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By Michael Reeve

BC ELECTION 2024

With Tegart’s retirement, Fraser-Nicola set for new MLA after 11 years

Sep 3, 2024 | 5:28 PM

ASHCROFT, B.C. — Another veteran BC Liberal and then BC United MLA has made the decision to step away ahead of this October’s provincial election. Jackie Tegart, who spent 11 years as the MLA for Fraser-Nicola, is retiring from public office and withdrawing her name from the ballot following the collapse of her party last week.

“I took the weekend and looked at where I’m at and what the options are and decided that it’s probably best for me to just step back and to retire — I guess that’s what it’s called,” Tegart told CFJC News.

Over the past several years, Fraser-Nicola has been ravaged by Mother Nature, through fires and flood throughout the riding. Those ongoing struggles gave pause to Tegart.

“There are a lot of files that are still in need of assistance and work to be done which really weighed heavy in the decision. But with the political environment that we are in right now, for me it was time for me to step away,” said Tegart.

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The departure of Tegart leaves former Merritt councillor and Conservative candidate Tony Luck as the front runner in the riding that has leaned right since 2013. The NDP is running Francyne Joe and the Greens have nominated Jonah Timms. Luck thanked Tegart for her years of dedication to the region and spoke to attempting to welcome BC United loyalists to the fold.

“I’m hoping I can be that candidate for them. The phone has been ringing already, people talking to me about what that is going to look like moving forward, and that is going to be really important to do that,” said Luck. “If I want to get a little political for the moment, I think the NDP will have a hard time justifying what has happened in our riding the last number of years and where they are going. I’m hoping we can certainly come with better policy and better ideas to be able to help our riding out.”

While others, like Todd Stone in Kamloops, have dropped out and put their support behind former rivals, Tegart will not be endorsing a candidate in the riding, but encouraged residents to get out and vote.

“Politics is not a spectator sport. You have got to get involved and you have got to understand the importance of the election. When we take a look at the challenges in B.C. right now, this is not a time to stay at home. This is a time to step up, find somebody you can support,” said Tegart.

While she used the word retirement, it’s unlikely that Tegart will fall far from the public eye, stating he will be looking for something she is passionate about for her next venture.