Saturday was a busy day for local BC Liberals, with the premier visiting, a nomination meeting and opening of a campaign office.
Premier Christy Clark journeyed to Langley Saturday morning to speak on behalf of her deputy premier, Rich Coleman.
In the afternoon, Mary Polak officially opened her campaign office at Sundel Square in Langley City.
Coleman was formally nominated by the BC Liberals to be their candidate in Fort Langley-Aldergrove at a meeting at Langley Events Centre. About 150 people took in the event.
Coleman will represent the party for the fifth time. He was first elected in 1996, and was re-elected in 2001, 2005 and 2009.
“In the last number of years, the (Liberal) leadership stepped up, and we are ready for the election. We have done the things we need to do to win an election,” Coleman said. “Premier Christy Clark has allowed us to do these things. She’s bright, capable leader and team builder like no other leader I’ve seen before.
“(In the leadership race), almost everybody supported different candidates. She wasn’t bitter about this. She put people in cabinet who’d said many things about her. She believes in the team, and welcomed back people who’d left, and it’s gotten better and better.
“Last fall, I had to make a big decision — go to the private sector or run for a fifth time. The premier asked me to stay and be part of the team. It didn’t take long to say yes.”
Clark thanked Coleman for agreeing to run again, and told the crowd that she has tapped him to be minister of energy so he can help bring in LNG developments that have there potential to help B.C. wipe out its accumulated debt.
“We have the opportunity to export natural gas outside North America for the first time. This will be the most important economic change in B.C. in decades.
“Your MLA, Rich Coleman, is taking on the biggest job we have in government. In two years, we’ve attracted $7 billion in investment. The government of Japan was committed $10 billion to LNG in B.C. — not just anywhere — they’ve named our province. They are betting on B.C. because of Rich Coleman.”
“By 2020, we will have three terminals up and running and that will mean a $1 trillion increase in GDP in B.C.. This will allow us to pay the debt off within 15 years..
“Nobody is going to get this chance again. The election will be a choice we make about our future.”
Clark thanked Coleman, and his family for allowing him to run again.
“He has vision, determination, steely-eyed realism and a big heart.”
Polak’s campaign office opening attracted volunteers and local residents. Her campaign is co-chaired by Langley City Councillor Teri James and retired senator Gerry St. Germain. Among those attending the opening were Coleman and Langley City Mayor Peter Fassbender, who is running for the party in Surrey-Fleetwood.