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Farnworth best pick for NDP leader, say Conservation Voters

The Conservation Voters of British Columbia group is endorsing Mike Farnworth in the B.C. New Democratic Party leadership race.

"The all have pretty sound policies, pretty in-depth policies," said Kevin Washbrook, a CVBC board member. "Mike was the clear pick."

The CVBC board picked Farnworth over competitors Adrian Dix, John Horgan and Dana Larsen for three reasons, said Washbrook.

First, he said, Farnworth has the support of current and former MLAs Rob Fleming, Lana Popham and David Cubberley who CVBC has endorsed in the past, as well as former MLA Corky Evans and former Premier Mike Harcourt who the group sees as "champions". Second, Farnworth is best positioned to unite the caucus and rally them around environmental issues.

Finally, said Washbrook, Farnworth has committed to support a citizens' assembly on climate action, which would develop legislation to submit to the legislature. "That's important because we're just not going to get the kind of transformative change we need running from election to election with one party sticking its neck out on an issue and the other party chopping it off," he said.

CVBC board members Lisa Matthaus, Will Horter, Naomi Devine, Sean Nixon and Washbrook made the decision and announced it to their members April 12.

NDP members will choose a new leader on April 17, with advance voting by preferential ballot open from April 11 to 16.

For more on green issues in the NDP race, see this April 1 Tyee article.

Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Reach him here.


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