Surrey-Cloverdale MLA Kevin Falcon's immediate resignation August 29 as minister of finance and deputy premier is part of necessary renewal following a leadership change, former B.C. finance minister Gary Collins told BIV following Falcon's announcement.
"Any time you have a leadership change and you're heading into an election, there needs to be renewal in the party," said Collins, who served nearly 14 years as an MLA, including a stint as minister of finance between 2001 and 2004.
"I expect and know that the premier is doing an awful lot of work recruiting new fresh faces to the government – high-calibre people."
Collins said it was natural for many MLAs who have served since the 2001 election, and before, to want to move on.
Falcon cited personal reasons including that the finance ministry is heading into the busiest time of the year, his wife is pregnant and he has a two-year-old daughter.
Collins resigned under similar circumstances in 2004 given that he also had a two-year-old child and his wife was also pregnant.
"I completely understand the decision," Collins said. "He's heading into the toughest time of the year. September to mid-December is when all the spending decisions are made."
At a Vancouver Board of Trade luncheon in May 2011, Falcon joked that as minister of finance, he was effectively the lowest-paid CFO in the province.
Falcon plans to work in the private sector but told media August 29 that he has yet to line up a job.
Shirley Bond is stepping in to take over Falcon's duties as acting minister of finance.
