British Columbia’s newest MLA was officially sworn in at the Legislature in Victoria on Monday.
BC Liberal leader Kevin Falcon took his seat as the MLA for Vancouver-Quilchena after winning nearly 60% of the vote in a by-election on April 30.
“After being away from politics and focusing on my family for the past decade, it is a real honour to be back as an MLA and Leader of the Official Opposition,” said Falcon.
“I’m back because of my daughters, and the issues that their generation is facing today, and into the future.”
Those “massive issues,” Falcon said, include climate change, the lack of affordable housing, skyrocketing costs of living and the desperate need for a revitalized economy to attract investment.
He also cited the province’s failure to care for those suffering from mental health and addiction issues, combined with the fact that BC’s healthcare system is “on the brink of collapse.”
“I look forward to bringing issues forward to government from British Columbians in all corners of the province, and holding John Horgan and the NDP accountable for the widening gap between their rhetoric and actual results over their past half-decade in power,” added Falcon.
“It’s time to turn the page and put forward a positive vision for BC and get the big things done once again here in British Columbia. The hard work starts today!”
Falcon was first nominated as a BC Liberal to represent the riding of Surrey-Cloverdale in 2001 and was re-elected in 2005 and 2009.
He briefly served as the province’s deputy premier under Christy Clark in 2011-12, who he narrowly lost out to in the 2011 vote to choose a BC Liberal leader after Gordon Campbell stepped down as premier.
In the summer of 2012, Falcon indicated that he would not run for re-election in 2013 as his family waited on the birth of his second daughter, Rose.
After eight years away from politics, Falcon announced his return in March 2021 and won his bid for BC Liberal leader on Feb. 5, 2022.
