While visiting Prince George on Friday, Kevin Falcon, the leader of the BC United party, formerly the BC Liberals, announced that area MLAs Shirley Bond and Coralee Oakes will be seeking re-election.
Bond will be running in the Prince George-Valemount riding and Oakes will running in the newly formed Prince George-Cariboo North riding.
The next provincial election is a year away, in October 2024.
“We are pleased to have a great team of dedicated individuals who have shown exceptional leadership throughout their careers in the private and public sectors,” said Falcon.
“We are confident in their ability to continue delivering tangible results for British Columbians on the issues that matter most such as cost of living, public safety, health care and mental health and addictions supports.”
Falcon commended Bond for her years representing the north as she was first elected as MLA for Prince Geroge-Valemount in 2001 and was the first female attorney general in B.C. She currently serves as the shadow minister for Health, Senior Services and Long Term Care.
“I begged her to do another four years because she's such a critical member and leader of our team,” he said.
“One of the things that motivates me to run again, is that we have work yet to do. Our hospital must be fixed. We have heard promise after promise after promise and frankly, this government has failed to deliver. We need cardiac care here in the North,” said Bond.
“Those are the kinds of things that this team is going to be very fierce about I'm so glad to see the candidates we have, new and experienced, because I can tell you, they're going to deliver for this part of the province under Kevin's leadership. He knows the north, he understands the issues.”
Oakes was first elected as an MLA in 2013 and serves as a shadow minister for post-secondary education. Oakes will be running for reelection in the newly formed and redistributed Prince George-Cariboo North riding, which extends up from the North Cariboo into College Heights in Prince George.
“You are a strong voice and advocate for the Cariboo and I know you are going to be working so hard to bring that same passion to the folks in Prince George now that they are forming part of your electoral district,” said Falcon.
He also thanked Mike Morris, MLA for Prince-George Mackenzie, as he has announced his plan for retirement and is not seeking reelection.
“I want to take a moment to thank Mike for all his work over the last 10 years in public life as the MLA for Prince George McKenzie,” said Falcon. “He’s going to be missed by our entire BC United Caucus.”
Morris served as shadow minister for Public Safety and Solicitor General, as well as n various other roles, including Parliamentary Secretary for Forest, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations and Minister for Public Safety and Solicitor General – a position he held until 2017.
Bond and Oakes will be joining recently announced candidates Shane Brienen for Nechako Lakes, who is the current mayor of Houston, and Kiel Giddens for Prince George-Mackenzie, who is a past president of the Prince George Chamber of Commerce and public affairs manager for Trans Canada’s Coastal GasLink project.
