BC NDP leadership roundup

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The list of potential BC NDP leaders keeps growing. On Monday, Juan de Fuca MLA John Horgan jumped into the leadership fray.

He became the first ‘Carole James loyalist’ to vie for her job, pledging to focus on job creation and ecological issues.

And he thinks he can work with the whole NDP caucus, James loyalists or not.  “I think that time is a great healer.”

Horgan adds he doesn’t want to stifle anybody if he becomes leader.  As for party discipline, he says that’s a collective responsibility.

Just a few days later on Thursday, another James backer jumped into the race.  Port Coquitlam’s Mike Farnworth says if he becomes premier, he’ll tackle BC’s high child poverty rate and use the carbon tax to fund transit projects.  “The days of infighting are over.  The days of unity and healing begin now.”

But how will he unite a deeply divided caucus?  “I’ve been out talking with colleagues, talking with members.  Today, I had my colleague Rod Fleming with me, colleague Norm Macdonald, who’s also supporting me.  I think that shows that I can work well with people from all points of view in our caucus.”

On Friday, Surrey-Whalley MLA Bruce Ralston announced he would not run for the leadership, and then already-declared candidate Harry Lali blasted the party for its $15,000 leadership entry fee and rule changes for submitting new memberships coming in only three days before the deadline.

Fellow dissident and leadership hopeful Nicholas Simons says he hopes he doesn’t have to drop out over money. 

MLA Adrian Dix is expected to announce his intentions to run early this week.

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