Tory MP Dianne Watts, a former mayor of the City of Surrey, will officially declare her intention to seek the leadership of the BC Liberal Party this weekend, kicking off what is expected to be a series of announcements that will include a statement from the province's former finance minister.

Ms. Watts has scheduled a Sunday news conference in Surrey, at which a campaign source confirmed she will launch her bid for the leadership. The party dominated politics in the province for 16 years until voters gave it only a minority in the spring election. The Liberals, who will choose their new leader next February, lost a non-confidence vote to the combined forces of the NDP and the Greens, allowing the NDP to take control.

Mike de Jong, who was finance minister for about five years, until July, and who ran against former leader Christy Clark for the leadership in 2010, said on Wednesday he will soon clarify his intentions. He placed fourth in the previous race.

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"I am continuing to consider the numerous requests and submissions and encouragement and will have more to say next week," he said.

In British Columbia, the provincial Liberals, who have no formal connection to the federal party, are an alliance of federal Tories and federal Liberals that has been called the "free-enterprise coalition" in opposition to the NDP. They won power in 2001.

Also on Wednesday, the party announced that the first of six leadership debates will be held on Oct. 15 in Surrey, where Ms. Watts was mayor from 2005 until 2014.

The party has set a campaign spending limit of $600,000. The entry fee will be $50,000.

Ms. Watts, 57, would be an outsider in a race expected to feature several former cabinet ministers and MLAs who served under Ms. Clark.

Former cabinet ministers Todd Stone, Mike Bernier and Andrew Wilkinson have all indicated they are considering leadership bids, along with MLA Sam Sullivan, a former Vancouver mayor, and rookie MLA Mike Lee.

When former premier Gordon Campbell announced his departure in 2010, Ms. Watts considered a leadership bid, but ruled it out, citing family reasons.

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On Wednesday, Mr. de Jong said Ms. Watts will have to explain why she was not outspoken in her support for the Liberals in the recent election campaign.

Mr. de Jong noted Surrey was a key political battleground for the BC Liberals and he expects Ms. Watts will be asked why she did not join other B.C. Tory MPs in offering support to the provincial Liberals. The party lost three seats in Surrey.

"She will be confronted by that issue," Mr. de Jong said in an interview. "Presumably if she did offer support, she will offer evidence of that."

Still, Mr. de Jong said Ms. Watts's interest in the job is good for the BC Liberals.

"Contests require contestants. To that extent, having an individual who has been elected locally and in the federal parliament is a good sign of the strength of the party and the organization. We'll see what she has to say and how she believes she can provide the leadership to re-energize the free-enterprise coalition."

Mr. de Jong was first elected to the legislature in 1994, representing an Abbotsford riding. The lawyer and former school trustee has held several cabinet posts including health, attorney-general, finance and labour. He also was a government house leader.

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As Surrey mayor, Ms. Watts presided over a development boom in which the city southeast of Vancouver began work on a new downtown that includes a sleek city hall complex.

She won the mayoralty as an independent candidate, but, in 2008, created a slate called Surrey First that continues to govern Surrey under Ms. Watts's successor as mayor, Linda Hepner.

Ms. Watts announced she would enter federal politics and won the riding of South Surrey-White Rock in the 2015 national election. In August, federal Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer named her critic for employment, work force development and labour.