Andrew Wilkinson the former Leader of the BC Liberals and British Columbia MLA for Vancouver-Quilchena announced that he was resigning from the legislature.
Wilkinson had announced after the BC Liberal Leadership Election in early February that he would be stepping down so the new Leader Kevin Falcon could run in a by-election.
The seat is one of the safest for the Liberal Party and it’s common practice for a sitting MLA to offer their seat to a leader who doesn’t currently hold a riding.
Wilkinson was first elected in the 2013 British Columbia Election election. He serves as president of the party from 1998 to 2001, in 2001 the BC Liberals formed its largest majority government in the history of the party and province.
After his election in 2013, then Premier Christy Clark appointed Wilkinson to her cabinet as Minister of Technology, Innovation and Citizens' Services.
During his time in government under Clark, Wilkinson also was Minister of Advanced Education.
in the 2017 general election, which saw the Liberals reduced to a minority government, that lasted only one month before then NDP leader John Horgan, and Green Party leader Andrew Weaver form a coalition government, Wilkinson was appointed Attorney General.
Days after the party was removed from office, Clark announced her resignation from the leadership of the BC Liberals. Wilkinson announced that he was seeking the leadership 2 months later.
Wilkinson defeated Dianna Watts (former Conservative MP) on the fifth ballot of the Leadership. He would lead the party into a snap election 2 years after becoming leader.
The party suffered had its worst showing since 1991, when the party returned to the legislature after 12 years in the political wilderness.
Wilkson was a lawyer prior to entering politics.