Adrian Dix chosen new leader of BC NDP

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The NDP has chosen an experienced critic, a well-connected politico and a left-leaning candidate as their new leader. It came down to the wire, but long-time NDP member Adrian Dix has won the party’s leadership, beating runner-up Mike Farnworth by 677 votes.

The brand new BC NDP boss wasn’t wasting any time taking shots at the Liberal government. He says his priority is to get voters excited about taxing businesses and banks. “I think people in British Columbia think that just as they pay taxes and medical services premiums that banks should pay a minimum corporate tax, right?”

But how does Glen Clark’s former Chief of Staff react to queries about the Liberals rifling through his back pages? “They are going to do what they do, what they’ve always done. We are going to run a positive campaign. We’ll hold them to account, but we’re going to run a positive campaign about change in British Columbia.”

Dix had this stark message for the party faithful. “We have to win the next election, and we’ve got the team to do it.  And I believe we have yet to have our best moment, when we come together as a team united to defeat the BC Liberals and form a majority government in British Columbia.”

Dix says it’s time to leave the Baker’s Dozen controversy that forced Carole James from power in the past and concentrate on taking down the Liberals. The NDP has only won three elections in BC.

Mike Farnworth was all smiles in defeat and says it’s time to start thinking about Christy Clark.

“Adrian has been chosen as our leader, and I’m going to be working right with him to make sure that we win the next election.”

When asked if he had any regrets, Farnworth told reports, “I only would have regretted not running.”

John Horgan says he just didn’t have enough time. He came in third this evening. Juan de Fuca MLA says he did the best he could.

“I started late and I ran out of time… I didn’t have enough time to sign up new members. But I have excited a lot of people about the NDP.”

New leader Adrian Dix is a friend of his, and Horgan says he is delighted.

Dana Larsen entered the race knowing his chances weren’t good, but he kept a confident smile and held on until the end: 531 votes was the final tally for him, out on the first ballot. But Larsen says this campaign has shown who he is to British Columbians.

Best know as a founder of the BC Marijuana Party, he says now people recognize him as a rounded candidate with a marijuana policy being just part of his ideals.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Barry Penner commented on the vote for the Liberal Party. He spoke live with News1130 just after the announcement. “It does leave me wondering why they went through this whole exercise of getting rid of Carole James, because so far we really haven’t heard any new policies articulated by Mr. Dix during the three-month leadership race.”

Penner says it’s interesting that none of the so-called “Baker’s Dozen,” the party members who ousted Carole James, publicly supported Adrian Dix for leader.

Jim Sinclair with the BC Federation of Labour says he’s on board with Dix’s policies. “It comes to choices. Whether we should export our logs and keep the jobs here. He is very clear. We should keep the jobs here. Should we lower the tuition? Should we make it more accessible? His answer is yes. So on the choices, he is the guy.”

Former leader Carole James got a warm sendoff for someone who had to resign over questions over her leadership. James fought back tears as she addressed the crowd, telling her successor to remember what the party stands for. “To provide them with the kind of vision, and the kind of alternative, and the kind of ease that they need in their lives. So let’s get down to work. Let’s go win and election.”

She also thanked her riding of Victoria-Beacon-Hill, saying she’s happy to focus on her duties as MLA.

BREAKDOWN AFTER THIRD BALLOT

Adrian Dix-9772
Mike Farnworth-9095

BREAKDOWN AFTER SECOND BALLOT

Adrian Dix-7,748
Mike Farnworth-6,951
John Horgan-5034

BREAKDOWN AFTER FIRST BALLOT

Dix-7638
Farnworth-6979
Horgan-4844
Larsen-531

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