Dan Brooks announces candidacy for Leader of the BC Conservatives ... Campaign will emphasize issues in Interior, North and Rural B.C.

Dan Brooks steps forward as first candidate
to lead BC Conservative Party

KAMLOOPS, B.C. - SEPT. 12, 2013 - Dan Brooks today announced his candidacy to become the new Leader of the BC Conservative Party.

"I am proud to declare that I am seeking to win election as the Leader of the BC Conservatives," said Brooks.

"I was born in B.C.'s North, I am raising my family in rural British Columbia, and I make my living off our bountiful natural resources. For too long, however, the people living in our province's Interior, North and Rural regions have been neglected, ignored by the decision-makers in Victoria.

"My campaign will focus on developing and being a strong voice for those British Columbians who believe that their interests are not being heard or represented in the corridors of power."

Brooks was born in Vanderhoof, B.C. and he later graduated from the University of Waterloo with a B.A. in Classical (Greek and Roman) Studies.

He returned to the North and in 1995 to operate a family business, Crystal Lake Resort Ltd., located north of the Chilcotin region and south of the Nechako River.

In the May 2013 provincial general election, Brooks was the BC Conservative candidate in the riding of Nechako Lakes. He obtained 12.6 per cent of the popular vote, ranking him fifth out of 56 Conservative candidates who contested the election.

Brooks also announced that his campaign office will be located in Kamloops.

"I believe BC Conservative members living in the Interior, North and Rural parts of the province will decide the next Leader of our party," said Brooks. "And Kamloops is ideally situated as a centralized location from which to run my leadership campaign."

 

BACKGROUNDER

Dan Brooks was born in Vanderhoof in 1975, not long after his parents - Fred and Carolyn Brooks - had moved to British Columbia from Alberta, and bought Crystal Lake Resort, a hunting and fishing lodge located southwest of town.

When Dan was eight, Fred, Carolyn and their children moved back to Alberta to operate the family farm while Fred pursued various businesses across BC and Alberta. The Brooks family would return each summer to Vanderhoof and in 1994 Dan began working at Crystal Lake as a guide.

After he turned 21, Dan decided that he wanted to make his home in northern British Columbia. He married an Alberta girl, Ellen Smith, in 1998 and together they raised their family at Crystal Lake.

Before taking up residence in northern B.C., Dan attended the University of Alberta in Edmonton. He initially enrolled in the Mathematical Science (Honours) program, but later transferred into the Classical Studies (Honours) program offered by the University of Waterloo.

Dan subsequently studied at the University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George to obtain the final credits towards his degree. He took courses in history and tourism management, among others, and in 2005 graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classical Studies (Greek and Roman).

Dan also made the Dean's Honours List at the University of Waterloo. By that time he had been the sole owner-operator of Crystal Lake Resort Ltd. for about six years. The seasonal nature of Crystal Lake Resort allowed Dan the flexibility to pursue other small business ventures in construction management, logging, and innovative wood manufacturing, as well as volunteering in his church and community.

From his earliest days working in the back-country, Dan was actively involved in land-use planning. A tireless advocate for tourism values in forest management, his accomplishments include helping to develop both the Vanderhoof Land and Resource Management Plan, and the Vanderhoof Sustainable Forest Management Plan.

In 2005, Dan organized local tourism companies and operators into a body called the Upper Nechako Wilderness Council. Since then, under Dan's leadership the UNWC has been instrumental in promoting tourism and ensuring that industry values were incorporated in land use decision through such things as the Visual Landscape Inventory, the Access Management Plan, Lakeshore Management, and Biodiversity.

A little over a year ago, while working in the back-country, Dan suffered a serious injury. The resulting surgery, months of complications followed by intensive physiotherapy gave Dan considerable time to contemplate his future - as well as that of his family and his native province, British Columbia - and to ponder the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead.

He made two important decisions. The first was expand his business to include marketing and consulting services to both the domestic tourism industry and to international clients.

While Dan remains the sole owner of Crystal Lakes Resort Ltd., an experienced guide has been retained to work directly with clients in the back-country. Dan, meanwhile, will focus his efforts on consulting and business development.

The second decision was to devote more of his time to public service. A few years ago, Dan became active with the BC Conservative Party, volunteering as a regional organizer and sitting on the party's board of directors. After his injury, he decided to offer himself, his passion and ideas to northern voters.

In early 2013, Dan announced his candidacy for the BC Conservative nomination in the Nechako Lakes electoral district. Later, he was acclaimed as the one of the party's candidates for British Columbia's 40th provincial general election.

Although not victorious, Dan received 12.6 per cent of the popular vote. That result placed him fifth among the 56 BC Conservatives who ran under the party's banner in May.

Dan again had time to reflect following the election. He now decided to dedicate himself to promoting fiscal responsibility and accountability in the provincial government, to advocating for residents living in northern and rural British Columbia, and to empowering everyday British Columbians by decentralizing decision-making.

On September 12, 2013, Dan announced his candidacy for the leadership of the BC Conservative Party.

Ellen and Dan Brooks have seven daughters who range in age from five to 14 years old. Their eldest is a First Nations niece of whom they have had guardianship since she was three.

Dan is devoted to his family and exceptionally proud of his children.