On Thursday night BC Liberal leadership hopeful Michael Lee stopped in Revelstoke for a meet and greet with about 20 local constituents at the Regent Hotel. Lee’s visit comes just days before the BC Liberal’s final leadership debate on Jan. 23. and about two weeks before the party’s general election.
Lee (who is the MLA for the Vancouver-Langara riding) is one of six candidates running for the party’s leadership following the BC Liberal’s defeat in last June’s provincial election and former Premier Christy Clark’s resignation in Aug. 2017. He has a background in corporate law, and boasts a strong commitment to lowering taxes, continuing with development and natural resource extraction projects, and according to his website, “making B.C. the most attractive place to do business in Canada.”
“I know the resource backbone of our province well,” said Lee speaking to the Review just before the meet and greet. “And I do believe we need to continue to support a diversified economy and responsible resource development.”
Lee’s stop in Revelstoke is one of his last on a journey that has seen him criss-cross the province. Something he says is important for local constituents to get to know him. And local residents certainly had ample face time with the leadership hopeful at the Regent during an approximately 15 minute question and answer period and two hour event.
Lee was introduced at the Regent by Mayor Mark McKee, (who is a member of the BC Liberal Party) and constituents questioned Lee on affordable housing, the environment, and social services.
Lee, who is a first generation immigrant, and brings experience at every level of government, said to the Review that he sees a great deal of value in our local natural resources, and potential for development here in Revelstoke, but that these kinds of projects can be done in partnership with local first nations.
“Shared economic prosperity is something we need to focus on and work on building those partnerships. There’s lots of complex rights and title interests. I get that. And the treaty commission has been challenged in that process for many years, but I think we just need to break it down to how we can make progress on the economic side of this,” said Lee.
The BC Liberal leadership election is slated to take place on Feb. 3.
Michael Lee is proving every day that he is the one candidate for BC Liberal Leader who can truly renew our party, so we can win the next election. #LeeForBC #bcpoli #BCLib18 pic.twitter.com/eMVj5vA7Pt
— Michael Lee (@MichaelLeeBC) January 12, 2018
