Who says things don’t change? Our fair province now has a young woman with a sparkling-personality in its highest elected office – except she wasn’t elected to the office, at least not by you and me. Only BC Liberal Party members were allowed to elect her.
But that’s okay, its how the system works. It’s only temporary as our governing party transitions from one leader to the next. Christy Clark will run for a seat in a byelection...soon. There, you see, no need to worry about democracy in our province.
Besides a bubbly personality, our new leader also advocates a cheerful, family-first philosophy which, coming from a right-wing party, you know is just window-dressing. Families of corporate executives perhaps. Although Clark, a working mother (not single, but working, like many of you) doesn’t come from that class in our society. So she’ll be there ensuring legislation that benefits families rules the day. Bet on it.
How long do you think it will be before that priority is abandoned in favour of the Liberal Party’s usual financial backers?
And when – when? – is the BC Liberal Party going to change their name to reflect their true political stripes? Probably never, right? It’s one of my biggest gripes about B.C. politics – the Liberal Party that is anything but liberal.
But they’ve got a woman at their helm for the second time. Christie Clark is no Rita Johnson, though; presiding over a party in shambles, discredited and unpopular. Well, okay Clark is in charge of a party in shambles, discredited and unpopular but, luckily, she’s facing an opposition in shambles, discredited and unpopular.
Oh, what a province we live in. Why can’t we be in Alberta where we have a choice between the Conservatives and, well, nothing else. Who needs a choice? It just complicates things.
Here we can choose between Mrs. Christy’s family-baked policy cookies and the Backstabbers.
Yes, the Et Tu Brute? Party has transitioned nice and orderly from its previous leader, a nice woman who seemed to me to have all the electable attributes you’d want: an admirable personal journey, well-spoken and professional. But no that’s not good enough for a pack of dissidents. What do they want? The bald eagle Mike Farnworth? That’s what they’re going to get if polls are anything to go by. He’s apparently the front runner in the NDP leadership race, ahead of Adrian Dix who gives copy editors the cold sweats and inflames the right.
If the NDP dissidents – which included our very own MLA Clare Trevena – wanted somebody more dynamic than Carole James, it doesn’t look like they’re going to get it. Although Mike wants B.C. to get tough with Ottawa. No perennial West Coast doormat, he promises. Fightin’ Farnworth. How can you refuse that?
Alistair Taylor is editor of the Campbell River Mirror.