Gordon Campbell plans to hit the highway out of politics completely BC Premier Gordon Campbell says he will likely give up his seat as the MLA for Vancouver-Point Grey after a new BC Liberal leader is chosen by the party on February 26, 2011.
Campbell told the Globe and Mail newspaper's Rod Mickleburgh today that: "I think it’s very difficult to stay on in caucus, when you’ve been the leader for 17 years."
While Campbell was not completely definitive, it's clear he will not stick around after making statements like that.
His resignation would leave the new BC Liberal leader two options - call a by-election or leave the seat vacant until an early provincial election takes place. The by-election option would potentially give a non-MLA chosen premier and party leader the opportunity to gain a seat without calling a full election.
Can you spell "Christy Clark"?
Alternatively, the seat can be left open for up to 6 months after Campbell officially resigns, according to the BC Constitution Act.
Therefore the exact timing of Campbell's resignation is of critical importance to BC Liberal Party election planning.
Were Campbell to date his resignation effective March 1, 2011 - a few days after his successor is chosen - that would mean either a by-election or general election would have to be called by September 1, 2011.
Another factor is the sitting of the BC Legislature, which resumes on February 14, 2011.
Campbell will still be presiding as premier and should his successor not be an MLA - hello again Christy Clark - then the legislative session would have to continue with the new premier absent from all debates - and question period. This would be an unusual and unhealthy development for democracy, though the BC Liberals could appoint a deputy premier to answer questions in the House.
All in all, yet another unprecedented day in BC politics - the envy of North America for all political columnists, reporters and observers who can't believe how much there is here to write, broadcast and pontificate about!
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23 comments:
Gee, Gordie is not willing to properly fund schools, hospitals and public transit. Yet, he's willing to give "B.C.'s Palin" Clark a seat. Can he be this heartless and calculating?
Nah, I'm sure he just wants to have a nice retirement.
All in all, yet another unprecedented day in BC politics - the envy of North America for all political columnists, reporters and observers who can't believe how much there is here to write, broadcast and pontificate about!
Well, Bill, yes that's true....if only those political columnists, reporters and observers would actually write, broadcast and pontificate about it, or gave half a damn what goes on north of the 49th Parallel and west of the Rockies. To date, the only national columnists covering this have treated the Liberals with kid gloves, and continue to pass over BC Rail and the impending destruction of BC Hydro and the incredible corruption and double-dealing in government infrastructure contracts, and on how the RCMP refuse to do anything about it.
I'm still waiting for the WikiLeaks material on BC, I'm sure there will be some, particularly in the Energy category......then we might see some action in the US press, and the Canadian media actually having to cover it because it's become news in the US.....or perhaps the UK....
Go for it Christy - just remeber it is not a safe Lieberal seat (can you spell Mel ?)
Now we know who's the annointed one...
Well, at least, we may be able to say "good riddance" to King Gordo the Thug.
I am ashamed to say, I live in King Gordo the Thug's riding. Unfortunately, I expect his replacement will NOT be an improvement.
I will NEVER vote for anyone associated with King Gordo the Thug - not from sitting members or anyone who he "anoints", or publicly approves of.
Hmmm Is Campbell leaving the country? Or going east to work more closely with Harper? It is so true, the RCMP are willing to do Campbell and Craig James' dirty work. Terrorizing an elderly lady in her eighties, and putting fear into people, so they are too afraid to sign the recall. I really wish, there could be a petition, to remove the RCMP, in favor of the provincial police. Refusing to do a further investigation, of Campbell's corrupt sale of the BCR, has really angered the BC people. They are pretty much useless. Will they also refuse to investigate, the sea to sky highway scam? Bet the wouldn't. Yep, that's our RCMP, and also our judicial system, corruption reigns. I was absolutely astonished, De Jong is running to replace Campbell, what a dammed gall. He did the most underhanded, corrupt, sleazy, miscarriage of justice, regarding Campbell's corrupt sale of the BCR, I have ever heard of, in all my many years. Rafe Mair, has a good blog about, the huge hydro project in Bute Inlet, more Campbell dirty tactics afoot. Blog Borg Collective, has a blog of, who actually clinched the deal for the corrupt sale of the BCR, no surprise there. I am hoping, BC citizens realize, we must never allow what happened to us, to ever happen again. The BC Liberal government, must be driven, right out of BC. Even the media, brown nose to Campbell. They can go to hell, before I ever read their papers, or watch their TV crap. We need to boycott all of them.
maybe Patti Bacchus will consider running for the NDP?
Sounds like a rerun of 1986. Vander Zalm was elected leader of the Socreds, and Premier concurrently, without holding an MLA seat.
And what happened in October, 1986? The Zalm scores a landslide victory and then grabs his MLA seat in the house.
This could actually put someone like Christy Clark who is NOT an MLA right now - into a very uncomfortable situation if they became Premier. The fact is that Vancouver-Point Grey is NOT by any means a safe BC Liberal seat. Campbell has always had to struggle to win it and its not at all a given that a BC Liberal leader could win it in a byelection. But, if Clark became Premier - it would look REALLY BAD to say "Even though there is a vacancy in Vancouver-Point Grey - I'm afraid i might lose there - so instead I will ask Colin Hansen to quit in Quilchena - so I can run in a totally unloseable seat".
Christy Clark could come in and call an inquiry into the BC Rail trial deal that was killed by two deputy ministers, just like Vander Zalm, as Leader of the Socreds did when he had to wait for a by election to gain a seat as an MLA before he became Premier after Bill Bennett's sudden resignation.
