Terry Lake has served as a mayor and an MLA. Now he’s taking a stab at federal politics.

Today (April 23) Lake announced he will seek the nomination of the Liberal Party of Canada for the B.C. riding of Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo.

“I feel our country is at a crossroads,” Lake said in a video posted on Facebook. “We’ve made such important gains in issues such as climate action, Indigenous reconciliation, gender equity, and childhood poverty. Our economy is among the strongest in the world and our unemployment is at the lowest rates in decades.

“But we can’t let these important gains be jeopardized,” Lake continued. “While no government or party gets everything right, I’m convinced that the Liberal Party of Canada is the best choice to keep our country moving in the right direction.

Lake was a B.C. MLA representing Kamloops-North Thompson from 2009 to 2017, during which time he held the positions of minister of environment and then minister of health.

He alluded to those responsibilities in the campaign video he released this morning.

“There is so much more to be done, including addressing the overdose crisis that impacts families all over Canada,” Lake said. “It’s time to create a federal strategy that addresses the root causes of problematic substance use, and works with provinces and territories to create a system of evidence-based prevention and treatment programs that are readily available to families.

“Now, more than ever, we need to implement a national climate-action plan that recognizes the need to transition away from fossil fuels,” he continued, “but in a way that does not strangle the economic growth of our country that supports important services like health care, education, and other social services.”

Before his career in politics, Lake worked as a veterinarian. He’s presently employed as vice-president of corporate social responsibility and sustainability for Hexo Corp, a cannabis company headquartered in Gatineau, Quebec.

The riding of Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo is held by the Conservative party’s Cathy McLeod. She was elected in 2008 and then reelected in 2011 and again 2015.

Canada’s next federal election is scheduled for no later than October 2019.