Rich Coleman, B.C. MLA and former cabinet minister, announces he won't seek re-election

Long-standing British Columbia politician Rich Coleman, Liberal MLA for Langley East, has announced he won't run again in the next provincial election, slated for 2021.

Coleman wrote on Facebook that he chose Feb. 29 to announce the decision because it marks 24 years since his original nomination as a candidate.

"There is still some work left to do this term," said Coleman.

Coleman, 64, has been in provincial politics for 24 years and has served for six terms in the Legislative Assembly. He has led several ministries during that time, including: Housing, Energy and Mines, and Public Safety. 

Most recently, he served as his Liberal Party's interim leader of the Official Opposition after former premier Christy Clark resigned. 

In a written statement, B.C. Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson thanked Coleman, saying he was "instrumental'' in the accomplishments of successive Liberal governments.

"Rich has also been an articulate and consistent voice for the unity of our free enterprise coalition — always stepping up to support his B.C. Liberal colleagues through numerous campaigns," Wilkinson said. 

While Coleman was solicitor general, he said the B.C. Liberals did "everything we could" to crack down on money laundering in the province — a statement B.C. Attorney General David Eby quoted in a recent letter to Wilkinson.

Eby has requested that Coleman, along with Clark and former Liberal finance minister Mike de Jong, testify as part of province's money laundering inquiry.