At least two candidates, lawyer Wayne Rowe and businessman Chris McNaughton, are vying for the Liberal nomination in this riding. And John Rees, regional director for Pender Harbour and Egmont, is seriously considering joining the race.
Incumbent MLA Harold Long's decision to retire has left the Liberal candidacy for this riding wide open. Brian Smith, vice president of the Liberal Powell River - Sunshine Coast Riding Association, expects a lively race.
"All three candidates are great. I'm very impressed," said Smith. "We're very gratified to see that much interest in the candidacy, and we're still looking for more candidates."
Smith said the nomination would likely take place in early 2005.
Wayne Rowe, a lawyer and former president of the Liberal Powell River - Sunshine Coast Riding Association, declared his candidacy for the nomination Oct. 18. He also sought the nomination for the last election, but lost out to Long.
"I believe we need a candidate with strong roots and a continuing commitment to the Sunshine Coast to enable this riding to maintain an influential voice in the next Liberal government," said Rowe. "We are now beginning to benefit from an improving economic climate. Our next focus should be on better care for our aging population and improvements in our health and education systems."
Rowe has law offices in Sechelt and Gibsons. His wife, Joanne Pearson, is a former school principal now working on a doctorate at UBC. He also has connections to Powell River, where his eldest son played for the Powell River Kings junior hockey team and graduated from Max Cameron Secondary School.
Rowe said he wants to "put a little more emphasis on a human face for our policies."
"From the economic point of view, there are a lot of positives," he said. "But we can't lose sight of other people who are not sharing in that renewed economic climate."
Rowe expects the Liberals to win the spring election, but "not with the same numbers."
"It's important for this riding to have a representative in government," he said.
Rees is a retired quantity surveyor who specialized in the electrical industry. He worked on many well-known Vancouver developments, including the Pacific Centre and the Four Seasons hotel. He says, "I've always been a Liberal," but his first foray into electoral politics came two years ago, when he won his seat on the Sunshine Coast Regional District board.
Rees said he would decide by the end of October whether to seek the nomination.
"For me, being an MLA is not a job opportunity. It's a challenge," he said. "I think I could do the job and do it well."
McNaughton was the first to declare his candidacy. The day Long announced his retirement, he asked McNaughton to seek the Liberal nomination. McNaughton is a former president of the Sunshine Coast Bed and Breakfast and Cottage Owners Association and a former ministerial assistant in the Social Credit government.
