Doug Clovechok, the MLA for Columbia River Revelstoke, elected to his first term in last spring’s election, says sometimes politics just leaves you shaking your head.
And there has certainly been plenty to shake your head at since his election, including non-confidence votes and a Green/NDP coalition that changed Clovechok’s role from government MLA to member of the Opposition.
But the latest move by Abbotsford South MLA Darryl Plecas (BC Liberal) to put his name forward as Speaker of the Legislature — effectively giving much more stability to the ruling NDP since they did not have to put their own member forward — has Clovechok surprised.
He says that the BC Liberal caucus knew that Mr. Plecas was unhappy, but he had assured them that he would not put his name forward as Speaker.
“There was an indication he was unhappy,” Clovechok said. “We all talked to him, we knew he was frustrated. But up to Thursday last week there was no indication he was going to put his name forward. He was supposed to meet with Rich Coleman (BC Liberal Interim Leader) on Friday morning and didn’t show. He had said several times that putting his name forward for speaker would be dishonourable. It’s profoundly disappointing.
“At it’s very best, politics has to be built on trust. The constituents of Columbia River Revelstoke have to know they can trust their MLA. It’s so disappointing to see a member let his constituents down the way Mr. Plecas did. I would never let my constituents down like that.”
The issue, Clovechok says, is that the movers of Abbotsford South voted for a BC Liberal.
“A lot of people in his constituency are angry. The Party withdrew his membership on the request of his own riding association.”
As it stands now, with one former BC Liberal as Speaker, the opposition now has 41 seats in the Legislature. They had 43 seats on election day, which was a very slim minority government. However, the coalition of the NDP with 41 seats and the Greens with three brought down the government.
The BC Liberals can add one seat to their total when the by-election for Christy Clark’s in West Kelowna is held, should they win it. Clovechok is confident that the BC Liberal candidate, Ben Stewart, will win that seat.
No date has yet been set for that by-election.
“John Horgan has six months to call that by-election,” Clovechok said. “I hope he doesn’t play politics with the people of West Kelowna. They need an MLA.”