John Cummins promises B.C. Conservatives are in for the long haul
While maintaining that the B.C. Conservative party isn’t going away, John Cummins is coy about staying on as leader beyond this fall.
“We’re here for the long run,” the 71-year-old Cummins told the Straight in a phone interview.
But the former MP—who was elected in six consecutive federal elections—also said that he’s not going public about his future plans before he has talked to members of the party’s executive.
B.C. Conservatives didn’t win a single seat in the May 14, 2013 election, placing fourth overall in terms of the popular vote.
“Right now our focus is on the by-election,” Cummins said.
The party is running realtor Sean Upshaw in the July 10 by-election in Westside-Kelowna against B.C. Liberal Premier Christy Clark and six other candidates.
Clark lost her Vancouver–Point Grey seat in the May provincial election.
According to former Vancouver campaign chair Rick Peterson, the B.C. Conservatives will hold their annual general meeting in September.
“After the by-election, everybody is going to sit back, and look and see what the future direction is for the party,” Peterson told the Straight by phone. “But I don’t see any reason why we can’t continue to grow.”
Comments
2 Comments
How long will they really be around?
Jun 26, 2013 at 4:35pm
"We’re here for the long run,” the 71-year-old Cummins told the Straight in a phone interview."
With a 71 year old leader and an average membership age of 75 they can't be in for that long of a haul.
Social Conservatives are, and always will be, irrelevant in this province.
DavidH
Jun 26, 2013 at 4:35pm
John cummins ... should we love him for his ongoing dislike of native fishing rights? For deliberately violating federal fisheries laws while an MP? For promising not to accept a gold-plated MP pension ... and then accepting it?
How should we regard John Cummins - and the party that selected him to lead them through the last election?
Hmmm?
(Try to include "completely hopeless joke" in your answer.)