Dan Brooks has retaken the job of BC Conservative Party leader.
The 41-year-old Vanderhoof man was reelected to the post during the party's annual convention, held over the weekend in Prince George.
His initial statement of position following the win was making oil transport across B.C. to coastal port facilities as a party priority. His preferred method is pipeline.
"It clearly is in the economic and social interests of all Canadians that we get our natural resources to customers around the globe," said Brooks.
"Oil is one of our nation's most vital exports and at present we basically are locked into one customer, the United States.
"With looming oil self-sufficiency in the U.S., Canada simply has to find other markets - and our best prospects lie across the Pacific Ocean."
Although the governing provincial Liberal party is seen as a centre/right-wing group, they are not right wing enough for Brooks.
He called their economic performance "dismal economic mismanagement" and said he was focused on such goals as selling Crown entities like liquor stores, casino operations and BC Pavilion Corp into private hands, should his party form government.
"I put forward to the party membership during the course of my leadership campaign a number of specific proposals," said Brooks, "and so I regard my victory as a mandate from B.C. Conservatives to continue to outline new and bold ideas that will promote a dynamic economy and higher paycheques for all British Columbians."
He said his goal for the eight months leading up to the May 9 general election "is to lay out a compelling vision and plan to restore the province's finances, create high-paying jobs and fix our broken economy."
Brooks is the owner and operator of Crystal Lake Lodge located in the Vanderhoof area. He first became party leader in 2014 as the successor of John Cummins who led the BCCP into the last election but failed to win a single seat, and less than five per cent of the popular vote, in the province.
Party infighting caused Brooks to resign after 20 months in the position. The party underwent a legal case that clarified some contentions between some of the contenders for the top job.
In early July, Brooks unveiled a proposal to sell government-owned liquor stores and casino operations with the proceeds allocated to new economic development initiatives. Later, at the end of August, he pointed to the money-losing, debt-ridden BC Pavilion Corporation as another potential privatization asset.
Brooks major policy announcement - a 'Made in B.C.' pipeline to carry Canada's oil to Asian markets - was unveiled at a news conference in Vancouver on
Aug. 24.
Brooks further explained why the creation of new, high-paying jobs for British Columbians is vital and urgent.
"Under Christy Clark's dismal economic mismanagement, B.C. has fallen to sixth-place amongst all provinces in terms of median-employment income," he said.
"Even though the Premier takes home two salaries - one from taxpayers and another annual top-up for $50,000 from lobbyists and corporate bagmen - the average British Columbian is rapidly losing ground.
