Former Peace River South MLA named leader of CentreBC

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A former MLA for Peace River South and former Dawson Creek mayor has been named as the leader for CentreBC. 

According to a Facebook post on July 19, CentreBC welcomed Mike Bernier as the new leader and said the leadership announcement marked the beginning of an “exciting new chapter.” 

Bernier was elected as MLA for Peace River South in May 2023. He served as the former Minister of Education and the parliamentary secretary for Energy Literacy and Environment for the Ministry of Environment. 

Karin Kirkpatrick, CentreBC’s founding leader and strategic advisor, announced the appointment during a press conference. 

She said, “I’m very honoured to have been the leader for the last 15 months, but I am extremely excited to introduce a past colleague [and] friend of mine, Mr. Mike Bernier, who today will become the leader of Centre BC.” 

“He has been an MLA, he’s been a cabinet minister in a previous government. So this is a man with a lot of experience. I’ve always been impressed with his moderate, kind way of dealing with people and viewing policy in British Columbia.” 

Bernier said he was not looking to return to politics and had enjoyed travelling with his wife for the past 18 months. 

“But after talking with my wife, I said, ‘you know, we can’t sit back and just watch the chaos that’s happening right now in our province continue to unfold,’” he said. 

“You have to sometimes put action, not just words, into play. And so I’m excited to be here today.” 

He said the press conference is more than just about a political party; it is about a movement. 

“It’s about making sure we’re building the province for the right reasons, which is for the people of this province and making sure it’s a province we can continue to love,” he explained.

He said he is honoured to stand as the leader for CentreBC and he accepts this responsibility with humility. 

He believes decisions are being made far from where British Columbians are affected, and that this is done without consultation with those affected. 

He said, “So that’s why me [and] CentreBC exists. It’s really about putting people first and not parties.” 

“It should be about solutions, not division that we’re seeing so much right now in the province of British Columbia within other political parties, so I’m excited to be leading this movement.” 

The party wants to ensure that people are at the centre of decisions and hopes to be a strong contender in the next election. 

Bernier said the party will have a different type of leadership. 

“We want to make sure we’re putting forward policies that we’re like a fiscally conservative, strong party, but making sure we understand there are people right now in the province that are struggling and suffering,” he said. 

The post said, “If we’re going to be ready to offer British Columbians a credible choice at the next provincial election, there is a lot of work to do.” 

CentreBC said it is building riding associations, developing policies, recruiting volunteers, identifying future candidates, growing its membership and expanding its presence in communities across the province. 

“If you believe BC needs a socially progressive, fiscally responsible alternative, now is the time to get involved,” the post said. 

CentreBC is asking people to become members, volunteer their time and skills and make a donation. 

Energeticcity.ca has reached out to CentreBC for an interview with Mike Bernier. This story will be updated as new information becomes available.