Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Moira Stilwell bails to George Abbott; new BC Liberal leadership MLA score: Abbott 19; Falcon 18; Clark 1; de Jong 0; Mayne 0

Stand by your man - Moira Stilwell sees Exit sign and backs - now literally - George Abbott and gives Kevin Falcon the cold shoulder - Bill Tieleman photo
Moira Stillwell drops out of BC Liberal leadership race, throwing her support to George Abbott

Ida Chong and Margaret MacDiarmid counter by endorsing Kevin Falcon

Will Mike de Jong be next to bail out?  Abbott or Falcon most likely to benefit

And Abbott says his Number 2 vote for leader will go to Falcon

More on this breaking news shortly but clearly a great day for Abbott, a good day for Falcon and a bad day for Christy Clark and Mike de Jong - can de Jong be the next to drop out and who will he support if so?

Rumours continue that either Abbott or Falcon will get the nod if he does.

And de Jong could be the kingmaker if he goes to either before the February 26 vote takes place.

The biggest loser in that case would be Clark, who in months of campaigning has been unable to convince a single sitting BC Liberal MLA other than Harry Bloy that she should be the province's next premier.

Even with polls showing Clark to be the most popular and least tainted of all BC Liberal candidates, party loyalty and caucus support tell me that this race will not go to Christy.

NOTE: I am unable to attend the Basi-Virk evidence disclosure issue hearing today due to my daughter's illness but will attempt to provide an update here later with links to media reports from those in attendance.

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7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Public Eye has 17 for GA (Heed has withdrawn), and 18 for KF.

Anonymous said...

Interesting that Adrian Dix has attracted the Old Guard of the NDP, and those who are more left wing than Mike Farnworth.

DPL said...

Question Period today was fairly interesting as the Basis Verk pay out was on the block. Coleman kept rising and reading the same comment over and over. Mike de Jong's involvement was mentioned a couple of times by the opposition and no answers were given. Blame it on the senior government employees was the name of the game. The Libs knew nothing, did nothing as the deal was cooked and the crooks paid off.

Norm Farrell said...

Clark may have only one MLA in her camp but he's a powerhouse with long experience and great political savvy. When the Libs voted themselves MLA pension catch-ups worth $800,000 each, I might have been upset. Then I thought of how those dollars enable the best and the brightest to serve. People like Harry Bloy.

Anonymous said...

Christy Fan here.

I feel sorry for you and your family.

Also I am very happy my gal is vindicated today. It is time to stop dreaming of a toy railway for every little boy and actually cure child poverty.

outsourced said...

Norm Farrell and Anon:

You are joking!

Harry Bloy is not the sharpest knife in the kitchen drawer and he had a whole range of issues last year with his staff. I thought he was close to resigning, or getting the boot.

As for Christy Meow Clark being cleared, that's a matter of perspective. The RCMP investigation was flawed from the start. Who could trust it? There is much more to learn about her brother's involvement and her husband and now her campaign team that only a full-ranging public inquiry can solve.

There will be many very, very sad people when an inquiry is called. It took ten years to learn of Mulroney's $300,000 in cash locked up in a New York safety deposit box and meetings in an hotel in New York frequented by criminal bosses. It might not take so long to get the story on Crispy Clark. Of course, we didn't get the full story on air bus and Mulroney, but that still might come our way.

Crispy is the true insider candidate - check her campaign staff - and what does Pamela have to gain? Let' check her husband.

Abott is a much more serious contender. The big money has to be with him. Crispy is toast...

Anonymous said...

Christy needs to move to Ontario, they would love her there.