BC MLA Mike De Jong not seeking reelection

A 30-year B.C. MLA will not be seeking reelection in the upcoming provincial election.

In an announcement Wednesday, longtime Abbotsford West representative Mike De Jong explained that while he will be serving out his term provincially, he is not ruling out a move to run with the Federal Conservatives.

De Jong called a possible moving a “tempting” opportunity.

“As for considerations — I’m 60. The adventure of travel isn’t what it once was,” he said. “There is an element of wanting to spend some more time at home and doing some different things. On the other hand, over the years here particularly in government, a lot of the issues we deal with have a national dimension to them. I will confess to having an interest in an opportunity to explore some of those issues.”

De Jong explained if he did run for the Conservatives, it would be for a federal riding in Abbotsford.

He was first elected with the BC Liberals in 1994 and currently serves as the Shadow Minister for the Attorney General under the BC United banner. De Jong is the longest-serving MLA currently in the Legislature. He has also served as Minister of Finance, Minister of Health, Attorney General, Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, Minister of Labour and Citizens’ Services, and Minister of Forests. In addition, he also served as Government House Leader.

De Jong is now the 11th BC United MLA to announce he will not seek re-election for that party.

Despite multiple MLAs like Karen Kirkpatrick, Ellis Ross, Dan Ashton, Ben Stewart, Mike Morris, and others leaving BC United, De Jong says he’s impressed by the new candidates being recruited to the party. 

“I’ve been part of election campaigns that everyone said we were going to win and lost, and campaigns that everyone said we were going to lose and won. So I’m not as pessimistic for the prospects of my colleagues as you might be.” 

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