Long-time Burnaby city councillor Nick Volkow has confirmed that he would “love” to run against Richard Lee, the incumbent B.C. Liberal MLA for Burnaby North, in the next provincial election.

“As a matter of fact, I will confirm that I have been approached, and if it was available I would love to run against Richard T. Lee,” Volkow told the Straight by phone. “I’ll give you another one. Our federal member of Parliament, Bill Siksay, has just announced that he is not going to seek reelection [in Burnaby-Douglas]. So I have indicated to people that I would be interested in seeking that one.”

Volkow, a truck driver for Safeway who has roots in East Vancouver, was elected to council in 1996 on the Burnaby Citizens Association slate. He said he is on leave from his driving job to focus on his council duties but is excited by the prospect of a jump to the provincial or federal stage.

Volkow characterized Lee as “invisible” in Victoria, and said he has a desire to “raise a little hell in Ottawa” based on the issues that interest him federally, including pensions, planned reforms to the Canada Health Act, and the war in Afghanistan.

“I see no purpose in us being there [Afghanistan]—and it gets confirmed every day in my mind—other than ceding to the American request to try to build a coalition of the willing,” Volkow said.

Siksay told the Straight by phone he will not endorse anyone as his replacement for the next federal election.

Speaking by phone from his Burnaby office, Lee told the Straight he has not decided whether he will run again provincially, but added, “I think if I get the support, I will continue.”

Responding to Volkow’s criticism, Lee said, “I may not make a lot of noise, but I’m serving the community well. If you look at my Twitter [feed], you know every day I have activities and I’m talking to people coming to my office.”