Under the speculation of a snap provincial election this fall, Oak Bay resident Murray Rankin has announced he will seek the nomination for the Oak Bay Gordon Head riding.
Rankin, 70, represented the Victoria riding as MP from 2012 to 2019. He will go against former Oak Bay councillor Michelle Kirby, manager of engagement for Childcare B.C., as the other candidate seeking the NDP’s nomination for the riding.
“I will be honest, this was not an easy decision. But after listening to the views of many people in our community, I concluded that the stakes were too high to sit on the sidelines,” Rankin said in his announcement release. “The pandemic has changed all of our lives; the challenges it has created require urgent attention.”
The riding is currently held by former B.C. Green party leader Andrew Weaver who stepped down from that position and said he will not seek re-election.
Rankin announced he would not seek election for the 2019 federal election. His seat was won by Laurel Collins. He has since held the newly created position as chair of the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency.
READ ALSO: Victoria MP Murray Ranking will not seek re-election
Rankin is a former practising lawyer and law instructor at the University of Victoria with an extensive background in environmental law and protection.
“This is my home,” Rankin added. “I raised my family here. I love it here. And when I served as your MP, the biggest rewards came from helping make life better for this community and all who call it home. With your support, I hope I can continue doing that work.”
The next provincial election is scheduled for October 2021. However, speculation is brewing that an early election may be called for this fall.
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