- « Mayor says money for Ledgeview unlikely
- Majority in favour of adding more slot machines in Abbotsford »
Abbotsford South MLA John Van Dongen has crossed the floor to join the BC Conservatives.
Van Dongen, a long time Liberal, says he doesn’t agree with the direction his party has taken over the last year.
“I haven’t seen the renewal that I believe we needed in our party and I believe that the BC Conservative party provides the best option for a broadly based credible free enterprise government in the next election.”
Van Dongen says he’s also disappointed in the leadership of the party, pointing to the handling of the BC rail case and the cancellation of the naming rights agreement with Telus for BC Place.
“My assessment was that Christy Clarke wasn’t the right person to be leader but when she was elected I decided to hunker down and work with her, work with the caucus which I’ve done for the last 12 months. But I feel that it’s time for me to move on.”
Van Dongen becomes the only current member of the Conservatives in the legislature.