Did the BC Liberals win a majority government because they had Christy Clark as their leader? We'll find out soon enough, once the by-election is actually called.

Yes a 'Win For The Ages' for the BC Liberal
Party -- but was it a win for her leadership?

Does Christy Clark deserve a free-pass, in Westside-Kelowna, to get in to the legislature?

I certainly don't think so ... and regardless, two teams are in place who will indeed challenge her ability to be in the legislature as an elected Premier.  And, perhaps even one or two strong independent candidate will also step forward in the days ahead.  

Lots has been written in the news media over the past week and a half ... here is just a snapshot. 

MacLeans (June 5th)
Clark was defeated in her Vancouver-Point Grey riding, where she spent little time as she toured the province. The Liberals were widely expected to get badly pummelled in the vote and the party’s come-from-behind win to increase its number of seats in the legislature is largely attributed to Clark’s campaign skills. 

The Liberals said on election night she sacrificed her own riding to do it, making a byelection necessary. 

Vancouver Province (June 5th)
... said ... that she felt that Kelowna “is a natural political home for me and the values I believe in.”

“This is the cradle of free enterprise,” Clark said, noting that premiers WAC Bennett and his son Bill Bennett represented the people of Kelowna during their long reigns. “Among all the offers that I received from MLAs, this one felt the most natural.”  

BC NDP (June 5th)
We are looking forward to running a strong campaign with an Okanagan candidate against the Premier in Westside-Kelowna. 

The BC NDP will run a candidate with local roots who can offer the people of Kelowna and West Kelowna a strong, local voice in the legislature. 

The local constituency association will choose our candidate and we will be in a position to announce who that is in due course. 

The Armchair Mayor (June 6th)
I’m not one of those who gets all sentimental about Christy Clark “deserving” a seat in the B.C. Legislature ... 

Westside-Kelowna is a strange choice for Clark. She’s from the Coast, after all.

... according to Clark, though, Kelowna is her “natural political home.” Apparently, she’s had an epiphany after all these years. Clark, who lives in Vancouver-Fairview, lost in Vancouver-Point Grey. She is a Lower Mainlander through and through, but suddenly her political heart is in the Interior. 

... this being a democracy, the people should have a say, and she should have to earn her seat. 




Clark will win, of course, because she’s the premier and because the Liberals won Westside-Kelowna by 28 points and nothing’s going to change that. Of course, that’s pretty much what the New Democrats thought about the general election they just blew. 

News 1130 (June 8th)
The BC Conservative Party will run a candidate in the Westside-Kelowna by-election, meant to give Premier Christy Clark a seat in the legislature.  The party’s president insists people have not given up on the party. 

Dan Denis says an announcement about who will be the Conservative candidate will come in the next few days. 

Kelowna News Talk Sports AM1150 (June 10th)
The BC Conservative Party have announced they will run a candidate in the Westside Kelowna by-election where Premier Christy Clark hopes to win the seat. 

Their choice will be the Penticton candidate Sean Upshaw, who lost the bid during the General Election. 

Upshaw says his reasons for running in the by-election are to hold the Liberal government accountable to the people of the Constituency and the Province.  

And here is what I had to say, on this blog, the other day ... and it's of course worth no more than the thoughts and opinions of anyone else:
One thing we know for sure, unless Christy Clark wins that by-election (to be held in Westside Kelowna), she won't be joining them in the legislature in July. There is of course every expectation she will, but there's no guarantee.

One thing that WILL be on the minds, of at least a few voters in Kelowna, will be the fact that the Liberals already have a majority government.

If the party actually won the May 14th provincial election, in spite of Christy Clark, then voters in Kelowna will certainly have no fear of electing any candidate, on the ballot, who they feel will best represent them.

And as I also said the other day ... "Interesting times indeed." 

Did the BC Liberals win a majority government because they had Christy Clark as their leader?  We'll find out soon enough, once the by-election is actually called. 

I'm Alan Forseth in Kamloops ... with a few thoughts, and some from a few others as well.