Long-time politician Mike de Jong said he has still not received any answers from the federal Conservative Party on why he was ousted from seeking the nomination in Abbotsford-South Langley, despite having strong support at the local level.

De Jong told The Abbotsford News on Wednesday (March 5) that he received an email on Monday night from the Conservatives in Ottawa.

香蕉视频直播�(It was) a three-line email that said, 香蕉视频直播楧ear Mr. de Jong, your application to be a candidate in this nomination contest has been declined. Thanks for your interest.香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� I was so shocked,香蕉视频直播� he said.

De Jong said he phoned the Ottawa office where the decision was made and had difficulty finding anyone to talk.

香蕉视频直播淔inally, some guy mutters something about, 香蕉视频直播榃ell, we didn香蕉视频直播檛 think you were qualified香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� I香蕉视频直播檓 a little perplexed but that is the only information that I香蕉视频直播檝e been provided.香蕉视频直播�

De Jong announced the decision Tuesday in a social media post.

The vote to select the Conservative candidate for the riding takes place this Saturday (March 8).

De Jong, 60, served as the Abbotsford West MLA under BC United (formerly the Liberals) for 30 years.

He announced in February 2024 that he was retiring from provincial politics. In mid-April, he confirmed he would seek the federal Conservative nomination for the Abbotsford-South Langley riding being vacated by retiring long-time MP Ed Fast.

Since that time, de Jong said thousands of dollars have been invested in his campaign (the spending limit is $25,000), and he has had many volunteers working with him, who are disappointed in the decision to remove him from the nomination race.

He said he also signed up more than 2,000 new Conservative Party members.

De Jong said the local riding association香蕉视频直播檚 candidate approval committee conducted interviews with him and the five other candidates over the weekend.

香蕉视频直播淚 am advised that their unanimous recommendation to the folks in Ottawa was that I香蕉视频直播檇 be approved as a candidate, and apparently the folks in Ottawa disagreed,香蕉视频直播� de Jong said.

He questions why he would be considered 香蕉视频直播渦nqualified,香蕉视频直播� given his past experience holding eight cabinet portfolios such as health and attorney-general, but particularly as finance minister.

De Jong said his background in that area would be especially useful at a time when Canada is 香蕉视频直播渦nder attack by a crazy megalomaniac bully in the White House.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚 governed five consecutive balanced budgets. When I left office, the province was in the strongest fiscal condition, financial condition, economic condition of any province in Canada, which was a good thing because when COVID hit two years later, we had to draw on that strength,香蕉视频直播� he said.

De Jong said he opted to join the Conservatives because of federal leader Pierre Poilievre香蕉视频直播檚 talk 香蕉视频直播渁bout a return to fiscal prudence.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淲e need leadership in the country and a government that is going to respect the taxpayer and recognize that we cannot continue to concur multi-billion-dollar deficits and a rising debt level.香蕉视频直播�

De Jong said he is still reeling from the decision and is not sure whether he will consider remaining in politics 香蕉视频直播� such as running as an independent 香蕉视频直播� or leaving them behind for good.

香蕉视频直播淭he day after the day after a breakup is not usually the best day to talk about your ex,香蕉视频直播� he said, laughing.

Still in the running for the riding香蕉视频直播檚 nomination are Shanjeelin Dwivedi, Mike Murray, Steve Schafer, Sukhman Singh Gill and Gurnoor Sidhu.

The Abbotsford News has reached out for comment from the national council of the Conservative Party of Canada and will update the story if they respond.