British Columbians scanning the list of candidates running in the federal election might be forgiven if they suffer from a case of d茅j脿 vu with the number of former provincial politicians throwing their names into the national ring.

But they might also experience a sense of puzzlement.

Several high-profile names including former B.C. premier Christy Clark saw their federal ambitions dashed before the race even got underway. 

Perhaps the most prominent former provincial politician running in B.C. for federal office during this election is former Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson, who served in the provincial legislature between 2005 and 2008, before guiding Vancouver for a decade. But Robertson is not running, as one might have expected, for the federal New Democrats. He's under the banner of the federal Liberals under Prime Minister Mark Carney.

UBC political science lecturer Stewart Prest said Robertson's candidacy speaks to the dramatic change in the fortunes of the federal Liberals.

"If anyone had an interest in a career in federal politics, continuing or new, this is a chance to do so, and one that was not there, seemingly just a few months ago."

Michael Prince, acting dean of Human and the Social Development faculty at the University of Victoria, said Robinson's part shift is not without precedent. Former B.C. NDP Premier Ujjal Dosanjh also switched to the federal Liberals after his career in provincial politics. Prince also pointed to Robinson's background in business. Prest also pointed to another high-profile provincial New Democrat 香蕉视频直播� former Ontario premier Bob Rae 香蕉视频直播� jumping to the federal Liberals. 

Meanwhile, one of Dosanjh's successor in the premier's office, former B.C. Liberal Clark, announced this week that she won't be running for the federal Liberals in the riding of South Surrey-White Rock. Published reports point to local Liberals opposing Clark's candidacy. This raises the question of why federal Liberals would reject a candidate once head of a party with the word 'liberal' in the title. 

"Christy Clark is associated with a kind of political coalition in B.C. that no longer exists," Prest said. While the B.C. Liberals used to bring together federal Liberals and federal Conservatives with the common goal of keeping the provincial NDP out of power, those two groups really do not agree on much anymore, he added.

"So I think it is hard for the contemporary federal (Liberals) to really fully embrace somebody who is seen to have at least one foot on that more conservative side of that divide."

Clark contemplated a run for the leadership of the federal Liberals, but eventually withdrew after admitting she had previously been a federal Conservative to support the failed leadership candidacy of Jean Charest. 

"You can't really fish in both those pools," Prest said. 

So is it easier to join the federal Liberals from the left (as in the case of Robinson) than from the right (with Clark being rejected).

"I think so," Prest said, noting the federal Liberals' tendency to campaign from the left but govern from the right. "So anytime, they can steal the NDP's lunch, they are happy to do so." 

Prince, meanwhile, said it is not necessarily about ideology, but personnel.

"The more people were kind of checking out (Clark) as a candidate, whether as a leader or not, clearly people came to the conclusion that she was not a star candidate and probably...brought more problems or questions and distractions to the campaign than benefits," he said.

People, meanwhile, remember Robertson more favourably, Prince added.

"If there is a Carney government elected on April 28, I could see him being...a real leading candidate to be one of the ministers out of B.C., depending on the size of the cabinet," he said.

Both Prest and Prince agree that Robertson's candidacy spells trouble for the federal NDP in B.C.

"They (federal New Democrats) are in trouble," Prince said. "Just looking at the polls, the NDP (under federal leader Jagmeet Singh) is continuing to lose support to (Carney) and the federal Liberals," he said.

Polls show the federal NDP at around nine to 10 per cent. B.C. has historically been the best province for the federal New Democrats, but they run the risk of being squeezed in this election, he added. 

Prest agreed.  He said federal New Democrats find themselves between a "rock and a hard place." While federal Liberals are the main opponents of federal New Democrats, federal New Democrats risk alienating voters who are thinking about voting for the federal Liberals because they are fearful of federal Conservatives and U.S. president Donald Trump.

Carney's ability to project himself as being able to defend Canada against Trump in ways Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre cannot makes it easier for New Democrats in B.C. to throw in their lot with the federal Liberals, Prest said. 

Robertson and Clark are not the only prominent former provincial politicians trying their hands in federal politics. 

Ellis Ross, who served in the provincial legislature from 2017 to 2024, is running for the federal Conservatives in Skeena-Bulkley Valley, a seat which Taylor Bachrach hopes to defend for the federal New Democrats. 

Former B.C. Liberal Iain Black, who served in the provincial legislature between 2005 and 2011, is also running for the federal Conservatives in Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam, a seat which Ron McKinnon looks to defend for the federal Liberals. 

Not running, however, for the federal Conservatives, is long-time MLA Mike de Jong, who served in the provincial legislature between 1994 and 2024. During that time, he held multiple ministerial portfolios. But this history was not good enough for the federal Conservatives to nominate him as the candidate for Abbotsford-South Langley. 

De Jong said on March 4 that the federal Conservatives declined his application to seek the nomination. 

香蕉视频直播淭his decision comes despite the fact that the local Electoral District Candidate Selection Committee unanimously endorsed my candidacy, recognizing my qualifications and deep roots in this community,香蕉视频直播� he said.

De Jong, however, formally announced Thursday (March 27) that he would run as an independent. 香蕉视频直播淭his isn香蕉视频直播檛 the campaign I expected to run," he said on his website. "But when Ottawa insiders shut me out of the Conservative nomination, I knew I couldn香蕉视频直播檛 stay silent. I香蕉视频直播檓 running to give this community back its voice.香蕉视频直播�

Prince said that decision remains puzzling given the fact the former B.C. Liberals were a big-tent centre-of-right party that included everybody on the right side of the political spectrum.

"Perhaps that decision was being formulated before the polls really went south for the (federal) Conservatives," Prince said. 

Prince also pointed to a large phenomenon that also applies to Clark. So-called star candidates who enter federal politics from provincial parties not only come with experience, but also baggage in the form of past decisions deemed to be disappointing, Prince said. He added that provincial and federal parties in B.C. are not always closely connected. 

"So that sometimes leads to these differences in judgment and decisions as to who is welcomed and who isn't," Prince said. 

Prest said the last century has seen a gradual de-linking of political parties on the provincial and federal level. Some groups, like New Democrats, have sought to maintain institutional links between the federal party and their provincial counterparts, Prest said.

"But other parties, particular provincial parties, have found it helpful to create additional flexibility by creating their own identities." 

-with files from Vikki Hopes and Alex Browne