Clark vows to fight on as ability to govern dissipates
Christy Clark refused to resign from her job as B.C. premier on Tuesday, opting instead for a showdown on the floor of the legislature.
The decision, which she framed as being true to constitutional conventions, comes a day after NDP Leader John Horgan and Green Leader Andrew Weaver reached a power-sharing agreement to form a government.
“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. It should happen in public … it should happen in the people’s house with 87 members elected by British Columbians to our legislature making that decision,” Clark told reporters at the premier’s office at Canada Place in downtown Vancouver.
Clark’s Liberals won 43 seats in the May 9 election, but together the Greens and NDP have 44. If Clark can’t win the confidence of the legislature — which she said she plans to attempt next month — she would be expected to resign. She would not ask the lieutenantgovernor for another election, she said.
Experts say the decision not to resign gives Clark a shot at setting the narrative or even a chance to save her government.
But it is not the most dignified move and as political scientist Norman Ruff put it, it could earn her “an unkind footnote in history.”
While Clark saves face by “not just rolling over,” there is an indignity to being defeated on the floor of the house and, because it rarely happens, it will be remembered, said Ruff, an associate professor emeritus of political science at the University of Victoria.
David Moscrop, a political scientist with Simon Fraser University, had a couple of ideas why Clark would not resign even though that would be “the most dignified way to go.”
The most likely reason is that it would force the NDP and Green members to vote down something she could offer British Columbians, he said.
When Clark returns to the house, “she can go to the people and say here’s a throne speech, there’s a budget, and here’s all these lovely things we’re going to give to you (from) we, the magnanimous government of B.C.,” Moscrop said.
And as soon as that government is defeated, she can say: “Look at what these guys went and did. They ruined the whole thing for everybody.”
Clark may also be hoping that she can persuade someone to cross the floor or that the agreement between the other parties breaks down, he said.
Andrew Heard, a political science professor at SFU, said he was puzzled by Clark’s characterization of staying on as “a duty.”
“I have not once come across anyone who has said that an incumbent premier has a duty to stay on and meet the house when they have lost a majority. It is just patent nonsense, and misleading nonsense at that,” Heard said, adding Clark “should step aside with grace and respect for the democratic process.”
Weaver said he hoped Clark would bring the legislature back in a timely manner and Horgan took a similar view.
“We’re anxious to get going. We’re anxious to start that transition,” Horgan said.
Clark said if she failed the test of confidence she would be ready and willing to take on the job of leader of the Opposition.
Andrew Wilkinson, the Liberal MLA for Vancouver-Quilchena and the minister for advanced education, said after Clark told the caucus she intended to stay on there was full support for her leadership, including if she wants to serve as Opposition leader.
“Caucus fully supports her,” he said.
“I’m not aware of any dissent. People are feeling very positive about our prospects.”