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Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond elected interim leader of BC Liberals

She won a sixth term from 2020 snap-election

She just won her sixth term as MLA for Prince George-Valemount and now she's set to temporarily lead the BC Liberals.

Shirley Bond was voted today (Nov. 23) by the 28-member caucus to lead the Official Opposition until a leadership election can be held and a new permanent leader is voted in.

This comes two days after Andrew Wilkinson suddenly quit as the party leader, nearly three years after he was elected to the Liberals' top chair.

Bond is one of the longest-serving MLAs in the Victoria legislature, taking over the Prince George-Valemount riding in 2001 and has won six consecutive terms since, including the B.C. snap-election on Oct. 24.

“I appreciate the confidence and trust my colleagues have placed in me as we work together to hold John Horgan and the NDP government to account in the coming months,” said Bond in a news release this afternoon.

“I want to thank Andrew Wilkinson for his service as leader over the past several years and I look forward to continuing to work with him and our entire team of new and returning MLAs to present a positive vision for this province.”

Bond has held numerous positions with the Liberals, starting as Minister of Advanced Education from 2001 to 2004.

Under then-Premier Gordon Campbell, she was B.C.'s 10th Deputy Premier between 2004 and 2009.

Bond's extensive résumé also includes Health Services Minister (2004-2005), Education Minister, also responsible for Early Learning and Literacy (2005-2009), Transportation and Infrastructure Minister (2009-2011), Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General (2011-2012), Attorney General (2011-2013), Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training Minister, also responsible for Labour (2013-2017), Cair of the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts and Finance critic (2017-present). 

"We both know that public service isn’t for the faint of heart, but the opportunity to work with an amazing caucus in this capacity is truly an honour," said Bond in reply to a congratulatory tweet from Premier John Horgan.

"I look forward to seeing you in Question Period!"

While she's been elected to lead the Liberals on an interim basis, Bond expressed to PrinceGeorgeMatters that she would not consider taking on the role permanently.

After Wilkinson announced his initial plans to step down when a new leader was elected, reports circulated that Bond would 

She claimed 55.62 per cent of the popular vote from the 2020 provincial election with 9,703 votes. 

The other results in the riding were as follows: 

  • Laura Parent - BC NDP: 4,717 votes (27.04 per cent) 
  • Mackenzie Kerr - BC Green Party: 2,597 votes (14.89 per cent) 
  • Sean Robson - BC Libertarian Party: 287 votes (1.71 per cent) 

"Obviously, I hope that I’ve earned the confidence of the people of Prince George-Valemount," said Bond in an interview with PrinceGeorgeMatters on election night (Oct. 24)

“It's a very humbling experience to be elected once much less six times by the people of Prince George-Valemount. I’m very grateful and obviously a very emotional night for me and my family."

Bond and her fellow BC Liberal MLAs will be officially sworn in on Friday (Nov. 27), with the legislature tentatively scheduled to return to chambers, albeit briefly, on Dec. 7.