Charlie Wyse is expressing an interest in stepping back into the provincial political ring.
Wyse, who has been out of B.C. politics since he was narrowly defeated by Liberal MLA Donna Barnett in 2009, has said that he will stand for NDP nomination in the Cariboo-Chilcotin Riding.
“My intention, when appropriate, is to seek the NDP nomination in the constituency in the Cariboo-Chilcotin riding,” he says.
Recently Wyse has focussed on having the HST defeated and on activities around the recall of Donna Barnett. He had a change of heart when he heard a NDP leadership candidate announce support for a removal of the HST; at that point, he decided to change his focus from recall to the provincial election and assisting any leadership candidate who advocates for the demise of the HST.
“I’ve been involved from the very beginning with the HST issue. I have advised the steering group with the HST that I will no longer be involved.
“I am going to be concentrating my efforts and my time with the NDP leadership and I simply can’t juggle both.”
He’s officially stepped away from the recall campaign; Wyse’s address had appeared on pre-Christmas letters sent out to recruit recall canvassers as one where individuals could send their canvasser application forms.
Wyse says he’ll seek the riding nomination whether it be in a byelection, an early election, or at the time of the provincially mandated election in 2013.
Cariboo-Chilcotin NDP riding association vice-president Larry Day is happy with Wyse’s decision.
“Charlie was truly a hard-working guy for the riding.
“He kept us front and centre and even today there are a lot of things that Ms. Barnett takes credit for that Charlie was the one who initiated it,” Day says.
Day is unrepentant on the NDP and its members involvement with the HST.
“The people didn’t want the HST — it was clear. We were involved with the petition when it was the NDP petition and we went down to Victoria and presented it in the legislature,” he says, adding the petition had 5,000 signatures from residents of the Cariboo Chilcotin.
“We’ve always been active in having the people’s voice heard. It was the same with the Deni House when people wanted it kept open. Charlie and I and other activists who wanted to keep it open.
“We collected over 8,000 names and took it to the legislature. So, to say we are just involved in the HST because of the NDP, no. We’re involved in the HST to stop the HST because that’s what the people want and it hurts people and we’re coming right at it strictly from that point of view.”
