Andrew Wilkinson says he will be officially stepping down as leader of the BC Liberals.
In a statement made on his Facebook page, Wilkinson said he welcomes the selection of an interim leader by the party caucus.
“My past role, and the role of the new interim leader, requires a great deal of humility and a willingness to listen to people from all over B.C., to learn from them so that our work reflects the dreams and desires of the people of our province,” the statement reads.
“Indigenous communities will need to be engaged as partners on projects and initiatives that will bring prosperity to everyone who lives here. That work must now be undertaken with renewed energy and commitment, so that our caucus and our party can fully reflect the views of everyone who calls this land their home, and work with them to provide a prosperous, respectful, and healthy future for everyone.”
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Following a handful of controversies during B.C.’s snap election in October, which resulted in the party seeing significant setbacks, Wilkinson had previously indicated he planned to stay in his role until a new leader could be selected.
“Our party, the interim leader, and our members have a lot of work to do. We need to rebuild and renew – and that starts with tough conversations and sincere reflections. I know I’ve had many of those myself in recent weeks and I know there are many more to come for all of us as we work toward a leadership race that will define our new leader, and our positions and profile heading into the next election,” the statement continues.
“There are still many conversations to have about how we can do better. Some of those conversations are taking place right now, some of them publicly. I can confidently say that I did my best for our team and for British Columbia, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve our province and all of the people who consider this great place their home.”
B.C.’s brief legislative session will begin with a throne speech on Dec. 7.
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