Peace River South MLA Mike Bernier says he can bridge the gap between urban and rural B.C. as leader of the B.C. Liberal party.

Bernier announced his candidacy in Vancouver Monday, hours after Vancouver-Quilchena MLA Andrew Wilkinson launched his bid to replace B.C. Liberal leader Christy Clark. He was introduced by Peace River North MLA Dan Davies, who referred to other MLAs and municipal leaders.

Bernier said he is 香蕉视频直播渄istancing myself香蕉视频直播� from the post-election throne speech presented by Clark, because it looked too much like a political move. The B.C. Liberals should have had more to offer on child care to counter the NDP香蕉视频直播檚 $10-a-day proposal, he said.

. on carbon tax:

香蕉视频直播� Kat (@katslepian)

In an interview with Black Press, Bernier said he was born and raised in North Vancouver before moving to Dawson Creek and becoming mayor and then MLA.

香蕉视频直播淚 moved to rural B.C. in the 1990s, when jobs slowed down,香蕉视频直播� Bernier said. 香蕉视频直播淎 lot of my friends went to Alberta. I went north and spent the remainder of my work life before politics up there.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 the candidate to bridge that rural-urban 香蕉视频直播� the way I香蕉视频直播檓 referencing it is the rural-urban misunderstanding. It香蕉视频直播檚 not a divide. It香蕉视频直播檚 the fact that there are unique differences and unique challenges in rural B.C. and urban B.C. that you can香蕉视频直播檛 use a cookie cutter approach to fix.香蕉视频直播�

"We're not trying make like or Dawson Creek like Vancouver," says on "urban rural divide"

香蕉视频直播� Kat (@katslepian)

Asked if his move to fire the Vancouver school board for refusing to submit a balanced budget was going to hurt him in the Lower Mainland, Bernier replied:

香蕉视频直播淢ost people I香蕉视频直播檝e talked to have actually said that was a plus for me, a positive, because I actually showed in a difficult situation where people were saying 香蕉视频直播榙on香蕉视频直播檛 do it because it could be politically sensitive,香蕉视频直播� I stood up and said I香蕉视频直播檓 doing it anyway because it香蕉视频直播檚 the right thing to do for the situation, to try to bring stability to Vancouver.香蕉视频直播�

Bernier began his pitch to party members by describing the 香蕉视频直播渉arsh香蕉视频直播� message he got after losing the government to an NDP-B.C. Green alliance after the May election.

香蕉视频直播淥ne of the reasons why I香蕉视频直播檓 running is the fact that we worked really hard to have jobs, strong economy, triple-A credit rating, all the stuff you香蕉视频直播檝e heard from the B.C. Liberals, but what we failed to do is close the circle,香蕉视频直播� Bernier said. 香蕉视频直播淲e forgot that香蕉视频直播檚 all a tool to make sure we have the economic means to support people in the province for the social programs that they need and they deserve.

香蕉视频直播淚 will be the candidate that people will see that has not only the leadership and the decision-making ability but the empathy that a leader needs right now.香蕉视频直播