Conservative MP Dan Albas will serve as Conservative leadership candidate Maxime Bernier’s campaign co-chair for British Columbia.

Albas, who represents Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola, will join co-chairs Robin Dhir and Sarah Weddell in his new role.

In a release issued Thursday morning, Albas said in order to beat Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2019, Conservatives need “an authentic leader who puts forward bold, Conservative ideas and defends them with passion and conviction.

“Ideas like respecting our Constitution and allowing true interprovincial free trade. Maxime Bernier has those ideas and will be the next Conservative Prime Minister.”

Albas joins several other MPs who have endorsed Bernier — Tony Clement, Jaxques Gourde, Tom Kmiec and Alex Nuttall — as well as Senators Nicole Eaton, Lynne Beyak and Stephen Greene.