Premier Christy Clark said she wants to listen to the public, not politicians, during her run in the Vancouver-Point Grey by-election.
That approach is disappointing to Jane Webster, a parent advisory council member at a local school who is organizing an all-candidates meeting scheduled for this evening.
Clark has declined to participate in at least five debates and all-candidates meetings during the by-election period, including one on CKNW radio where she used to work as a talk show host.
"There's a very limited amount of time to be able to conduct the election," said Clark. "There are two priorities that we can engage in. One of them is to make sure I'm talking to people, making sure I'm talking to the public and citizens there. One is to talk to politicians."
She added, "I'm focusing on talking to the people who live in the community, finding out what it is they're concerned about."
Clark said she is going door to door, calling people and participating in telephone town hall meetings. "What you'll hear in a debate is what the politicians think is important," she said. "What you hear when you go door to door or when you talk to people on a telephone town hall or phoning them at their home is you find out what people think is important."
She also noted that she is busy running the province, unlike her NDP opponent David Eby, who took a leave as executive director of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association to run in the May 11 by-election. "Remember, Mr. Eby is a candidate 12, 14 hours a day. That's all he's doing for a living right now, and I can't abandon my post as premier to do that, so I've had to priorize things a little bit."
Clark's absence has been an easy target for Eby, who said he has accepted invitations to all five debates or all-candidates' meetings to which he'd been invited. He recently told The Tyee, "I think it demonstrates Christy Clark is taking this constituency for granted and doesn't care about this community's interests."
Jane Webster, a member of the parent advisory council at Bayview Community School, said Clark's refusal to participate in tonight's event was disappointing and that her reasons for declining made little sense.
"There's going to be a huge crowd of the public at this event," Webster said. "The questions are going to be submitted by the audience members, not the politicians. I don't know where she's coming from on that."
It can be a sacrifice for a community to be represented by the premier, she said, noting former Premier Gordon Campbell was the MLA for the area until he resigned.
"We want someone who will take our concerns to the legislature," she said. "If you're represented by the premier, the premier's always off doing something. It's pretty hard to get any face time with your MLA if your MLA's the premier."
Webster said they would have a symbolic empty chair set up at the meeting for the absent premier Clark.
Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Reach him here.
17
Login or register to post comments
G West
1 year ago
Hmm!
Very strange.
Isn't Ms Christina a politician?
Apparently she doesn't think so - she appears to be something else entirely.
Now, what would that be?
North of Hope
1 year ago
She has 2 jobs
She has 2 jobs. One is Premier. She could leave that to her executive council to do as they do all the work anyway. Her predecessor did that and he had to leave office before it got too embarrassing. She is trying that as she wishes to stay out of the public eye. Hence she doesn't want to show up for public meetings because she will be under public scrutiny and this will show her faults and short comings.
She does neither of them very well.
DPL
1 year ago
A lot more people could
A lot more people could interact with her at a all candidates meeting. she is afraid someone will ask about BC Rail or some other Liberal clangers.MY gosh, we figured Harper worked inside a bubble.Sure hope the folks in that riding feels that her job is to be seen, answer questions and debate the other candidates.
Frank
1 year ago
No time???
Her predecessor was premier and had time to drive drunk around Hawaii, I doubt that Christy can't find some time to meet her would-be constituents and debate her opposition.
Skywalker
1 year ago
Christy communicating with the great unwashed masses?
She's banking that once she gets her seat in the Legislature, she will be able to control the public forum she is in. Once she has established some credible leadership credentials, no one will care about scandals and such. That is the plan - delay the discussion until people tire of it and until they no longer have you in their political gunsites. In the meantime she can make all kinds of announcement while everyone else does her dirty work.
Not a chance of it working. The BC Rail issue will come up in any future leaders debate and it will be hot an heavy.
DPL
1 year ago
Did someone mention BC Rail
Did someone mention BC Rail yet?
Orange Crush
1 year ago
Christy Clark is a liar
The Powell River Persuader forced Christy Clark to retract on air for blatantly lying about BC Ferries.
BC Rail...BC Ferries lie.
http://powellriverpersuader.blogspot.com/2010/12/christy-clark-spins-and-lies-on-her.html
And perhaps Christy Clark might have trouble explaining how a so-called independent panel reporting on the HST has the authority or mandate to make the claim that it would take 18 months to 24 months to get out of the HST.
How can a panel make that claim, did they talk to the ministry of finance, did they talk to Falcon or Flaherty..How would a panel know how long it would take to remove the HST after it`s defeated in the vote.
Any credibility the panel had was lost with that add-on statement about 18 to 24 months to remove a tax..
It only took weeks after the 2009 election to announce and another 11 months to implement it.
How on earth could it take twice as long to remove.
One fucking lie after another!
Skywalker
1 year ago
What a hoot.
I won't go to hear what you have to say, but I'm listening. Really I am.
Barher
1 year ago
Next election
Clark has been making some good moves since being anointed. It is essential that the public isn't lulled into complacency. She may be Premier (hopefully not after the by-election) but if she is after the general election, the Conservatives, Libertarians and SocCreds in the Liberal Party will push hard for the corporate agenda perhaps despite her.
jim1966
1 year ago
Point Grey Voters Will Decide
Yes they will on May 11/11 and so they should. Ms Clark should just get on with it and attend the debate(s) as any other candidate would. By not attending voters across BC could assume that Ms Clark is arrogant and disregards the riding as a shoo in, which I don't think it is. Perhaps the Tyee should examine what the issues for the Point Grey riding citizens are. Last I heard Campbell had mentioned something about diesel buses or a transit pollution/noise issue. What are the other concerns for the area residents?, Crime, homelessness?, Schools?, HST?.
puppyg
1 year ago
What's in a smile?
Oh, her ear is cocked and her eyes are asparkle, but by no mean could what Christy does be called listening.
sunshine coast girl
1 year ago
No time?
But she has time to attend her son's hockey games and "pretend" to be a waitress. Sheesh, she thinks we're dummies.
pianosaurus rex
1 year ago
And
She also had time to attend the opening game at Empire Field for the Whitecaps of which she was loudly booed when introduced by the announcer.
Jim1966 the concerns of this riding would be no different than the concerns of any other; the things mentioned by yourself along with many other issues.
I believe this riding may have become more of a swing riding then the libs think....hopefully so...
pianosaurus rex
1 year ago
poor grammer
should be "than the libs think"...
alvin54
1 year ago
crusty
Wouldn't it be funny if she lost her second consecutive election by public vote?
(Lieberal leadership vote was not public, unless you paid your $10)..
SharingIsGood
1 year ago
What arrogance!
Ever hopeful that I will find a redeeming quality behind that grin she has had plastered on her face for the last couple of years, I am, once again, disappointed. All that time and money to chose a leader for the BC Libs, and Christy Clark is the best they can come up with?! Point Grey, please ditch this goofy witch. Don't even give her a chance; she is not Pt. Grey material.
pianosaurus rex
1 year ago
Visitors
Not to worry Sharing,
Just had the Eby team knock on the door a couple of hours ago. I had forgotten that this riding belonged to Darlene Marzari(sp?) previous to Campbell.
They seemed quite elated and positive. While speaking with them at the door, off in the distance I thought I heard the ominous tolling of a bell.
I think I will take the rest of the day off, go to my DVD library and watch Death of a Salesman; maybe change the title to Death of a Saleswomen??