Mike Bernier and Sam Sullivan to run for BC Liberal leadership

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The race to lead the BC Liberals, now out of power for the first time in 16 years, has picked up steam with a pair of candidates – a former Vancouver mayor and a recent education minister – declaring on Thursday that they will run for job.

They join Conservative MP Dianne Watts, a former mayor of the City of Surrey, who will launch her campaign on Sunday, a source in her campaign confirmed this week. A spokesperson for Ms. Watts said she would not comment further before her announcement.

Several former cabinet ministers have also been talking about bids to replace former premier Christy Clark without actually jumping in.

On Thursday, however, Mike Bernier, an education minister under Ms. Clark, said in a statement that he will launch his leadership bid in Dawson Creek, where he has lived for 24 years, on Saturday and then go to Vancouver on Monday to further talk about his campaign.

Also, Sam Sullivan, Vancouver's mayor from 2005 to 2008 and now an MLA representing Vancouver-False Creek, said in an interview that he will run a provocative campaign to win the leadership of the BC Liberals.

Mr. Sullivan said his policy proposals include reviving the controversial harmonized sales tax under a new name – the modified sales tax, privatizing elements of health care, higher density to allow more and cheaper housing, and a binding royal commission to eliminate redundancies among fire, police and emergency services. He also said he would like to sell government liquor stores to their employees.

Former premier Gordon Campbell introduced the HST after the Liberals won a majority government in 2009, even though he had ruled it out during the campaign. Controversy over the plan led to Mr. Campbell's resignation in 2010 as well as a 2011 referendum in which the majority of voters rejected the tax.

In an interview, Mr. Sullivan said the HST has been endorsed by many economists. "Now that we're over the emotional part of [the HST], we can have a rational discussion," he said.

Mr. Sullivan described his embrace of controversial policies as a strategy to garner winning support. "Each of these positions is probably not recommended individually, but each has a small but ardent constituency. I feel that if I could weave those different constituencies together, it could end up being a winning formula."

Mr. Sullivan said he is running to win or identify a prospective winner he can throw his support behind. He also said his goal is to rally younger and urban people to the Liberal party, winning back votes that may have gone to the BC Green Party in the previous election.

Mr. Sullivan, who is quadriplegic, said he will be fine travelling the province looking for votes in a winter campaign. He said that when he has shown up in places that aren't accessible, he highlights shortfalls requiring action. Of the necessary travel ahead, Mr. Sullivan said: "It's all possible. It's all doable with a little willpower."

Mr. Sullivan was a long-time city councillor, who eventually became mayor under the Non-Partisan Association banner. He was challenged and replaced as NPA candidate ahead of the 2008 election in which Gregor Robertson, representing the Vision Vancouver party, became mayor.

Asked what he expected provincial Liberals to make of that situation, Mr. Sullivan said, "That was clearly not the best outcome." He said he learned lessons, including ensuring all caucus members feel valued and have a vital role.

Under Mr. Campbell and Ms. Clark, the BC Liberals dominated politics for 16 years until voters gave them a minority in the May election. The Liberals lost a no-confidence vote to the combined forces of the NDP and the BC Greens, allowing the NDP to take control.

Former cabinet ministers Todd Stone, Andrew Wilkinson and Mike de Jong have all said they are considering leadership bids along with Michael Lee, a business lawyer who won the riding of Vancouver-Langara in the last election. Several candidates are expected to enter the race next week.