A potential Liberal candidate for the West Vancouver - Sunshine Coast - Sea to Sky Country riding is visiting Powell River this week to gauge support.
Daniel Veniez, a former forestry executive and former chair of Prince Rupert-based Ridley Terminals Inc., said he is interested in being the candidate in the riding.
"I haven't made any firm decision," he said. "I'm effectively leaving it in the hands of Liberals in the riding. I've decided that I want to do this if I'm invited to and if I'm welcome, and so far the reaction's been good."
Currently the Liberal candidate in the riding is former Squamish Mayor Ian Sutherland who came second to current member of Parliament Conservative John Weston in last October's federal election.
The federal government fired Veniez, 47, at the end of June as the chair of the Crown corporation that runs the Prince Rupert bulk commodity terminal. He had publicly proposed privatizing Ridley Terminals. Previously he was the president and CEO of New Skeena Forest Products, which went bankrupt in an attempt to revive the pulp and paper mill in Prince Rupert.
Veniez said he had been a Progressive Conservative for many years, but has been a member of the Liberal Party of Canada for two months. He said he's never been a member of Stephen Harper's Conservative Party.
Veniez, who lives in Kerrisdale in Vancouver, said he has a strong desire to serve.
"I would love to become the member of Parliament for West Vancouver, and I'd love to be the Liberal candidate, but that's up to the members of the Liberal party," he said. "I've dedicated myself now for the last couple of weeks and will do so until the nomination meeting is called to meet as many Liberals as I can, let them know what I stand for, who I am, what my background is and introduce myself to as many people as I possibly can."
His visits to Powell River and other communities on the Lower Sunshine Coast are key to his final decision on whether to run for the nomination.
"If the people that I'm going to be meeting this week in Powell River and next week in Gibsons and Sechelt continue to encourage me as they have been doing over the phone and in other meetings, then the chances are pretty good that I'm going to decide to do this," he said. "But again, it really depends on them. I think what's important here is that we defeat the Harper Conservatives and what's important here is that the Liberal party has a shot at forming the next government. I will be behind and stand behind whoever the candidate happens to be for the Liberal Party of Canada in West Vancouver."
