B.C. Liberals announce BC United as top choice for party name change

VICTORIA – The British Columbia Liberal Party could soon have a new name.

The party says the proposed new name, BC United, has been selected after a three-month membership consultation period in which more than 2,000 suggestions were submitted.

The party says in a statement today a voting process will be announced in the coming weeks and members will have the opportunity to vote on the new name by the end of this year.

The party says more than two-thirds of delegates who attended last June’s convention in Penticton voted in favour of considering a new name.

Liberal Leader Kevin Falcon made consideration of a name change one of his leadership campaign promises earlier this year.

The party says BC United reflects a fresh alternative that expresses a commitment to unity across a broad coalition of members, while highlighting the province’s name.

The B.C. Liberals have always billed themselves as a free enterprise coalition of federal Liberals and Conservatives, but some party members have said the name has confused or even turned away conservative-leaning voters.

The governing NDP said in a statement that the Liberals were using the name change to hide from Falcon’s record of “working for the wealthiest while making life harder for everyone else.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2022.