Ousted BC United candidate Wendy Yuan launched her independent bid for MLA of Richmond Centre Thursday with a glitzy campaign opening party at a local Chinese restaurant.
By all apparent accounts, Yuan has rebooted her previously successful campaign donation drive, telling Glacier Media her supporters have been eager to recontribute funds to replace donations now frozen by the BC United organization after its leader Kevin Falcon capitulated to the BC Conservative Party in August.
“I raised a lot of money and I have a lot of people…I work with anybody just to make this province better,” said Yuan, whose catered ceremony was attended by about 200 people and included a lion dance and volunteers kitted with independent “Wendy” branded paraphernalia.
Yuan is among dozens of BC United candidates, including incumbent MLAs, who were passed up by the BC Conservative Party since the BC United collapse and have now chosen the independent route.
Yuan said the Conservatives initially sought her to switch over to them, but she declined. Around this time Yuan appeared to be bringing in a significant amount of donations for BC United.
Yuan is a long-time supporter of the re-branded BC Liberal Party and former aide to former premier Christy Clark.
But when once stalwart BC Liberal/BC United MLA Teresa Wat switched to the Conservatives in Richmond-Bridgeport, Yuan said she reached out to the Conservatives to do the same, only to be denied.
Yuan puzzled by Conservative Wat's decision
Yuan said the Conservative brass told her that it was Wat who chose Hon Chan for their party in Richmond Centre, to run against BC NDP incumbent Henry Yao.
“Teresa crossed the floor and immediately she picked him…I don’t know how that works but it’s her friend," said Yuan.
Yuan said she was upset and “puzzled” by the decision-making process given “we had been there for a year knocking on doors, right? And I’m best positioned to beat the NDP because I’ve got the votes.”
At the ceremony, former Richmond mayor Greg Halsey-Brandt gave Yuan his stamp of approval on stage.
A perennial prospective politician, Yuan is no stranger to internal political party controversies, particularly at the nomination level.
In 2006, Yuan ran for the federal Liberal Party in Vancouver-Kingsway where her campaign team was accused by a defeated rival of tampering with membership lists. Yuan subsequently lost her election.
In 2015, Yuan sought the Liberal nomination for Steveston-Richmond only to charge former Richmond MP Raymond Chan as acting like a “kingmaker” for nomination rival Joe Peschisolido, who eventually won the nomination and his election.
Things turned particularly sour when the party accused Yuan of misrepresenting her CV.
In 2019, Yuan sought the Conservative nomination for Steveston-Richmond only to lose to Kenny Chiu, who went on to win his seat.
When asked how she may differentiate herself from the Conservatives should she find herself elected as an independent, she acknowledged she would likely align with them.
“I’m not going to be voting with the NDP that’s for sure,” said Yuan, adding “my views are in the middle, but a little to the right.”
Asked what her priorities would be as an elected MLA, Yuan cited a new roof for Richmond Caring Place and better transit for Richmond-Brighouse station.
