In her first news conference following her party’s election victory last week, BC Liberal Premier Christy Clark said Wednesday she would wait until official election results are released May 27 before asking one of her MLAs to step aside to allow for a byelection.
It’s a rare situation made necessary when Clark lost her riding of Vancouver-Point Grey to BC NDP’s David Eby by a margin of 785 votes. Not since 1924 has a B.C. politician been elected premier without winning a seat.
When asked about the possibility of giving up their seats in the legislature, BC Liberal MLAs on the Semiahmoo Peninsula offered Peace Arch News little comment.
Asked Friday if he had been approached by anyone from his party in regards to stepping aside to make way for Clark’s byelection, longtime Surrey-White Rock MLA Gordon Hogg said no, adding he doesn’t expect such a request, given the location of his riding.
“I recognize that in the British parliamentary tradition that we have to find a seat, but I think there are probably better options than one this far out,” Hogg said. “So I don’t see that as being something that will come up.”
Asked if he’d be willing to give up his seat at Clark’s request, Hogg said he won’t comment on something “completely hypothetical.”
Surrey-Panorama MLA-elect Marvin Hunt echoed Hogg’s sentiment: “That’s a hypothetical question, and I’m not answering it.”
MLA Stephanie Cadieux, who won her new Surrey-Cloverdale seat last Tuesday praising the party’s “leader that wouldn’t quit,” said there is “no point in speculating.”
“The premier hasn’t made any decisions, so it’s not something I’m even thinking about.”