Longtime Conservative MP Ed Fast says his party held a “sham” nomination process in his B.C. riding, where he has endorsed an Independent candidate to be his successor.
“I still support the election of a strong Conservative government under (leader) Pierre Poilievre, but this is not the way to do it,” Fast told CTV’s Power Play host Vassy Kapelos in an interview Tuesday.
“What happened in Abbotsford, effectively, was that the nomination process was hijacked by party officials,” Fast added. “They disqualified by far the most qualified candidate, which is Mike de Jong, and qualified what is arguably the most unqualified and inexperienced candidate.”
Earlier Tuesday, Fast endorsed de Jong in his riding of Abbotsford—South Langley, saying he believes the high-profile former MLA is best suited to serve the community.
Fast, a former Conservative cabinet minister, announced last March he would not run for re-election in the riding he’s held since 2006.
De Jong held the Abbotsford West seat provincially for 30 years, taking on a number of cabinet positions during that time. His disqualification from the race to replace Fast surprised many political watchers.
The Conservative candidate in the riding is 25-year-old Sukhman Gill, a local businessman and blueberry farmer.
In a letter endorsing de Jong on Tuesday, Fast writes that “it appears that party insiders conspired to manipulate the process” to ensure Gill won the nomination.
When asked about his characterization of the issue, and whether he has any evidence of the party’s manipulation of the nomination process, Fast said: “Yes.”
“I’ve spoken to party officials, who I will not name, who have admitted what they did, or what the party tried to do, was appoint a candidate in my riding,” he told Kapelos. “And this is happening in other ridings across the country as well.”
Fast also said his criticisms are not a commentary on Gill’s character, but rather stem from concerns about his lack of experience, especially compared to de Jong’s, while the country is facing an ongoing trade war with the United States.
“I still am having trouble getting my brain around how they came to the decision to have a 25-year-old student lead our community at a time when we’ve got (U.S. President) Donald Trump’s tariffs,” Fast said. “Especially my community of Abbotsford and Langley, we’re expected to really take the brunt of tariff imposition, the farming sector, the trucking sector, the manufacturing sector, all are implicated here in Abbotsford. To have an inexperienced novice representing us In Ottawa is just unfathomable.”
In a statement to CTV News on Tuesday, Conservative campaign spokesperson Sam Lilly said the party stands by its candidates.
“In this election, Canadians will have a choice between giving the Liberals a fourth term after the Lost Liberal decade of blocking our resources, taxing our workers, and driving billions of our dollars into the hands of the Americans — or electing a new Conservative government that will put Canada first by unlocking our resources, cutting our taxes, building our homes, and strengthening our country so that we can face the Americans from a position of strength,” Lilly wrote in an email.
“We are proud of our slate of Canada First Conservatives who are ready to bring home Canada’s promise,” Lilly added. “We will not comment on reasons certain individuals did not become Conservative candidates.”
You can watch Ed Fast’s full interview on CTV Power Play with Vassy Kapelos in the video player at the top of this article.
