Clark and company accused of trying to stall confidence vote
VICTORIA (CP) — British Columbia’s Liberal government is being accused of stalling on its expected defeat in the legislature by seeking procedural advice from the Speaker before a confidence vote.
Liberal house leader Mike de Jong sent a four-page letter to Speaker Steve Thomson on Tuesday hoping for clarification on voting issues for the legislature’s 87 members to consider before the confidence vote, which is expected on Thursday.
He asked if the Speaker will be called to cast a deciding vote when the legislature is tied, citing examples where the Speaker doesn’t always cast a vote to break a tie but sometimes calls for the sides to debate the issue further.
He has also asked whether the Speaker would participate in committee debates, adding he believes the rules state the Speaker does not take part and never votes in the committee process.
But NDP Leader John Horgan said the letter represents a “final desperate attempt to throw British Columbians into another election.”
Green party Leader Andrew Weaver accused the Liberals and Premier Christy Clark of trying to hold onto power seven weeks after the election that left them with a minority government.
“The premier has been clear that she wants to follow procedure and test confidence of the house,” he said in a statement. “She has now had more than six weeks to do so and yet continues to delay.”
Th e premier has been clear that she wants to follow procedure and test confidence of the house. She has now had more than six weeks to do so and yet continues to delay. Green Party leader Andrew Weaver
De Jong’s letter says that providing legislature members with the rules and conventions governing the Speaker and the functions of the job will be helpful in light of the fact no party holds a majority in the house.
“I believe it would be helpful for all members of our house to receive a definitive statement from our Speaker confirming the rules and conventions that would guide the Speaker in these scenarios that are by no means speculative, given the present alignment of the house,” he added.
Later on Tuesday, NDP house leader Mike Farnworth delivered a letter to the Speaker, saying de Jong’s letter asks him to pre-empt the deliberations of Lt.-Gov. Judith Guichon, who must decide whether to call an election or ask the NDP to form a minority government after Thursday’s confidence vote.
“The advice (de Jong) has requested from you to be delivered to the entire legislature would be in excess of your jurisdiction, would displace the constitutionally protected role of the lieutenant governor, and would risk bringing the office of Speaker into disrepute as well,” the letter says.
The Liberals won 43 seats in last month’s election, but the NDP with 41 seats and the Greens with three seats have an agreement to defeat them and attempt to form an NDP minority government.