Former B.C. minister Mike de Jong running as Independent after being rejected by Conservatives

Mike de Jong, one of B.C.'s longest-serving MLAs, has announced he'll be running as an Independent in the federal election, after he said he was rejected by the Conservative Party.

Earlier this month, de Jong said the Conservative Party of Canada had rejected him as a candidate, after he had been working on his campaign for more than a year.

"This isn't the campaign I expected to run. But when Ottawa insiders shut me out of the Conservative nomination, I knew I couldn't stay silent. I'm running to give this community back its voice," de Jong said on his website.

De Jong says online he'll be running in Abbotsford-South Langley after "growing calls" from people in that riding, describing the Conservative Party's decision to not let him run as "bizarre." It's not clear who de Jong means when he says "Ottawa insiders."

WATCH | Mike de Jong to run as Independent:

Former B.C. Liberal Mike de Jong announces he will run as an Independent

3 days ago

Duration 2:23

Former B.C. Liberal cabinet minister Mike de Jong is going solo in the federal election after being rejected by the Conservative Party. He's running as an independent in the Fraser Valley, and as Katie DeRosa reports, he's one of several former politicians who were passed over by the Tories.

The Conservative Party did not say why it rejected de Jong as a candidate. CBC News reached out to the party on Thursday but did not immediately hear back.

De Jong served as an MLA for the B.C. United party — formerly the B.C. Liberals— for more than 30 years, holding cabinet posts including finance and forestry.

He has also served as the government House leader. 

The Conservative candidate in Abbotsford-South Langley for the federal election is Sukhman Singh Gill.

Gill said he's a farmer who was born in Abbotsford and was raised on his family's blueberry farm in the Township of Langley.

"With a strong connection to this community and a deep commitment to its future, I am dedicated to addressing the issues that matter most to our local residents," Gill wrote on his LinkedIn account.

WATCH | Tories reject Mike de Jong: 

Former B.C. cabinet minister describes being 'dumped on the political trash heap'

26 days ago

Duration 8:15

Longtime B.C. Liberal MLA Mike de Jong says he does not understand why he was rejected as the federal Conservative candidate in Abbotsford-South Langley after more than a year of campaigning. The former finance minister says that thousands of people had expressed support for his nomination, and he felt his views aligned with those of the Tories.