AUTUMN MacDONALD
Observer Reporter
Independent MLA for Cariboo North Bob Simpson says newly appointed premier Christy Clark needs to provide British Columbians with a clear agenda.
Clark won the B.C. Liberal leadership vote Saturday, with a narrow victory over Surrey-Cloverdale MLA Kevin Falcon on the third round of voting.
After the final vote result was revealed at the Vancouver convention centre, Clark was joined by rival candidates and the rest of the B.C. Liberal MLAs up on stage and promised to work together as a team.
Clark said she respects their decision to support other candidates – only Burnaby-Lougheed MLA Harry Bloy endorsed her – and she looks forward to building on the legacy of Premier Gordon Campbell.
In her speech, Clark stressed her campaign theme of families.
“My commitment to putting families first starts with job creation and fighting poverty,” Clark said.
“These are going to be the top priorities for our government.”
While Simpson says Clark has “promises of a stronger rural agenda” residents have yet to see what that looks like.
“I sincerely hope everyone gives her some room to come back with a clear agenda,” he said, specifically pointing to how Clark plans on resolving issues with Prosperity Mine, where the province is heading fiscally and whether she plans on moving up the HST referendum.
Saturday, on the third and final ballot, Clark received 4,420 votes using the party’s weighted voting system. After third-place contender George Abbott dropped off the ballot, Falcon finished with 4,080 points, 48 per cent of party support to Clark’s 52 per cent.
Clark held the lead after two rounds of voting in the B.C. Liberal leadership contest, with 3,575 points, followed by Falcon with 2,564 and Abbott with 2,364.
The point totals after the first round were 789 for Abbotsford West MLA Mike de Jong, 2,091 for Shuswap MLA Abbott, 2,411 for Falcon and 3,209 for Clark.
–With files from Tom Fletcher, Black Press