Login / RegisterMLA John van Dongen resigns from B.C. Liberals, joins Conservatives
John van Dongen is leaving the B.C. Liberal Party to join the B.C. Conservatives, the Abbotsford South MLA announced in the legislature today (March 26).
“I had hoped that there would have been renewal in my party and in government, but in the last 12 months I feel that has not happened,” van Dongen said in the legislature at about 2:30 this afternoon.
“Indeed, every week constituents question government actions and issues that I am not able to defend.”
Van Dongen cited what he called “serious unanswered questions” around the payment of $6 million in legal fees for two former political aides in the B.C. Rail controversy, and the recent cancellation of a naming rights agreement for B.C. Place.
“There have been other lapses in proper accountability and I expect more to come,” he said. “When more and more decisions are being made for the wrong reasons, then you have an organization that is heading for failure.”
Van Dongen concluded his statement by announcing he will now be sitting as a member of the B.C. Conservative Party. The move will make van Dongen the first MLA for the party. Traditionally, a party needs four members to gain official party status in the legislature.
“Looking forward, I will do what I have done for the past 17 years,” he said. “I will put my time, energy and talents to serve my constituents and the party that I believe can best provide British Columbians with a broadly based, credible free enterprise option in the next provincial election.”
B.C. Conservative Leader John Cummins welcomed the MLA to the party in a statement.
"John van Dongen is a man of principle and integrity, and I am delighted that he has joined BC's fastest growing party," he said.
“I am excited to work with John as we reach out to British Columbians and share our message of fiscal responsibility, ending the catch-and-release justice system, and reducing the influence of special interests in the political process.”
Van Dongen was first elected to the B.C. legislature in 1995, and has held positions including the minister of agriculture, and minister of public safety and solicitor general.
I hope they don't even make it until the next election.
Good riddance.
Why does it take a defecting Liberal to call a spade a spade? Where is the leader of the opposition on this - playing safe & hoping to cruise to victory? The citizens of BC want justice and see the criminals Collins, Clark, and Campbell put on trial for corruption & breach of trust
I think the conservatives need to take a stand for the future of our Province in Health and Education to be elected. Where do you stand now?
And there will be more coming as the prospect of the upcoming election and the scorn of voters is to much.
Has anyone seen the Blog Borg Collective web site. There are documents and records, that show, the robo-calls all lead right to Harper and his Conservatives. As we all knew they would.
Then you can go to the, sixthestate web site, and read. Harper appointed Marc Mayrand as Chief of Elections Canada. We must not trust Mayrand to be truthful. No doubt he will lose his job if he opposes Fascist Dictator, Herr Harper. Harper has his henchman Boessenkool working for the BC Liberals. That Van Dongen, waited far over ten years to make his move, is pure unadulterated crap. He was probably sent there by Harper's henchman Boessenkool. Harper is a Neo-Nazi Reformer, from his Northern Foundation Party of 1989. The skinheads organized that more than shady party. Harper's ministers are all Reformers too. Harper is trying a Hitler tactic, infiltrate into every ministry and party they can, to take over. The BC Liberals, all work for Harper, don't they? Campbell and Boessenkool, being Harper's favorite henchmen.