Yet another BC United MLA has announced his intention to run as an independent in B.C.’s upcoming provincial election.
Dan Davies, who has represented Peace River North since 2017 and previously served as a Fort St. John city councillor, confirmed his plans in a press conference on Thursday.
Davies said the decision followed an outpouring of community support and cited a recent barbeque in Fort Nelson where 400 people turned out to back him as an example.
“Phone call after phone call, bumping into people here at the grocery store just continuously telling me I need to keep my name on the ballot,” Davies said.
“As I have said for the last four years, my intention was to always run again, and that I can announce today has not changed.”
Get breaking National news
Davies said he has called and left messages with BC Conservative Leader John Rustad, but that he never heard from Rustad nor was he offered an opportunity to run for the party.
He said he considers himself a conservative, “albeit a progressive one.”
He added that he believes the upcoming election will be so close that independent candidates could end up holding the balance of power in the legislature.
“There is a number of independents who will be running for the first time, in fact they are expecting a record number of independents running, which could very well become the power brokers in a legislature that is looking like it could very well be a minority government,” Davies said.
“I will commit to working with whatever party that is in power to ensure that Peace River North gets its fair share.”
Earlier this week, Kootenay-Rockies BC United MLA Tom Shypitka and Peace River South BC United MLA Mike Bernier also announced their plans to run as independents.
Cariboo North MLA Coralee Oakes is the only remaining BC United incumbent who has yet to declare her plans.
Three BC United MLAs also announced this week they would run for the BC Conservatives: Trevor Halford of Surrey-White Rock, Peter Milobar of Kamloops North and Ian Paton of Delta South.
Davies’ announcement comes as the dust settles on BC United Leader Kevin Falcon’s bombshell move last week to suspend the party’s campaign and to throw his support behind BC Conservative Leader John Rustad.
Comments