Meet the provincial candidates for Prince George-North Cariboo MLA

It’s the final week of the Provincial Election.

My Cariboo Now reached out to the three candidates for the Prince George-North Cariboo riding, asking each why they are running and their platforms they would fight for in the region if they were to get elected.

We asked them five questions, which were the following:

1. Can you provide a brief bio of yourself?
2. Why are you running for MLA, and what makes you the best candidate for the position?
3. What are the most important issues in the riding, and how do you plan to address them?
4. What opportunities are available to diversify the economy in Northern BC?
5. Are there any final thoughts on any topic that you would like to share?

Each of the candidates took time to respond. Their answers are listed in alphabetical order by last name.

Denise Bardua

1.  I work in Aboriginal Education with SD 28 and live with my family in Bouchie Lake. My partner and I are raising our teenage grandson. I have worked for SD 28 for over 20 years and served as President of CUPE 4990 for over 10 years. These experiences strengthened my belief that leadership means listening, bringing people together, advocating for workers and families, and standing up for fairness.
2. I am running as the BC NDP candidate for PG-North Cariboo because Northern BC deserves a strong voice in Victoria. We need accessible healthcare, good-paying jobs, a strong forestry sector, quality education, and real support for northern and rural families.
3. Working in education, I have seen the importance of supporting students and staff, respecting Indigenous cultures, and making sure every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
4. We need to create more local employment and reduce reliance on traditional U.S. export markets. Our proposed $120 million forestry jobs protection fund over two years will support mills at risk of closing, their workers, and affected communities. We need new markets for northern products. The expansion of the Port of Prince Rupert offers the opportunity to connect northern BC businesses and workers with international markets, with real benefits for our communities.
5. I believe in people, fairness, and the future of our communities. I want to bring my experience in education, labour advocacy, and family life to the work of building a stronger northern BC where our children and grandchildren can thrive, and where families can afford to live, work, and build their futures!

Sheldon Clare (Incumbent)

1. I am a lifelong Prince George resident, father of two daughters, and educator who has taught at the College of New Caledonia since 1993. I hold a bachelor’s degree in international relations from UBC and a master’s degree in military history from Norwich University, graduating cum laude.
   My background includes service as a reserve officer teaching cadets and as president of Canada’s National Firearms Association.
   First elected MLA for Prince George–North Cariboo in 2024, I have served as Conservative Caucus House Leader, critic for Environment, Parks, Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, and Deputy Whip.
   My work has focused on roads, health care, resource employment, public safety, and government accountability. I also introduced Bill M237, the Insurance (Vehicle) Amendment Act, 2026, inspired by a constituent seeking fair treatment following a catastrophic vehicle injury.
   I believe in working hard, speaking plainly, and putting the people and communities of Prince George–North Cariboo first.
2. I am running to finish important work already underway and help deliver the BC Conservative priorities of affordability, safer communities, better health care, and economic growth.
   Since 2024, I have pressed for action on Quesnel–Hixon and Durrell Roads, the North–South Interconnector, regional hospital services, and long-term care. I have advocated for resource workers facing curtailments and industry struggling with permitting delays. I have also championed residents and businesses repeatedly bearing the costs of vandalism, fires, and street disorder.
   My legislative and caucus responsibilities have given me experience challenging government decisions and advancing constituents’ concerns. My private member’s bill demonstrates how listening to one constituent can lead to proposed provincial reform.
   I bring lifelong northern roots, established working relationships, and a record of persistent advocacy. This snap election interrupted our work, but it did not resolve these problems. I am asking voters to return me to the Legislature so I can continue solving problems as part of a Conservative government. In opposition, I will continue pursuing answers, demanding accountability, and seeking results.
3. Affordability, health care, public safety, reliable roads, and secure employment are my priorities.
   I support the Conservative proposal to raise the provincial basic personal exemption to $32,000, delivering income-tax savings of up to $1,000 annually per working person, depending on taxable income.
   I will continue advocating for GR Baker Memorial Hospital, Cariboo Memorial Hospital, and the University Hospital of Northern British Columbia, improved long-term care, and services suited to northern and rural communities. Our platform supports recruiting and more educational opportunities for health professionals, and keeping emergency rooms open.
   Residents and businesses need relief from vandalism and disorder. I support stronger rural policing, greater prosecution capacity, expanded psychiatric services, and addiction treatment, including mandatory care where necessary.
   I will keep demanding decisions and timelines on Quesnel–Hixon Road, Durrell Road, slide-damaged routes, and the North–South Interconnector, as well as improved road maintenance.
   For employment, I support predictable permitting and policies encouraging investment in forestry, mining, and local businesses.
4. Northern BC can diversify through value-added forestry, mineral processing, energy development, post-secondary education, manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, and technology.
   We should encourage more finished wood products and resource processing here, alongside businesses that manufacture, maintain, and supply industrial equipment. Tourism can grow through outdoor recreation, heritage attractions, and partnerships with First Nations.
   Our Conservative platform would remove PST on machinery, equipment, and business software for three years, reduce unnecessary regulation, and accelerate major-project approvals while maintaining environmental standards. These measures can help employers modernize and attract new investment.
   I have also advocated for protecting transportation and rail infrastructure. Preserving these connections supports existing employers and keeps future economic opportunities available.
   Our energy plan emphasizes First Nations partnerships and ownership. Expanded apprenticeships, dual-credit programs, and paid work experience can help northern residents benefit from development.
   My goal is more local processing, more employers, and more opportunities for young people to build their lives here.
5. In 2024, I asked for your trust with a simple commitment: I would work hard, speak plainly, and put Prince George–North Cariboo first. That remains my commitment.
   My office has worked with constituents, local governments, First Nations, community organizations, and businesses to resolve problems and hold provincial ministries accountable. I value those relationships and want to continue building on them.
   I support our Conservative commitments to affordability, public safety, economic opportunity, and protecting private property rights. I also believe practical reconciliation should create lasting opportunities through employment, partnerships, and First Nations ownership.
   This election has interrupted important work. Our roads still need attention, our hospitals need support, and our resource communities need strong representation. Families and businesses need action on affordability and public safety.
   Regardless of how someone votes, they deserve respectful, accessible representation. I am asking for your support to continue the work we began together and deliver results for our communities.

