Former B.C. NDP MLA Harry Lali has joined BC United.
Lali has been working as a consultant in the forest industry for nine years. Prior to that, he served four terms as an NDP MLA and transportation minister.
Lali said in a news release that he has not been a B.C. NDP member since December 2020, and now believes the best interests of the province, especially resource-dependent, rural communities, would be served by a BC United government.
Lali said Falcon is expanding the party to include people from the centre and centre-left and that he will be offering his advice to B.C. United on labour, forestry and rural B.C. issues.
Lali bowed out of a NDP leadership bid in 2011 to replace Carole James — who was pushed out in a caucus revolt that included Lali — saying he didn’t have the money and resources.
Lali, 68, was first elected in 1991 in the Merritt-area riding of Yale-Lillooet. He re-elected four times before his defeat in 2013 by Jackie Tegart, who now represents the Fraser-Nicola riding for BC United.
Lali was in the B.C. legislature on Thursday and introduced during the last day of the spring session by BC United leader Kevin Falcon.
