Voters in the provincial riding of Coquitlam-Burke Mountain will head to the polls early next year to elect a new MLA.
This morning, BC Liberal MLA Doug Horne — the deputy speaker of the Legislative Assembly — was officially announced as the Conservative candidate to replace MP James Moore in the federal election.
Moore said in June he would not seek another term but would stay on as the MP for Port Coquitlam-Westwood-Port Coquitlam and as industry minister until the Oct. 19 decision.
Reached Tuesday at his constituency office, which he was cleaning out, Horne told The Tri-City News he had yet to tender his resignation as MLA.
Under Elections Canada rules, potential federal candidates must sign a form to confirm they are a Canadian citizen, at least 19 years old and not a member of a provincial legislative assembly or a territorial body.
Now, with the acclamation, Horne said his office will be closed until the provincial by-election race is over. As a result, his constituency work will be handled by fellow BC Liberal MLA Linda Reimer (Port Moody-Coquitlam).
Asked if he would run for his provincial seat should he lose his federal bid, Horne responded: "I don't intend to lose. I'm going to work really hard to win and, obviously, that's my goal at this point."
Already, the jockeying has begun to find his replacement. A few city councillors in Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam have been approached by the BC Liberals and BC NDP; however, should they step forward for nomination they, too, would prompt a by-election should they be chosen to run and win.
With Horne currently in place, voters in the new federal riding of Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam have a full slate at the ballot box. Horne faces the NDP's Sara Norman, Ron McKinnon for the Liberals and Brad Nickason for the Greens.
David Riley, the Conservative riding president and Horne's campaign manager, said three people had applied to fill Moore's shoes but two filed "incomplete paperwork." Former Coquitlam council candidate Andy Shen had told The Tri-City News he had been on leave from his job since late June to work on his campaign. He could not be reached for comment Thursday.
