“The fight for free enterprise starts tonight.”

That was the rallying cry from Mike DeJong as he accepted the Liberal nomination for the Abbotsford West riding.

Dejong, who is gunning for his sixth consecutive term, says an NDP government is a threat to free enterprise.

We know on the basis of two experiments that when the NDP comes to power the energy sector and the mining sector disappears in British Columbia. That’s not a theory, that’s not speculation on our part, we know that happens. That’s not a free enterprise solution. We know on the strength of two misguided experiments that when the NDP comes to power that your taxes are going up.

DeJong says he’s not critical of those MLA’s who have chosen to step away from politics to do other things, but says he wants to run again because he is proud of his government’s record.

Premier Christy Clark was in town for the event.

She says with new nominees running in the other two Abbotsford ridings, plus new nominees in Chilliwack, it’s good to have an experienced voice.

“It is great to have new faces and fresh eyes come to the table, but you want to balance that with experience. With people who have a history in government, understand how it works, and that’s Mike DeJong.”

Clark praised Dejong for his work in different areas, including bringing funding to Abbotsford for the airport expansion and the new hospital.