Gavin Dew is the MLA for Kelowna–Mission and the Official Opposition Critic for Jobs, Economic Development, and Innovation and Artificial Intelligence.I’m not running to lead the BC Conservatives. I haven’t decided yet who I’ll support.But after years in politics and weeks of conversations with members and British Columbians watching closely, I do know what I’m looking for in our next leader.In a leadership contest, everyone debates personalities and platforms. The more useful exercise is to define your test: what qualities matter most in the person who leads us into the next election and into government?This race needs to be more than an internal contest. It is a public audition. British Columbians are deciding whether we are ready to be a serious government in waiting and a credible alternative to David Eby’s failing NDP regime.People have real reasons to be frustrated. The question is whether we turn that energy into results..EXCLUSIVE: Sturko calls on Eby to come clean on impacts of decriminalization as experiment nears end.Our next leader will be the next premier. They need to understand that the job is not simply to win the argument against the NDP, but to build the kind of alternative that can win an election, then govern well enough to earn the sustained trust and the multiple terms it will take to clean up David Eby’s self-inflicted mess.BC politics has long been shaped by a broad coalition of people who may disagree on details, but agree the province needs affordability, safe communities, and an economy where work and initiative are rewarded. Call it free enterprise, call it common sense, call it not-the-NDP, but the function matters more than the language or party name..The Conservative Party of BC has a right of first refusal to step fully into that role. But coalitions have to be earned and tended. If we spend this period fighting internal battles, we will squander the opportunity and hand the NDP what it wants: a divided opposition and a splintered alternative.So what kind of leader do we need? A builder, not a lone hero, not a brand, not someone whose strategy depends on keeping everyone angry. We need a team-oriented leader with the temperament to bring people together, the discipline to stay focused, and the humility to lift others up.Here is my test.First, can they articulate a vision that unites and expands the coalition? That means speaking to frustration without feeding cynicism, welcoming newcomers without turning politics into a loyalty test, and staying clear on priorities: work should pay, families should be able to get ahead, public safety matters, and government should deliver services that function..MACKINNON: 'Feel-crimes' could land you in the prisoner’s docket if Fraser has his way.Second, can they build a winning and successful team? A leader’s most important job is not winning a daily skirmish. It is building a bench of strong critics, candidates, organizers, and communicators who can govern.Unified doesn’t mean uniform. It means enough shared purpose to win together and govern together.Third, can they prove we are ready to govern? British Columbians aren’t looking for a party that can complain the loudest. They’re looking for a party that can fix things, with seriousness about the economy and about improving outcomes in health care, housing, and public safety.Some will argue we should stay a populist party. I understand the impulse. But populism is diagnosis, not treatment. If we want to change the course of this province, we have to turn that energy into a disciplined coalition and a governing plan..Real world experience matters. Prosperity isn’t created by government announcements or opposition critiques. It’s created by people who take risks, hire employees, build projects, and try to make payroll. Our next leader should be able to speak plainly about what drives investment away and what brings it back: faster permitting, clearer rules, less red tape, competitive taxes, and a government that sees business as a partner in prosperity, not a convenient villain.Temperament is not a soft topic. It is a governing issue. The leader we choose must have the steady hand to square off against the premier, yes, but just as importantly, to empower the entire team and turn disagreements into decisions instead of headlines..EISEN / HILL: A New Year’s resolution for the Eby government — stop overspending.So what needs to happen next? We should insist on a contest that is serious, respectful, and focused on governing. Candidates should show how they will unify the coalition, build the team, and present a credible program that speaks to the province we actually have, not the one people argue about online.We should also recognize that this is not a rebuild from scratch, and it’s not a hostile takeover of a distressed asset. It’s the next stage of building a disciplined, province-wide coalition that can win, govern, and keep the trust of British Columbians long enough to turn things around.To members and potential members weighing their options, my message is simple. Get involved, have your say, and choose a leader who can unite a coalition, build a team, and earn the confidence of British Columbians.This moment is a generational opening. Let’s treat it like one.Gavin Dew is the MLA for Kelowna–Mission and the Official Opposition Critic for Jobs, Economic Development, and Innovation and Artificial Intelligence.
