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By Pete McIntyre
11 years in office

‘That was a big deal:’ Foster looks back on his time as MLA

Nov 22, 2020 | 8:00 AM

The first thing that comes to mind when Eric Foster is asked to consider his legacy as the MLA for Vernon-Monashee is the buildings.

Foster ended his 11 year, three-term, run as MLA for the B.C. Liberals last month after a 424-vote loss to Harwinder Sandhu of the NDP in the Oct. 24th B.C. election

He was asked by Vernon Matters to reminisce about his main accomplishments while he was the riding’s representative in Victoria.

“There is certainly the buildings; the hospital tower, the top two floors of the hospital and all the work we did there; new pharmacies, an MRI machine. We’ve opened two new schools since I’ve been the MLA (Vernon Secondary and Coldstream Elementary). And those aren’t all completely mine, they’re B.C. Liberal initiatives. Tom Christensen [MLA from 2001-2009] started some of them, and I was in the seat when we got to cut the ribbons.”

Eric Foster and other officials celebrate the completion of the Polson Tower on Feb. 26, 2016 (file photo/Vernon Matters)
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Foster also hopes he’ll be remembered for trying to help the public with a variety of issues.

“I hope there is a legacy for openness with the public and the opportunity for people to come into the office when they needed help. During the campaign, there was some people that said I wasn’t available, but that’s just politics. We were always available, and I hope people will look back on the last 11-and a-half years and feel that I represented everyone and, whenever possible, we were able to help them.”

Eric Foster and former Premier Christy Clark at the B.C. Legislature in 2013 (file photo/BC Legislature)

Foster, a former mayor of Lumby and RDNO director before his jump to provincial politics, said while “everyday was a joy to get up” while he was MLA, one moment stands out.

“The day that we met up in the top two floors of the hospital in the shelled-in area [in 2014], and I got to make the announcement we were moving forward, was the best. That was a big deal. I worked awful hard to get that money, and [former Health Minister] Mike de Jong came to town and allowed me to make that announcement. As a single highlight, that might have been it.”

by Pete McIntyre
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