BC. Conservatives pick Dan Brooks leader; says he’ll put party headquarters in Kamloops

NEWS/ POLITICS — If politicians keep their promises, Kamloops will become the new headquarters for the B.C. Conservative Party.

 

Dan Brooks was declared leader of the party at a convention in Richmond on Saturday, succeeding John Cummins who resigned after the Conservatives failed to win any seats in last May’s provincial election, receiving only 4.8 per cent of the popular vote.

Despite Cummins’ endorsement of Vancouver corporate consultant Rick Peterson, Brooks won 62 per cent of the vote at the convention.

When he announced his candidacy for the leadership several months ago, Brooks pledged to make Kamloops the new head office for the party if he won.

He said he was inspired by the late Premier W.A.C. Bennett in picking Kamloops.

“W.A.C. Bennett once compared the economy of British Columbia to the Fraser River,” he said. “It is mighty and powerful in the Lower Mainland, but it is made up of hundreds of smaller tributaries which amass great volumes of water that pour into the Fraser to make it such a mighty river.

“Choke off those tributaries, those rural communities and you choke off the Fraser and the Lower Mainland economy. And the Thompson River that flows through Kamloops is one of the greatest of those tributaries.”

He said the Kamloops headquarters would open with an office manager and a communications director, with staff recruited as the party’s finances improved.

In his acceptance speech, Brooks focused on unity and championing Conservative values in B.C.

“I call for unity within our party, to rededicate ourselves to the cause and rebuild. We must prove that we can govern ourselves so British Columbians will trust us to govern this province.

“I call for unity within the Conservative movement, for all conservative-minded peoples, federal and provincial, from every corner of this province to unite with us,” he said.

“For too long you have supported and voted for the lesser of two evils. It’s time you voted for something you actually believed in. Stand up for conservative values, stand up for individual freedom and liberty, stand up for fiscal responsibility, stand up for grassroots democracy.

“Stand up and be counted as a B.C. Conservative.”