White Rock councillor and business owner Ernie Klassen wonB次元官网网址檛 be seeking provincial office as independent candidate B次元官网网址� but he is seeking an accounting for money he is owed by the BC United Party.

Klassen was BC UnitedB次元官网网址檚 before leader Kevin FalconB次元官网网址檚 bombshell announcement on Aug. 28 that he was suspending the partyB次元官网网址檚 campaign in the upcoming election B次元官网网址� and encouraging party candidates to run under the Conservative banner.

That was not a path Klassen B次元官网网址� who is also White Rock Pride Society past president B次元官网网址� wanted to take, he said.

B次元官网网址淎lthough I had a lot of people asking me if I would run as an independent B次元官网网址� and a few people who were prepared to help me B次元官网网址� I didnB次元官网网址檛 feel I had enough time to pull that together,B次元官网网址�  he said. (Brent Chapman continues as the Conservative candidate for Surrey South, contesting the riding with the NDPB次元官网网址檚 Haroon Ghaffar.)

But Klassen, who was taking a brief vacation in Mexico when Falcon made the announcement, said he and other former BC United candidates are still out-of-pocket for already-incurred campaign expenses, for which they were supposed to be reimbursed by the party.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e been keeping in touch with each other, and thereB次元官网网址檚 a whole group of us that are still owed money,B次元官网网址� Klassen told Peace Arch B次元官网网址.

 B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 asking that there be an audit so we can find out what happened to the money. Nobody seems to be able to give us answers. The only thing weB次元官网网址檙e hearing is that itB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址榰nforeseenB次元官网网址� and that B次元官网网址榠t never happened before.B次元官网网址� The whole party seems to be in chaos.B次元官网网址�

Reached by Peace Arch B次元官网网址, BC United deputy campaign manager Adam Wilson said Wednesday that the party is working on the issue.

B次元官网网址淲e are currently working through all the expenses provided to us by our candidates, and working with Elections BC to understand how reporting will work, prior to providing reimbursements,B次元官网网址� Wilson said. 

The irony of his situation, Klassen acknowledges, is that he had been actively courted by BC United for a long time before he ultimately announced his candidacy in early August.

B次元官网网址淚 kept saying no, and then I finally said yes,B次元官网网址� he noted.

An Aug. 7 media release from the party touted Klassen as a B次元官网网址渨ell-respected White Rock city councillorB次元官网网址� who brought B次元官网网址渁 wealth of experience from the public and private sectors to the team.B次元官网网址�

Klassen said that, while there is still talk of running a few candidates to keep the party alive, B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know who in their right mind would vote for BC United, now.B次元官网网址�

He said, however, he remains a believer in the B次元官网网址淏C United philosophyB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� particularly in offering B次元官网网址渁 middle-of-the-road alternative for local voters.

B次元官网网址淚 don't believe itB次元官网网址檚 in the best interest of British Columbians to have a two-party system,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 will help to rebuild a middle-of-the-road party, whatever it ends up being called. ThatB次元官网网址檚 where my philosophy is situated in the political world.B次元官网网址