White Rock councillor and business owner Ernie Klassen won香蕉视频直播檛 be seeking provincial office as independent candidate 香蕉视频直播� but he is seeking an accounting for money he is owed by the BC United Party.
Klassen was BC United香蕉视频直播檚 before leader Kevin Falcon香蕉视频直播檚 bombshell announcement on Aug. 28 that he was suspending the party香蕉视频直播檚 campaign in the upcoming election 香蕉视频直播� and encouraging party candidates to run under the Conservative banner.
That was not a path Klassen 香蕉视频直播� who is also White Rock Pride Society past president 香蕉视频直播� wanted to take, he said.
香蕉视频直播淎lthough I had a lot of people asking me if I would run as an independent 香蕉视频直播� and a few people who were prepared to help me 香蕉视频直播� I didn香蕉视频直播檛 feel I had enough time to pull that together,香蕉视频直播� he said. (Brent Chapman continues as the Conservative candidate for Surrey South, contesting the riding with the NDP香蕉视频直播檚 Haroon Ghaffar.)
But Klassen, who was taking a brief vacation in Mexico when Falcon made the announcement, said he and other former BC United candidates are still out-of-pocket for already-incurred campaign expenses, for which they were supposed to be reimbursed by the party.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e been keeping in touch with each other, and there香蕉视频直播檚 a whole group of us that are still owed money,香蕉视频直播� Klassen told Peace Arch News.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 asking that there be an audit so we can find out what happened to the money. Nobody seems to be able to give us answers. The only thing we香蕉视频直播檙e hearing is that it香蕉视频直播檚 香蕉视频直播榰nforeseen香蕉视频直播� and that 香蕉视频直播榠t never happened before.香蕉视频直播� The whole party seems to be in chaos.香蕉视频直播�
Reached by Peace Arch News, BC United deputy campaign manager Adam Wilson said Wednesday that the party is working on the issue.
香蕉视频直播淲e are currently working through all the expenses provided to us by our candidates, and working with Elections BC to understand how reporting will work, prior to providing reimbursements,香蕉视频直播� Wilson said.
The irony of his situation, Klassen acknowledges, is that he had been actively courted by BC United for a long time before he ultimately announced his candidacy in early August.
香蕉视频直播淚 kept saying no, and then I finally said yes,香蕉视频直播� he noted.
An Aug. 7 media release from the party touted Klassen as a 香蕉视频直播渨ell-respected White Rock city councillor香蕉视频直播� who brought 香蕉视频直播渁 wealth of experience from the public and private sectors to the team.香蕉视频直播�
Klassen said that, while there is still talk of running a few candidates to keep the party alive, 香蕉视频直播淚 don香蕉视频直播檛 know who in their right mind would vote for BC United, now.香蕉视频直播�
He said, however, he remains a believer in the 香蕉视频直播淏C United philosophy香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� particularly in offering 香蕉视频直播渁 middle-of-the-road alternative for local voters.
香蕉视频直播淚 don't believe it香蕉视频直播檚 in the best interest of British Columbians to have a two-party system,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚 will help to rebuild a middle-of-the-road party, whatever it ends up being called. That香蕉视频直播檚 where my philosophy is situated in the political world.香蕉视频直播�
