Independent media needs you. Join the Tyee.

The Hook: Political news, freshly caught

B.C. Lib candidate: Party’s muzzling made me switch to Conservatives

The B.C. Liberal Party suppresses free speech, says a candidate who is dropping out of the Liberal nomination race in the riding of Kelowna-Mission and running in the May 12 provincial election as a B.C. Conservative instead.

“The B.C. Liberal Party’s overall gag attitude has caused me to reassess my own political values,” said Mark Thompson, as he took a swipe at his old party during a press conference to announce he is switching teams.

Thompson cited the law passed by the Liberals which limits the amount of money third parties can spend on advertising in the lead-up to an election as well as during the campaign.

“It is my view that the B.C. gag law limiting freedom speech during an election period is wrong,” he said.

But his main beef is that the party gags candidates who run for Liberal nominations.

“I do not support a (nomination) process that holds little regard for freedom of speech,” he said. “The biggest issue was the very fact that we were not allowed to speak out, our views were not allowed to come forward that would differ with the B.C. Liberal Party.”

He denounced the documents that potential Liberal candidates have to sign in order to be allowed to run.

“They limit people speaking while running as a candidate to such a limited point of view that they can’t speak their mind,” he said. “I wonder what it would like to actually be elected as a B.C. Liberal MLA. If it’s that bad during a candidate process I can hardly imagine how bad it would be if you were actually in the caucus.”

Another candidate who is still in the Liberal nomination race, Jack Pinder, has been foiled in his attempts to have the party hold an all-candidates forum where the candidates share a stage and field questions from the party members who will ultimately select the winner.

Thompson said he too would have liked a chance to see how he matches up against his opponents.

“I, along with Jack Pinder, both proposed open forums and debates as a way to receive constituency input and help constituents determine who the best candidate would be. Unfortunately the B.C. Liberal Party has made forums all but impossible.”

It should be pointed out, however, that Thompson was never much of a player in the Liberal nomination race. Until he dropped out, nothing had been heard from him since his initial press conference to declare his candidacy on Dec. 3. When he didn’t show up at a party meet and greet a week ago, the other candidates assumed he had already dropped out.

Asked about this, Thompson replied that he started having misgivings about the Liberal Party right from the start of his nomination bid.

“I did not feel comfortable pushing the B.C. Liberal Party and that’s why you may have thought, and perhaps others may have thought, that I had dropped out,” he said.

Asked if he could say how many Liberal Party memberships he sold in support of his nomination, Thompson said, “I’d rather not.”

And while the Liberals will be going for their third consecutive term as government in May, the Conservatives in B.C. are still very much a fringe party.

While the party says it intends to field a candidate in every riding this time around, in 2005 it had only seven candidates. Its most successful candidate was Colin Black, who came third in the riding of Okanagan-Vernon with 11.56 per cent of the vote.

Adrian Nieoczym is a reporter for the Kelowna Capitol News and a frequent contributor to The Hook and The Tyee.

Find more in:

What have we missed? What do you think? We want to know. Comment below. Keep in mind:

Do:

  • Verify facts, debunk rumours
  • Add context and background
  • Spot typos and logical fallacies
  • Highlight reporting blind spots
  • Ignore trolls
  • Treat all with respect and curiosity
  • Connect with each other

Do not:

  • Use sexist, classist, racist or homophobic language
  • Libel or defame
  • Bully or troll
  • Troll patrol. Instead, flag suspect activity.
comments powered by Disqus