BC Conservative Party Leadership candidate Rick Peterson announced today that five former Party executives have endorsed his campaign for Leader.
Former BC Conservative presidents Dan Denis, Al Siebring, Christine Clarke and Reed Elley, as well as former vice-president Brian Wilson, have all endorsed Peterson’s leadership bid as his campaign heads into the final stretch leading up to the April 11, 2014 vote.
“I am incredibly honored and humbled to be supported by these five outstanding BC Conservatives who have provided strong leadership for our Party during some challenging times,” said Peterson, a Vancouver businessman who was the Party’s Vice-Chair of Finance and Vancouver Campaign Chair during the May 2013 provincial election.
“I am so very thankful for the work they have done and for the strong BC Conservative base they have created. The fact that they have chosen me as the candidate they feel is best suited to take this Party to the next step is an incredible honour.”
Endorsements:
Dan Denis – former President:” I endorse Rick Peterson for leader of the BC Conservative Party because of his strong work ethics, his honesty, his good judgement, and his vision for our party and for British Columbia. His years of experience in the business community, not only in British Columbia but across the country, has enabled him to gain valuable knowledge that is necessary for a Leader who will guide the economic growth of our province. I have had the opportunity to participate in events hosted by Rick, and have been impressed with his ability to engage and motivate the attendees, a characteristic essential to convincing the voters of our province to adopt the correct principles and beliefs we, the BC Conservative Party, feel so strongly about.”
Christine Clarke – former President, former BCCP candidate in Port Moody-Coquitlam and Burnaby Lougheed: “I am happy to fully endorse Rick Peterson for the Leadership of the BC Conservative Party. Rick brings both business and political experience that I believe will be very important to our growth and electability. He has demonstrated his ability to work for the BC Conservative Party through managing the Vancouver campaign and his support for our candidate during the West Kelowna by-election. I wish him the very best in this Leadership contest.”
Al Siebring – former President, Secretary: “Rick Peterson brings a balanced approach to his bid for the BC Conservative Leadership. He’s from Vancouver, but he has a great understanding of the needs and aspirations of folks in rural and Northern BC. In his professional life, he’s had a front row seat in helping to finance the development of our resource sector.
Rick also understands the nuts and bolts of the regulatory hurdles that the BC government has put in the way of entrepreneurship, and understanding those hurdles is the first step in helping to get rid of them.
Rick’s involvement in community – with Junior Achievement and as a mentor to First Nations youth – and his broad connections across the country due to his background in journalism, business, and politics, lend credibility to the things he says, whether he says them in conversation across a kitchen table or in a high-powered boardroom.
I believe Rick Peterson has what it takes to move our Party forward and to present a credible voice in the Legislature.”
Reed Elley – former President; former Member of Parliament Nanaimo-Cowichan: “Rick – I am sending you this letter as an indication of my support for your candidacy as leader of the BC Conservative Party. I believe that you have the necessary skills to take us to the next level as a credible provincial party capable of forming government in 2017.
Your long involvement with the Federal Conservative Party is a significant factor in my support for you. I believe that we need to build bridges with the federal party if we are going to expect support at the ballot box in the next election. Your proven track record in fund raising for business will be a positive for us as we look to build up our war chest for 2017. You are articulate in sharing your well thought out positions on important issues that affect British Columbians. Your years of political experience are a great asset for you and us in your future role as our leader.
You can count on my support in the leadership ballot of April 2014.”
Brian Wilson – former Vice-President, former BCCP candidate North Vancouver-Seymour. “Rick – thanks for coming out to meet our BC Conservative Members. All of them have been strong allies of mine, and political workers with me, for over 15 years. We’ve worked on numerous federal, municipal, and provincial campaigns together. And we’ve all served on CA and EDA boards together. I must say that they were all quite suitably impressed with your ease, and with your vision for the future; as was I. That is what I hoped to see, and that is why I am very happy to endorse you for Leader of the BC Conservatives”
