The abandonment of MLAs from the governing B.C. Liberal Party continued this past week, capped by Transportation Minister Blair Lekstrom’s surprise announcement late Tuesday.
That came merely hours before Premier Christy Clark was going to name her new cabinet and followed Joan McIntyre and Rob Howard, who earlier in the day let it be known that they also will not be running in next May’s provincial election.
That brings now the total to 13 Liberal MLAs – including senior cabinet minsters – who will be leaving politics rather than run the risk of losing their seats in a vote, or sit as a member of the official opposition. That doesn’t include the three others who quit and one who defected to the upstart Conservatives.
Talk about a sinking ship.
How much more water can the premier take on?
Her party, according to the latest Ipsos-Reid poll, trails the New Democrats by 20 percentage points.
Her new cabinet has only 16 ministers.
Her predecessor, Gordon Campbell, before resigning, had a cabinet that featured 23 ministers.
Can Clark right the ship?
Not with everybody jumping off, nine months before an election.
All these departures just call into question the government’s ability to function; why so many resignations?
Clark can say it’s a time for opportunity or renewal, but, really, what kind of candidates will the party be able to attract now?
This coming election is starting to look a lot like the one in 2001, when the governing NDP was left with only two elected members.
Clark’s failing has been her inability to unite the centre-right with the B.C. Conservatives, and her cohorts know it. She seems to be the leader of the Liberal party in name only.
Clark can stay and fight to the end, but for the good of the party, the time for a change has arrived.
More than a change in name is required.
– Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News