The B.C. free-enterprise movement needs new leadership that will re-energize and revitalize our coalition. We need someone who holds strong to the broad-based values of the B.C. Liberal party and most importantly can bridge the striking divide between the Vancouver/Victoria urban centres and the rest of the province, which revealed itself in the last election.
This individual must recognize that resource development is a key part of a 21st century, innovative, clean-tech economy, and that the resource worker in Burns Lake, Prince George, Tumbler Ridge or Kamloops is as important to B.C.'s prosperity as a Vancouver tech worker.
This leader will need to appreciate that the sustainable, responsible development of our natural resources supports not only thousands of jobs in communities throughout B.C., but also ensures government can fund nurses and doctors to care for the sick, public teachers to educate our kids and social workers to support the struggling and vulnerable people in our communities.
As MLA and a minister, I worked closely with one who embodies these qualities of leadership and strength: Mike de Jong.
Mike was the one who took on the tough jobs. He would commit and he would deliver.
As forests minister, Mike understood the importance of the industry to the small operators, mills and towns of our province and led some of the most significant policy reform this province has seen. As aboriginal affairs minister, Mike worked hard to build a respectful and positive working relationship with B.C.'s First Nations, and as minister concluded the first modern treaty under the B.C. treaty process.
It's his most recent leadership as finance minister that best shows why I believe Mike is qualified to lead the B.C. Liberal party and our province now.
Mike knows how to make every dollar count. He delivered five consecutive balanced budgets - no small victory. In the past 26 years, the budget has been balanced 10 times - Mike delivered five of them. We'll see if the current government can even make it six months.
I am often credited for improving our lumber sales in the Chinese market but it was really Mike de Jong who laid the foundation. He initiated the work in China in 2002 and invested heavily in the Dream Home China, that start of the sales we see today. Now Mike sees the opportunity in India and last year started a new push to develop a market for lumber in this market as well.
The people of British Columbia have benefitted from growing strength and prosperity over the last 16 years, strongly aided by the free-enterprise values of fiscal responsibility, balanced development, and responsible government. We weathered the worldwide economic storm better than other provinces and emerged stronger and more robust than before.
Yes, despite this prosperity, there are people who struggle every day. Yes we need to do even better for more people in our province. But the way is not to abandon and tear down the formula that has brought new jobs, opportunity and growth to so many people.
The way is to build that approach further, help those who need a hand up benefit from the prosperity that comes from a strong, free-enterprise coalition approach.
Mike de Jong is the person to provide that leadership for the people who hold free-enterprise values, and I hope he will stand to lead the B.C. Liberal Party.
- Pat Bell was Liberal MLA for Prince George-Mackenzie from 2001 to 2013.
