B.C. NDP Leader John Horgan will field a team of veteran candidates on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast in next year’s provincial election.
A survey of the 12 sitting NDP MLAs shows that at least nine are likely to run again.
Of the remaining three, two were unavailable for comment and one — Cowichan Valley MLA Bill Routley — has yet to decide on his future.
“I’m thinking seriously about putting the fiddle in the case, but I haven’t made that decision for sure,” Routley said. “I’m just recovering from hip surgery and I’m actually doing really well. So I’m thinking, man, I’m like an old truck [with] all these new parts now; it would be a shame to have them go to waste.”
The NDP hold 12 of 15 seats on the Island and the Sunshine Coast.
B.C. Liberal Don McRae, who represents the Comox Valley, is the only Island MLA so far to announce he will not run again.
Social Development Minister Michelle Stilwell has not said whether she will seek re-election in her Parksville-Qualicum riding.
B.C. Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver will seek re-election in Oak Bay-Gordon Head.
The NDP MLAs committed to running again include Horgan (Juan de Fuca), Rob Fleming (Victoria-Swan Lake), Lana Popham (Saanich South), Gary Holman (Saanich North and the Islands), Doug Routley (Nanaimo-North Cowichan), Scott Fraser (Alberni-Pacific Rim), Nicholas Simons (Powell River-Sunshine Coast) and Leonard Krog (Nanaimo).
Krog believes the Island continues to be strong territory for the NDP. “But as my old friend Dale Lovick used to say, ‘You run scared or you run second,’ ” he said. “That is the attitude I bring to every election.”
Former NDP leader Carole James has yet to announce her intentions, but she said in an interview that she is leaning toward seeking another term in Victoria-Beacon Hill.
NDP MLA Maurine Karagianis (Esquimalt-Royal Roads) was ill and unavailable for comment. Claire Trevena (North Island) is out of the country.
There will be significant changes to a couple of ridings in the next election. The northwest part of the Comox Valley Regional District will make up the new Courtenay-Comox riding. Cumberland, Royston, and Denman and Hornby islands will join a new Mid Island-Pacific Rim riding that includes Port Alberni, Tofino and Ucluelet.
Fraser, who represents the Alberni-Pacific Rim riding, said the increase in size will make campaigning more challenging. He spent just $23,760.57 to win the riding in 2013 — the least of any elected MLA in the province.
“The $23,000 thing won’t work this time,” he said, laughing. “Just in sheer signage, mail-out costs, more flyers, that sort of thing — that’s the bulk of my costs.”
A spokesman for Horgan said he is still talking to his MLAs about their plans and would provide comment at a later date.
