LADNER – Attorney-general Wally Oppal said Independent heavyweight Vicki Huntingon would have zero sway if elected to represent Delta South.
“The governing party makes the rules with the assent of the legislature,” he said. “There’s no possible way that any independent could have any influence on that.”
Oppal’s comments came at the first all-candidates debate in what’s set to be one of the most hotly contested races in the province. Huntington may pose a formidable challenge to the attorney-general. The five-term Delta councillor lost to BC Liberal Val Roddick by less than 1,100 votes in 2005.
“How disgusting for them to say that an elected representative of any stripe would have no influence,” Huntington said, battling jabs from Oppal and New Democratic Party challenger Dileep Athaide.
“It is a statement that shows the true colours of the opinion they have of democracy.”
The debate was supposed to be about education, but frequently went off topic as residents voiced passionate concerns. Chief among them was a controversial decision to run high voltage power lines through Tsawwassen.
Locals fought an unsuccessful court battle against the project, which they worried could be harmful to their health. The B.C. government approved the transmission lines last month and anger still simmers – possibly enough to reject a major Liberal official such as Oppal.
The attorney-general played to the sense of helplessness created by Victoria’s decision. He said Delta South residents would be privileged to have a powerful representative like himself in the B.C. Legislature.
“The premier listens to me. Other members of my cabinet listen to me,” he said. “That’s always been the case.”
Huntington countered political parties put limits on how MLAs vote in the legislature, limiting their ability to represent constituents.
“It’s a system that no longer works for the benefit of the people,” she said.
Geoff Dembicki is a staff reporter for The Tyee.
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alive
3 years ago
remember Gaglardi?
This proves that the liberal government looks after those who vote for them as well as those who contribute to them.
In other words it is not a matter of what is needed in a certain area, but about who got elected.
It remind me a bit about the way the Socreds made great highways where they had a MLA, and totally ignored the highways in other areas.
Guess they are all the same bunch of used car salesmen / chamber of commerce, hypocrites!
DPL
3 years ago
StoneWally spoke and Gordo
StoneWally spoke and Gordo listens. A different line from"It's before the courts"
Wally you are going down
southdeltawalker
3 years ago
Stonewally live....
I was there last night. Ol' Stonewally stated the reason he did not get involved with the power lines issue was cause "he's a judge"..?
He hasn't been a judge for over four years.
More Liberal arrogance-he seems to think that because he is a Cabinet member and "an important one", he will get elected dispite his very obvious casual use of facts.
Let's hope Opal is "stone dead" on election night.
G West
3 years ago
Oh Really Wally
Fact is Wal, anyone with any legal background knows you're a joke!.
How many opinions did you actually write when you were on the Bench? Two. Three. Not a very big output for such a learned jurist.
Check out Wally's record as a judge my friends and you'll find virtually all of his decision are concurrences with other justices. His record on the spinning and misinterpretation of the sub judice issue is just the latest example of his complete sloppiness and lack of academic legal knowledge.
It's not a RULE Wally - not that you'd know the difference.
The fact that anyone in Cabinet 'listens' to the current AG is a sad reflection on how the role of the Attorney has shrunk and withered under the dictatorship of the CEO.
Ever wonder why Geoff Plant only stuck with these characters for one term?
Have a look at the disagreement and resolution of the Crown Counsel contract.
And remember that Attorney Plant had been deposed prior to the achievement of an out of court settlement that reversed the Cabinet's insane decision in that matter.
If the case had ever gone to court you can be sure the whole province would know what a black eye that incident delivered to Campbell's arrogance.
Grumpy
3 years ago
Ha, ha, ha............
Wally you are desperate, your phone shill are desperate and the only thing the premier will listen to you is (well I can't say it) over the BC Rail scandal.
I hope you come in third!
Skywalker
3 years ago
Wally will be wishing..
..he had never left the bench. He would still be "Your Honour" now he's just another politician.
G West
3 years ago
Skywalker
I'm quite certain he already does wish he'd stayed on the bench - Don't know if you can get a copy of THE ADVOCATE - it's a publication of the Vancouver Bar - but there's an interesting little bio of the 'great man' in (I think) the March issue (sadly it's not online) and it says a lot. There's also a drawing of him on the cover.
I had a copy kicking around here but I must have thrown it out.
I think I can pull up a short quote from the article that I kept, just as an example of damning with faint praise...I'll see if I can find it for you.