Clark not ready to concede
Liberal premier plans to recall legislature, try to continue governing
Faced with the almost certain prospect of being chased from office by an NDP-Green coalition, Liberal Premier Christy Clark said Tuesday she won’t hand over power before recalling the legislature to see if she can get support to continue governing.
“What’s most important is this basic principle, that if there is going to be a transfer of power in this province — and it certainly seems like there will be — it shouldn’t be done behind closed doors,” she told a news conference in Vancouver.
“Should the government fail the test of confidence in the house, as seems likely, I would be given the job of leader of the Opposition. And I’m more than ready and willing to take that job on.”
Clark was speaking for the first time since the NDP and Greens announced a deal on Monday to topple the Liberals from power after no party won a majority of seats in the May 9 provincial election. She said she plans to bring the house back in June and made the decision to test the will of the legislature after consulting constitutional experts.
Penticton Liberal MLA-elect Dan Ashton declined to weigh in Tuesday on whether Clark should resign as premier and party leader.
“That would be a decision of the premier,” said Ashton.
“I have a lot of respect for Christy Clark. She’s an incredibly hard-working leader. Leaders are not popular at all times, that’s a tough position to be in, but that’s absolutely a decision of herself and not a decision of somebody like myself.”
Ashton also said he was surprised Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver agreed to prop up the NDP.
“Mr. Weaver is not a Green, he’s an NDPer now, and I’m not so sure that’s what the Green (supporters) voted for,” said Ashton.
“I would have thought that Mr. Weaver would have remained independent and voted with his heart and his conscience on issues of importance for the Green Party. To me, I’m kind of scratching my head on this alliance they have formed.”
Ashton maintained he looks forward to getting down to the business of government and will keep delivering for constituents, regardless of whether the Liberals are in power or not.
“I’m not that political, and I’ve long said that it’s overdue that all forms of government — whether you’re municipal, regional, provincial or federal — work together for the citizens you represent,” Ashton said.
“In my tenure (as MLA) the government was very fair to all citizens of British Columbia, and I would hope that if there is a new government in British Columbia, that it’s very fair to all citizens of British Columbia.”
The Liberals have been in power for 16 years. They took 43 seats in the election, one short of a majority, compared to 41 for the NDP and three for the Greens, who, for the first time in Canadian history, hold the balance of power.
Terms of the Green-NDP pact released Tuesday indicate the parties will stage a referendum next year in conjunction with civic elections to gauge support for bringing in a proportional representation electoral system, and ban corporate and union donations to political parties, as well as contributions from non-residents.
Additionally, the parties will phase out MSP premiums, increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour, work to stop expansion of Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline and refer the Site C hydroelectric dam to the B.C. Utilities Commission to determine its economic viability.