A new name for B.C. Liberals could better reflect party

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. – It’s camping season in Northeast B.C., but South Peace Region MLA Mike Bernier is talking about a different kind of big tent.

The Liberal Party of British Columbia started a process to change the party’s name at their convention in Penticton last week. Bernier looks forward to the conversation and the selection of a moniker that accurately encompasses the whole party.

The BC Liberal Party has held their name since the early 2000s but has no affiliation with the federal Liberal Party of Canada. 

This being said, an explanation is required every election, according to Bernier.

“That really deters some people even from supporting or voting for our party because of the name and the confusion,” he said.

Gaining supporters is not the only factor behind the name change, though: it is also a question of accurately representing the “big tent” that the party, which is a coalition of several different political sections, camps under. 

“For me, it’s about making sure that the name does not reflect one side or the other, because, in order to beat the NDP, we need to have all of the conservatives, all the reformers, all the [groups] we have under the same tent.”

There are a variety of people, opinions, and groups pulled into the party, from more traditionally liberal thinkers in the south of the province to more conservative voices north, according to Bernier. He is looking forward to a name that represents popular perspectives in his region as well as it does others. 

To do this, the party is employing a grassroots approach to the process and asking members for suggestions and ideas. Bernier has been doing the same with his constituents.

“I’ve been putting it out there for people to send me their ideas and get involved,” he said. “I think that’s the big thing right now. It’s easy to sit around and be upset with what’s happening, or complain. But decisions are made by those who show up.”

 Once options are selected, the name itself will be decided by the member’s vote.

“Realistically, at the end of the day, the name is only one piece of what we need to do,” Bernier said. “We need to have good policies, good ideas— you know, all of the things that you need to get people to vote for you.”

Party members and supporters can submit their name change ideas now by heading the BC Liberals’ website.