Randy Thompson

1. Randy Thompson grew up in Richmond, BC. He went from high school to cooking school and spent years chef-ing around the province.
   He always had a job with his family’s construction company but explored other possibilities. He worked in Radio broadcasting as an announcer for years and later in film and television, doing acting and background.
   His love of garlic got him growing it 30 years ago, and he hasn’t stopped farming it since. He wanted to develop a value-added product and created a line of honey garlic hot sauces and seasonings over 26 years ago. His family farm is Oddball Garlic Company.
   He’s written 2 self-help books, which led him to be involved in indigenous culture and spirituality through meeting Phil L’Hirondelle. Phil owned “All my Relations” bookstore on Granville Island in Vancouver. Through understanding indigenous culture, Randy realized the deep respect he has always had for nature is the core teaching of indigenous peoples.
   Moving to Quesnel, BC, 20 years ago to continue farming garlic and expand his business, Randy was met with weather issues and crop failures. This led to him getting his Class 1 license and driving a truck for Arrow Transport for 10 years
   His deep respect for nature made driving a truck in the forestry industry difficult, but his family needed him to take care of them.
   Ironically, that experience gave Randy a unique perspective into the workings of the forestry industry, having travelled to mills from Houston to Chasm.
   He eventually got a full-time job with the City of Quesnel, where he is today.
   Randy and his wife Patti can be seen at many events in the Prince George Cariboo region, selling their products.
   Randy ran in the 2024 election for the BC Green Party in the Prince George North Cariboo riding. Before that, he was on the provincial council for the BC Green Party for 2 years. Randy and his family are working on expanding their garlic production and growing other vegetables as well.
   Farming issues are obviously important to Randy, and he will work to help farmers and communities produce locally grown crops more efficiently for a more sustainable future.

2. I’m running as an MLA in Prince George-North Cariboo because we need to change the direction this province is headed in. Not radically, just shift the importance to the citizens and our beautiful province and away from corporate interests.
   For too long, the needs of business have steered the province’s actions. The citizens have been left behind. There will be jobs. There will be a strong economy. Let’s stop fear-mongering that the Greens want to shut everything down. Not true at all. I want to be a part of getting this province on track for a better future for all of us.

3. The most important issues in this riding are obviously forestry first of all. It has been the main employer for most of BC’s history. The problem is things have changed. The massive old growth forests have been mostly turned into tree farms. Second- and third-generation forests are what most of BC is now.
   We believe the last old growth forests are worth protecting, but forestry doesn’t have to disappear. You can strategically harvest value from forests without destroying them and then develop value-added industries to create products instead of just shipping out our forests in bulk. There is a forestry plan that needs to be taken seriously if we want to turn this around and become truly sustainable. Again that means taking control away from corporations and develop a more intelligent compassion approach. There WILL BE jobs.
   Mental health and health care are something most people see as needing attention. I’ve always advocated for regional health centres, and I’m pleased Emily Lowan has brought them up specifically. Think of them as large walk-in clinics fully staffed with multiple levels of expertise. They could take the pressure off emergency rooms and give people with no family doctor a place to go. Personally, my family and I have not had a doctor for several years now. We have been assigned a nurse practitioner this year, and it helps; using the ER as your doctor doesn’t help the system.
4. Some economic opportunities for Northern BC are again value-adding our resources. Being a bulk commodity supplier might be great for other countries, but it’s not good for our economy. If we re-examine our resources and look at how we can add value by refining, processing, reworking, or building products out of raw materials, we not only add value but we also create jobs and business models that create opportunities. That’s the other thing Northern BC has: people. Encourage the entrepreneurial spirit to develop new ideas, products, and services. Remove some bureaucracy to allow the free-thinking spirit of people to be developed. Instead of forcing them to fit into a box, allow them the opportunity to make their own box.
5. This is a completely different election than in 2024. The world is in a different place. Canada is in a different place. The billionaire class has had the sheets pulled off, and more people see reality for what it really is. We have to make changes.
   Imagine if the people in this riding, a traditional forestry riding, elected a BC Green MLA to represent them in government To represent them, not industry, not corporations, not billionaires-Them. Imagine the shift in mindset that would cause in the rest of BC.
   I get the questions and comments all the time. How are you going to solve the crime problem? What about homelessness? And drugs? And housing? And taxes and on and on.
   The BC Greens will use a compassionate, fact-based, and researched approach to determine the most effective and appropriate response to the problems of today. But I’ll be honest (rare in politics, I know): the BC Greens don’t have a magic wand that can solve all the problems that the rest of humanity hasn’t been able to solve either.

   Being human is a tough gig. We are hard on each other. But the BC Greens want to help make it a little bit easier for all of us.

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My Cariboo Now thanks all of the candidates for taking the time to answer the questionnaire.

General Voting Day for the Provincial Election is on Saturday, Oct. 24.