDP.
“This is the right thing to do for the province of British Columbia,” Falcon said.
“I felt really blindsided today,” Bernier said in an interview Wednesday. “Kevin Falcon is basically, as he says, jumping on the sword to make sure that we don’t have an NDP government. But by doing that, basically, he threw us all out there just into the wind.
“That doesn’t mean I go quietly into the night,” he added. “Just because my party is abandoning me, doesn’t mean that I abandon my riding.”
The three-term MLA said he felt particularly betrayed because he travelled to Victoria on Tuesday to attend a press conference with Falcon announcing the party’s forestry plan. On Wednesday morning, he had no idea negotiations had been ongoing to effectively fold the party’s provincial election campaign, until word started leaking out through the media.
Uncertainty among BC United candidates
The agreement means United’s 52 candidates and incumbents will be waiting for a call from the Conservatives to see if they’ve been selected for the party’s final election roster. Some incumbent MLAs might be asked to move ridings, or told their services aren’t wanted anywhere whatsoever. Others may bump existing Conservative candidates.
“Our intention is to field the best candidates we can, to make sure that we get the best team possible,” said Rustad. “That will be a process we go through.”
Falcon said he has tried to advocate for the strength of his incumbents and candidates.
“I made really clear to the MLAs and the candidates that this will be their decision, and that’s important,” said Falcon.
“Our intention is to field the best candidates we can, to make sure that we get the best team possible.”
John Rustad
“We’re not saying you must or whatever, but what we’re saying is that we’ll work through the process that John described, and those that are willing to do so will have the option to do so if there’s a position that’s available.”
The agreement has left widespread uncertainty amongst United members.
“For myself and maybe some of my colleagues who were very excited to run again, what does that look like for us?” said Bernier.
“Many of us felt that we were the best candidates for our ridings. I still strongly think that. I’ve worked hard and fought hard for my riding, and I’d still be the best person to represent the people of Peace River South, just like my colleague Dan Davies to the north as well.
“So this does put us in a weird spot right now of not knowing.”
‘If I don’t get that call, I’m thrown under the bus’
The BC Conservatives already have a candidate in Peace River South, Larry Neufeld, a local engineer and business person. The party also has a candidate in Peace River North, Jordan Kealy, a farmer.
It’s unknown if Rustad will ask either or both of his candidates to step aside for Bernier and Davies, or if he will simply not take either Bernier or Davies onto his team.
Bernier, who has been vocally critical of Rustad and called some of the Conservative candidates “crazy” for believing things like 5G wireless networks cause COVID-19, said he would now take a call from Rustad to discuss his future.
“Would I consider a phone call from John Rustad tomorrow? Absolutely, and we would have to have a serious talk about what that would look like if I was going to run for him,” he said.
“Would I consider a phone call from John Rustad tomorrow? Absolutely.”
Mike Bernier
“And if I did not get that call, I’m thrown under the bus.”
In that case, Bernier said he’d consider running as an independent.
“I am already getting numerous texts and calls from people in my riding saying don’t let this deter you, run as an independent, you’ll still win. And that makes it interesting.”
Of the remaining BC United MLA incumbents, all but one appear to face a Conservative candidate: Peter Milobar, Kamloops-Centre; Shirley Bond, Prince George-Valemount; Coralee Oakes, Prince George-Cariboo North; Tom Shypitka, Kootenay-Rockies; Jackie Tegart, Fraser-Nicola, and Trevor Halford, Surrey-White Rock. The BC Conservative website doesn’t list a candidate for Delta South, currently represented by BC United MLA Ian Paton.
Todd Stone, incumbent for Kamloops-North Thompson, announced he wouldn’t run this morning.