Someone suggested that Gordo might get a job in Mauii working at a driving school. I just hope he gets out of BC and doesn't come back. Mind you, he's not gone yet and a few weeks ago claimed he was going to stay as MLA for Point Grey, but if they are setting up for a by election with the intent of moving a favorite pal in , it could get interesting as Clarke had a couple of family members involved in the BC Rail Deal, and she might well have been on the witness list for the case that never got heard. Get lost Gordo .
Well the thought of BC's own self-declared "Evita Peron" overseeing all power in BC and Point Grey is truly inspiring.
Every good campaign needs a theme song and I suggest . . . "DON'T CRY FOR ME POINT GREY"
The big question, will the Homer Simpson ex-husband "Senator" Marissen be willing to play Juan Peron?
The GREAT SATAN
haha- of course he's not sticking around. why would he when there's business pals ready to pay him large sums of money to sit on Boards as pay back for all the laws he changed on their behalf. Now that's two bigs lies he told since announcing his resignation - 1. the 15% tax refund and now 2. staying on as MLA. He lies as a matter of course. Something's very wrong with his mind.
Campbell still manages to do what he likes the most - being center of attention. All phsycopaths like the "me factor" and will say or do whatever it takes, to get their way and continue to be the center of attention.
Let's hope Campbell does a very speedy exit and runs head on into a brick wall.
When he realizes that the new government can change the laws to be retroactive, like he did, he might then feels some sort of remorse for the criminal damage he has done to the province. I sure hope the laws get changed to allow prosecution of the premier over the outrageos financial raping we have received from his ideological rampage.
Thank you.
Good riddance to bad rubbish I used to say as a kid and it's appropriate here as well. Bring on Christy Clark! She's carrying as much baggage as a BC Rail train pulling 18 HST cars and a BC Hydro caboose. I want to see her answer questions about her husbands and her involvement in the sale of those valuable assets. Let's see our version of Palin squirm out from those questions. A snake really wiggles when heat is applied and I'm sure she will be wiggling wildly!
This is probably just another ploy Campbell is using. Saying he may resign as mla, could just be an attempt, to make sure he isn't recalled as mla. If he is resigning as mla, he will be left alone, by the recall team. We all saw, how he resigned as premier. He said, he would be around for quite some months. He also said, he would continue with his work. There is evidence all around us, of his underhanded work. Don't believe him or trust him. This is just another stall for time.
Didn`t he say something about staying around as an "advisor" to see the completion of "the mission"? Or something like that..but he did say " the Mission"...could someone enlighten me as to exactly what "the Mission" is?
Mission Impossible???
I wonder how much money it took to get gordo to move it along a bit more quickly. I do wonder if Christie's divorce settlement had anything to do with it.
Of course Feb. is a nice month to spend in Maui.
It will be interesting to see if dear Lara leaves with gordo.
The man can't leave soon enough but the replacement will not be much different and neither will the policies. We will still have the lowest min. wage in Canada and the highest child poverty rate in Canada, 7 years running. Ah, what a legacy.
Now we have research saying the baby mortality rate is going up in Canada due to the increasing poverty. Gee maybe those anti abortionists should go protest outside of gordo and crew's offices.
"Gee, Gordie is not willing to properly fund schools, hospitals and public transit. Yet, he's willing to give "B.C.'s Palin" Clark a seat. Can he be this heartless and calculating?"
can this poster be that silly??
Nah, I'm sure he just wants to have a nice retirement."
Just as any long time serving NDPer will have have nice retirement, as in Farworth, Harry Lali, etc. etc.
"Go for it Christy - just remeber it is not a safe Lieberal seat (can you spell Mel ?)"
Mel Couvelier ran in Sannich, not Point Grey.
This could actually put someone like Christy Clark who is NOT an MLA right now - into a very uncomfortable situation if they became Premier. The fact is that Vancouver-Point Grey is NOT by any means a safe BC Liberal seat. Campbell has always had to struggle to win it and its not at all a given that a BC Liberal leader could win it in a byelection. But, if Clark became Premier - it would look REALLY BAD to say "Even though there is a vacancy in Vancouver-Point Grey - I'm afraid i might lose there - so instead I will ask Colin Hansen to quit in Quilchena - so I can run in a totally unloseable seat".
The last time that area went NDP was in the 1980's when Mazari and one other won, prior to that, it was either Social Credit or Liberal. Federaly, it has either been Conservative or federal Liberal, never NDP.
So, does anyone know Campbell's plans, what he will do with himself, after he is replaced? I think, Campbell is too full of hate, spite, malice and is far too vindictive, to just to go away. I'm sure he will be around, to pull his puppet strings, to make the puppets dance to his tune. After he resigned he said, he planned to continue his work. And, his barrage of dirty work resumed. We have to get rid of the BC Liberal government, to be rid of Campbell.
"So, does anyone know Campbell's plans, what he will do with himself, after he is replaced?"
Who cares. Just as who cares what Carol James does with herself now that she's dumped off.
" I think, Campbell is too full of hate, spite, malice and is far too vindictive, to just to go away."
The same thing can be said for alot of the posters here. Too full of hate, and jsut want to keep the hate going.
" I'm sure he will be around, to pull his puppet strings, to make the puppets dance to his tune. After he resigned he said, he planned to continue his work."
"Continuing work" is a generic term. He will have no say once the new Premier is in place. Most definately no say after when he resigns his seat.
" And, his barrage of dirty work resumed. We have to get rid of the BC Liberal government, to be rid of Campbell."
Campbell if you have not already noticed is largely gone. What will come about is Moe Sihota's NDP and guess what?
You'll start all over again.
It never ends.
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