Longtime B.C. MLA and cabinet minister Mike de Jong running as independent

A longtime veteran of British Columbia provincial politics is entering the federal election race as an independent.

Mike de Jong announced Thursday that he would run in the new Abbotsford-South Langley riding.

De Jong served eight terms as an MLA under the BC Liberal/BC United banner, holding multiple cabinet portfolios including finance, attorney general, public safety and health.

2:10 BC United MLA Mike de Jong not seeking reelection

He had been seeking the nomination for the Conservative Party of Canada, but says the party rejected his candidacy in early March without any formal reason.

“There clearly was a disagreement. The local Conservative association unanimously recommended that I be approved as a candidate, and unanimously recommended that the young man who is the candidate not be,” de Jong said.

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“So why some backroom party hack in Ottawa decided to do the opposite is something only the Conservative party can answer, and so far they are refusing to.”

The Conservatives have nominated 25-year-old blueberry farmer Sukhman Gill in the riding.

3:35 Major blow to BC United Party with loss of long-time MLA from Abbotsford

Global News is seeking comment from both Gill and the Abbotsford-South Langley Riding Association leadership.

De Jong told Global News he knows an independent bid is an uphill battle, but that he’s had significant support from locals who want their voices heard.

“I have represented most of the people or many of the people in the area for over 30 years. They understand what I stand for — I am a fiscal conservative,” he said.

“I believe governments should live within their means, I think taxes should be as low as possible, I think we should have a strong military, I think we should give addicts treatment, not free drugs, and I think we should build an economy that’s strong enough to confront a maniac in the White House called Donald Trump.”

5:52 Decision 2025: Federal Election Week in Review

While the situation now sets de Jong up for a head-to-head battle against a Conservative, he said he would still prefer to see a CPC government in Ottawa, arguing a decade of Liberal rule has left Canada “weaker.”

Along with Gill, de Jong will face NDP candidate Dharmasena Yakandawela and Green candidate Melissa Snazell. The Liberals have yet to nominate a candidate for the riding.

The new riding was created ahead of the 2025 election from the old Abbotsford riding and parts of Langley south of 48 Avenue.

Transposing the results of those areas from the 2021 federal election would have given the Conservatives 45.6 per cent of the vote, the Liberals 26.05 per cent of the vote and the NDP 18.2 per cent of the vote.