Saturday, February 12, 2011

Bill Tieleman heads to BC Liberal Party special convention - will regional weighted vote pass? Will Christy Clark and George Abbott duke it out again?


Mike de Jong, George Abbott, Moira Stilwell & Kevin Falcon line up at the mike - Bill Tieleman photo

CTV BC's Jim Beatty, left, and CBC Radio's Jeff Davies interview Gulzar Cheema - centre - at BC Liberal convention - Bill Tieleman photo
I am now heading down to the BC Liberal Party special convention where delegates will decided if the proposed weighted regional vote for the new leader - and BC premier - is acceptable.

The amendment to their rules requires a 2/3 majority to pass - and some prominent BC Liberals like ex-cabinet minister Gulzar Cheema say no way - one member-one vote is the only fair and democratic system.

But what other party decides the rules to pick a new leader and premier just 2 weeks before the vote?  Pretty crazy in my view.

Besides that vote delegates will be watching to see if George Abbott and Christy Clark continue their blood feud in the leadership debate later in the afternoon. 

I bet yes - Abbott and his people have decided that he has to knock Clark's support down and it's too late to back off now.  Expect more fireworks today and in the next nasty two weeks.

Time for me to put on the Kevlar and wake up my bodyguards - it's BC Liberal showtime!

UPDATE - BC Liberal debate "plumping" - letting members vote for only 2 candidates for leadership - amendment to weighted vote.

Delegates split - only needs 50% + 1 to pass.

And it passes - 751 - 606.

Now it's Christy Clark vs Gulzeer Cheema over weighted vote.

UPDATE - Weighted vote passes by embarrassingly large margin - 1319 to 23!

Cheema and a few brave souls argue for OMOV but all leadership condensers speak in favour - game over.

I left before the tame debate started - only so much I can handle!

But I had pleasant - really - conversations with George Abbott, John van Dongen, John Les, Ida Chong and many other BC Liberals.  More on all that later.

No illegal Kevlar needed!

.

13 comments:

DPL said...

Better check to make sure you arn't somehow on the Liberal membership list. I wouldn't trust that bunch with a two dollar watch.

North Van's Grumps said...

http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2009-2013/2009PSSG0026-000506.htm

"Time for me to put on the Kevlar...."


I know you're kidding about this Bill, your being a law abiding citizen of British Columbia and all that, but if you didn't know it, there is a law against wearing body Armour. You have to be a police officer or someone who is in the legal field of "enforcement".

RonS said...

Better take a flak helmet Bill. No doubt you'll have to not only dodge flak, but all the BS to. Take a gas mask as well, I'm sure the smell will be overwhelming.

Anonymous said...

One BC Liberal or 90,000 Liberals, regional or OMOV it makes no difference . . . ITS ALL THE SAME FILTH!

The GREAT SATAN

DPL said...

After speaking with that bunch I sure hope you washed your hands and checked your pocket for your wallet and loose change.

e.a.f. said...

So if you didn't need the kevlar what was the point in going.
The vote was quite one sided,now what made them do that all of a sudden? Must be a story there somewhere. I can't imagine an entire party just suddenly changing its mind like that or maybe it has something to do with all those new members.

Anonymous said...

By George, they approved it!

And representative democracy fights off the tyranny of the majority for another day.

Anonymous said...

I'm with DPL. I don't trust that bunch. Too much history of condescension, arrogance and deceit. I understand that their recent leadership candidates debate did not even allow any questions from the floor. This just sounds like more of the same, shutting out and shutting up the "little people".

RonS said...

Hi Bill, I am a frequent reader of your blog. I must say it's always informative and spirited at the least. We here in Maple Ridge are starting our recall of Marc Dalton and we would like to link our website www.downwithdalton.com with yours and others as well. If you would be so kind enough you can send your link to our site and we of course will appreciate it if you would include our link to your site.

Thanks in advance.

Anonymous said...

"I'm with DPL. I don't trust that bunch. Too much history of condescension, arrogance and deceit. "

Agree there. The NDP has never learned from lessons of the past.

Anonymous said...

One BC Liberal or 90,000 Liberals, regional or OMOV it makes no difference . . . ITS ALL THE SAME FILTH!

The GREAT SATAN

Same thing could be said quite easily about the federal Liberals when that disgusting party was led by that dictator Trudeau!

Anonymous said...

Cheema and a few brave souls argue for OMOV but all leadership condensers speak in favour - game over.

Actually their weighted system evens out the playing field.

Why would the Lower Mainland matter any more than Lower Nicola would?

Bill, if you're going to attend these things as a "journalist", cut the idiotic commentary, and just report what you see without getting into editorialising.

The NDP is far from being perfect, and congratulations. Becuase of Dix's antics, the NDP was able to raise $50,000, but the rules prevent any new people from voting in this leadership of ours.

A few on the right will probably attend an NDP event, if they can stand the smell of a rotting animal.

Anonymous said...

Fears of the undecided voter:
- new Liberal leader, same old government - deceitful and arrogant bunch of land developers like Falcon, Coleman and Campbell
- NDP education policy dictated by the BCTF and others who suppress parental involvement in education evade responsibility for a failing public education system
- environmental policy based on dogma rather than science
- a government that continues regulation of speech by a so-called "Human Rights Commission"