B.C. Liberal leadership candidate Kevin Falcon received a big northern boost Monday with the endorsement of senior cabinet ministers Shirley Bond and Pat Bell.
The endorsements will help bolster his credibility as a candidate with rural support, important if the Liberal Party adopts a weighted voting system that will make rural ridings more important.
Bond, the MLA for Prince George-Valemount, is the minister of transportation and has held the deputy premier post. Bell is minister of forestry, mining and lands.
Bond and Bell said they took their time to make a decision, reviewing the candidates in detail.
"While our party is fortunate to have so many capable candidates, we both came to the same conclusion: Kevin's experience and track record, as well as his growing momentum as the best person to keep our free enterprise coalition together, made him the best choice for leader of our party and premier of our province," said Bell.
Falcon stepped down as health minister to run for the leadership, which will be decided on Feb. 26. Falcon held the transportation portfolio before Bond.
Flanking Falcon in the lobby of the Coast Inn of the North in Prince George, Bond and Bell cited Falcon's work in the ministry of transportation, and his understanding of the importance of the economy of northern and rural B.C., as reasons for backing him.
Bond singled out Falcon's northern prosperity agenda, which calls for the establishment of a premier's office in Prince George.
"Pat and I have worked with Kevin on a wide range of major projects here at home and around British Columbia, and he definitely understands the important role Prince George and the north will play in B.C.'s future," said Bond.
Bell pointed to Falcon's support of the Prince George Airport and the Port of Prince Rupert as examples of his support for the North.
The province contributed one third of the $36-million runway extension at the airport, as well as contributing $30 million for a $170-million container-handling terminal in Prince Rupert.
Falcon said having Bond and Bell's support is important not only because they are strong voices in government, but because they have a reputation as protecting and advancing northern and rural interests.
Pat Pimm, the MLA for Peace River North, has also thrown his support behind Falcon.
Other candidates in the leadership race are Moira Stilwell, George Abbott, Mike de Jong, Christy Clark and Ed Mayne.
These candidates have not ignored the North.
All have rolled out policies friendly to northern B.C. with the exception of Mayne.
Nechako Lake MLA John Rustad is backing Abbott.
Political scientist Norman Ruff said it's no surprise that Bond and Bell have endorsed Falcon, given his connections to the North via the transportation portfolio. The endorsements will be a disappointment to Abbott, who has been trying to position himself as the candidate from the Interior, noted Ruff, a professor emeritus at the University of Victoria.
Abbott is from Sicamus in the Southern Interior, while Falcon is from the Lower Mainland.
Ruff said the timing of Bond and Bell's announcement could be legitimate, or it could have been done to highlight Falcon in the late stages of the campaign. Leadership candidates have until Feb. 4 to sign up new members.
Regardless, the endorsement is important beyond the North, as it provides a sense of momentum to Falcon and a psychological boost, said Ruff.
