British Columbians got a taste of what a Christy Clark versus Adrian Dix election will look like as the two faced off for the first time in the Legislature May 30.

Clark characterized the encounter as civil while Dix portrayed her as having dodged the substance of the questions and trivializing a serious issue.

Indeed Dix led off question period by welcoming the premier, who had been sworn in several hours earlier at an event in the Legislature lobby attended by many Clark supporters and her nine-year-old sneaker-clad son Hamish, before launching into a question about the missing women's inquiry being led by former Attorney General Wally Oppal.

"The government has chosen to deny funding to women's groups, to aboriginal groups, to community groups in the Downtown Eastside at the Missing Women's Inquiry," said Dix. The decision was made even though Oppal had recommended the funding. Asked Dix, "Will the premier intervene to overturn this decision and make sure those voices are heard at the inquiry?"

"What has happened in the Downtown Eastside is tragic, and it continues to be tragic," said a smiling Clark after thanking Dix for the question. "It has been a challenge for governments for decades to try and get our hands around the issues down there, try and wrestle them down and make sure that it's a better place tomorrow than it has been in the past."

She drew attention to the fact the government called the inquiry and appointed Oppal. "We want to make sure that we get to the bottom of some of the problems down on the Downtown Eastside and make sure that when we get to the bottom of those problems, we have a way to move forward."

She did not, however, commit any money for the groups Oppal wanted funded.

That had Dix back on his feet with a question comparing the inquiry to the BC Rail trial, where two former bureaucrats pled guilty to corruption charges, then had their $6-million legal bill picked up by taxpayers.

Batting around 'families first' slogan

"We've seen in previous matters -- in particular, in the BC Rail trial -- that there's funding sometimes for government insiders, $6 million worth of funding in that case for them to get access to justice," said Dix, before asking again for a commitment to fund the groups in the inquiry.

"The member knows the government is funding the families to be able to be heard at the commission, and we are making sure that as many voices as possible are heard before that commission," said Clark. "It seems to me to be our obligation to do that, and we're certainly living up to it, although it isn't required by law for us to do that."

Within a few sentences, she turned the answer to the "families first" theme she's held since entering the Liberal leadership race in December.

"We want to make sure that families have a lighter burden across the board," she said. "It's a little bit easier every day for families to put food on the table for their children, no matter where they find themselves across the province, whether that's in Salmon Arm, Prince Rupert, Atlin or the Downtown Eastside of the city of Vancouver."

"Putting families first isn't about words, it's about actions," said Dix, in a third attempt to get a commitment from Clark to fund the groups so they can be heard. "In this case, the actions are $6 million in funding for the defendants in the BC Rail trial... and to deny funding to the very groups that Wally Oppal has said should be funded."

The province has expanded the terms of reference for the commission, making it less formal, said Clark before launching into a list of things the government has done lately for families. The province is reviewing BC Hydro, looking at BC Ferries and stopped a plan for ICBC to charge a higher vehicle insurance rate to anyone who has had a traffic ticket, she said.

"And that's why we are lowering the HST by two points," she added. "We're going to make sure that every family in this province ends up ahead when it comes to taxes, and when you think about the total burden that government puts on families... I'd sure rather be supporting a 10 per cent tax than a 12 per cent tax."

'Premier didn't answer the questions': Dix

Most further questions were handled by Attorney General Barry Penner, though Clark responded to two questions on the same matter from former NDP leader Carole James (who, by the way, Global B.C. television and CKNW radio today incorrectly reported had told a news conference she was leaving politics. Noted Clark, "I am very glad that the rumours of her imminent demise are turning out to be untrue. She's provided a great voice for women in British Columbia.")

Outside the house, Clark didn't disagree when reporters suggested she'd had an easy time in her return to question period.

"It certainly didn't have the cut and thrust of previous question periods I've been a part of, but I think that's a good thing," she said. "I don't think people really like seeing politicians yelling at each other all the time, so if that lasts I think it's great, because I think it's a great improvement."

As for the issue, she said she didn't see a need for "an endless supply of taxpayer-funded lawyers," considering how Oppal is running the inquiry. "In a less formal commission there's no reason they should require a lawyer necessarily to [be heard]," she said.

"I had hoped that the premier would agree with me and would agree with Mr. Oppal that that would be the case and we would make some progress on a really important issue that's central to British Columbians," said Dix.

"Apparently the government thinks it's okay to pay the legal fees for BC Liberal insiders who are convicted of corruption but not to support groups that are participating in that inquiry," he said. "I'm very disappointed in that, but that's what they are choosing to do."

The debate showed who the NDP represents and who the government represents, he added. The NDP raised serious questions and the premier responded by trivializing the issue, he said.

"I found when you ask serious questions on a specific subject, I thought the general responses and speeches from the premier were not appropriate to the occasion," he said. "The premier didn't answer the questions. The premier gave a long speech that had nothing to do with the questions asked, that apparently she'd been prepped for."

Asked if the opposition had chosen not to heckle today, Dix said, "When you are raising issues of that seriousness, and it was the premier's first day, I felt we needed to act consistent with that."

The Liberals have said they intend to end the legislative session on Thursday, June 2. Clark has said she plans to call an election before the 2013 fixed election date, with many speculating British Columbians could go to the polls as early as September.