CLARK VOWS TO STAY ON
Premier’s Libs survive confidence vote
VICTORIA — Premier Christy Clark led her government through a crucial confidence vote Tuesday and pledged she’ll stay on the job no matter what’s uncovered in a probe into an ethnic-vote scandal.
The government picked up the support of two independent MLAs and sailed through a budget vote, 45 to 38.
The premier rallied all but one of her MLAs — backbencher Kash Heed was away on a personal matter — despite being rocked by a scandal that has raised questions within her party about her future as leader.
“It’s been a difficult couple of days for our caucus, but in passing the budget today, I think what we demonstrated is we’re staying focused on our goals and our agenda,” Clark said.
The vote was largely a procedural win — the budget won’t technically pass before the May 14 election.
However, it was also a test of Clark’s ability to unify her slim majority on a confidence vote that could have brought down her government.
Clark’s deputy minister John Dyble launched an internal probe last week into the ethnic-outreach scandal in the wake of leaked documents that appear to show officials in the Premier’s Office, government caucus, ministries and Liberal Party working together, and using taxpayer resources, to encourage voters in ethnic communities to support the party.
It’s against provincial rules to conduct work for a political party on taxpayer time or use government resources.
Multiculturalism Minister John Yap and the premier’s deputy chief of staff, Kim Haakstad, have both resigned as a result of the plan becoming public.
Clark had appeared to leave the door open to her own departure on Monday.
But in an editorial board meeting with the Victoria Times Colonist on Tuesday, she was asked if there’s any possible way the Dyble report could cause her to resign.
“No,” she said. “I never saw (the ethnic plan). I never directed it. And I’m here to make sure we are accountable for it, nonetheless, because it was created by people in our government.”
Clark also ruled out further discipline against other staffers until the probe is complete. Pamela Martin, a former TV anchor and current director of outreach in the Premier’s Office, is mentioned repeatedly in the plan documents.
“Kim Haakstad was the senior person involved in it, so it was appropriate that she resign,” Clark said.
“But lots of people have their names on lots of emails, (and) that doesn’t suggest how deeply they were involved in the creation of the document. So we don’t have the answer to those questions yet ... and I’ve said when we get the answers, if it requires more action, I’ll take it.”