The current MLA for the Ashcroft and Cache Creek area says she intends to contest the same riding in the next election, even though her home won’t be in it.
“I’ve made my intentions clear to my family, the writing executive, and our leader that my intention is to run in Fraser-Nicola once again, ” Jackie Tegart said, confirming she will be seeking re-election in Fraser Nicola, which she has been representing since 2013.
The BC Liberal MLA’s decision comes, despite a move by the electoral boundaries commission, which removed her hometown of Ashcroft from the Fraser-Nicola riding to a redrawn Cariboo-Chilcotin riding.
“It certainly was not indicated in the first draft, which came out in the fall and had an opportunity for people to give feedback on and there was no indication at that time that there was consideration to take Ashcroft, Cache Creek, and Clinton out of the riding,” Tegart added, noting she was shocked by the move.
However, she suggests the Fraser-Nicola electoral area has a history of having similar changes.
“In the past, we have been part of the Cariboo-Chilcotin electoral district; there was a change made and in 2009, the area lobbied very hard to be included back into Fraser Nicola,” she explained.
“So Fraser Nicola has a history of – Hope has been in, Hope has been out, Princeton has been in the riding, Princeton has been out, Ashcroft, Cache Creek area and Clinton have been in and they have been out, so there have been those kinds of changes previously.”
Though Ashcroft and Cache Creek will be removed from Fraser-Nicola, the re-drawing of the boundaries will see the Fraser Valley communities of Kent, Harrison Hot Springs, and Agassiz added into the mix.
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Meanwhile, the BC Liberals are set to rebrand to BC United this Wednesday 12 as speculation mounts about whether or not the province will be heading to a snap election this fall.
The next provincial election in B.C. is scheduled to be held on or before October 19, 2024.
