John Cummins
John Cummins - BC Conservatives
Former MP John Cummins took the reins of the BC Conservatives in 2011.
The 71-year-old Langley resident left behind an 18-year career as a federal MP in order to lead the party, which had stagnated on the fringe of B.C. politics for decades.
Less than a year after he took over, a poll found the Conservatives tied for support with the BC Liberals, though the governing party had become widely unpopular as a result of implementing the harmonized sales tax.
Cummins first came to the Pacific Province in the 1960s for a construction job working on the WAC Bennett Dam. He earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Western Ontario and a masters at the University of British Columbia, then spent several years teaching elementary and high school students before moving on to federal politics.
A self-described maverick, Cummins was elected as a Reform Party candidate, a Canadian Alliance candidate and, finally, as a Conservative. The Ontario native, who owned and operated two commercial fishing boats for years, served twice as the Fisheries and Oceans critic during his time in Ottawa.
He resigned his federal post in March 2011 to run unopposed for the head of the B.C. Conservative Party.
Cummins has advocated for what he calls a “common sense” approach to B.C. government, and boasted he could balance the province’s budget and achieve a $3.1 billion surplus over the next five years.
His party’s platform also includes repealing the Carbon Tax, which he considers unfair to rural residents with fewer transportation options, and the creation of a Legislative Budget Office to help MLAs analyze complex financial data.
Despite inspiring hope among some centre-right voters fed up with the BC Liberals, Cummins’ leadership has had its share of speed-bumps. He was criticized early on for advocating “traditional marriage” to a Victoria radio station and, after being prodded, stating that he believes homosexuality is a “choice.”
Cummins, a Roman Catholic, later apologized for his choice of words, and clarified that he believes people should live how they want and deserve equal protection under the law.
He also insisted he has no interest in challenging the legality of gay marriage.
The Conservatives gained momentum in fall 2012 when Liberal MLA John van Dongen jumped the aisle to join them, but the tide turned shortly after when a minor mutiny sprung up and called for Cummins’ resignation.
Fifteen dissident party members were eventually expelled, and were followed shortly after by van Dongen, who quit the party and cited the leader as the sole reason.
Despite their troubles, the Conservatives remained situated close to the BC Greens the day before the 2013 campaign season began, polling at 12 per cent support, and are sure to improve on their standing from the 2009 election when they received just 0.55 per cent of the vote.
The party is running candidates in 46 of B.C.’s 85 ridings for the May 14 election.
