Speaker Chosen
Prince George, B.C. – The first step to resuming work in the B.C. Legislature has been completed with the election of a Speaker.
Clerk of the House, Craig James, rose to outline the history of the role of the Speaker of the House, and said much of what has been said about the role of Speaker since the election , “has been wrong”.
As is tradition, Steve Thomson is dragged to the Speaker’s chair – image courtesy BC Legislature Broadcasting service.
Only one candidate stepped forward to take on the role.
Steve Thomson has been selected as the 38th Speaker since B.C. joined confederation.
He is the former Minister of Forests.
Premier Christy Clark was the first to congratulate Thomson on his new role, saying he is a man of “compassion and integrity” and said when discussion in the House was, at times, contentious, he brought a calmness to the House.
NDP Leader, John Horgan also congratulated Thomson, saying he could not think of a better person to take on the role, saying Thomson has “always been fair in dealing with all members of the House.”
Comments
And the circus begins….
Yup. Time to gang up on the woman with the most votes and take her powers. Do that in a school yard or a work place and you are called out as a bully. Do it in the legislature and it’s a coalition.
hear ya! Look on the bright side, it will not last. these two will not get along for long. They may criticize the Libs for their tactics, but at the end of the day, how long is Weaver going to let Horgan tell him what is going to happen!! Election before the end of the year!
There is no coalition.
They are not her powers. The powers belong to the people and are exercised through government. The practice is that the politician with the most seats AND WHO CAN OBTAIN ENOUGH SUPPORT IN THE LEGISLATURE TO GOVERN, may exercise those powers. If Clarke can’t do that, then the democratic way is for someone else to be given an opportunity. Live with it. That’s how our system works, all ranting and raving aside.
And the speaker can step down …. live with it ….
lol right then..Liberals were voted with the MOST seats and are currently in power. This is the “democratic” way and that’s even by your standards ammonra. For some reason this concept seems to be quite hard to grasp for some people or maybe the cognitive dissonance is just too great.
At this point no matter who gets in we need some stability in government in order to progress forward. Even if the NDP forms government at this point it is looking like it will be short lived because the margins on both sides are just too narrow, not to mention that people of all political stripes are pretty pissed about this little “coalition” that supposedly isn’t a “coalition”.
You nalmost understood it correctly, Northman. The party with the most seats gets first crack at proving they can get enough support to govern. That is what Christy is doing right now. If she fails and is defeated in a confidence motion, then the democratic path is to let the party with the second largest number of seats to have a go, i.e. the NDP and Horgan. I don’t think anybody finds the concepts hard to understand except for those rightists who just cannot accept that the democratic process will probably result in Clarke’s Liberals becoming the opposition. When that happens we will just have to wait and see how long the government can retain the confidence to govern. The fact is, nobody knows how long or short lived an NDP government would be. Prophetic declarations from the right wing are based on prejudice, I believe, since most polls of the subject indicate the voters would like the NDP to govern with Green support. Given that, don’t be surprised if it goes full term.
Lost in all this is the legislated fixed election dates. Was this not introduced with the promise that snap elections would no longer be allowed and governments would have to work out the problems of governing? Is that ANOTHER broken Liberal promise?
Okkedokky! let the system work. but don’t forget, it is a slim majority if the greens can put up with their puppet friend. No dought that we will be going to an other election before the end of the year. This is going to be exciting!! hang on to your hats folks.
Interesting tidbit…
Minority cabinets account for about 35% of all governments in 15 parliamentary democracies since 1945. Conventional explanations associate minority government formation with political crises, instability, polarization, factionalization, and failures of inter-party bargaining. Such explanations are tested and found lacking in empirical support. Instead, minority governments are explained as rational solutions under specified conditions.
(Comparative Political Studies, KAARE STROM, Michigan State University)
Not very interesting at all.
Common knowledge among those who reads international news
European coalitions
Albania: Socialist Party of Albania, Socialist Movement for Integration, Unity for Human Rights Party, Christian Democratic Party of Albania.
Austria: Social Democratic Party of Austria, Austrian People’s Party.
Belgium: Christian Democratic and Flemish, Reformist Movement, Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats, New Flemish Alliance.
Bulgaria: GERB, Reformist Bloc, Alternative for Bulgarian Revival, Patriotic Front.
Croatia: Social Democratic Party, Croatian People’s Party – Liberal Democrats, Croatian Party of Pensioners, Istrian Democratic Assembly.
Cyprus: Democratic Rally, European Party, Ecological and Environmental Movement.
Czech Republic: Czech Social Democratic Party, ANO 2011, Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People’s Party.
Denmark: Social Democrats, Danish Social Liberal Party.
Estonia: Estonian Reform Party, Social Democratic Party.
Finland: National Coalition Party, Social Democratic Party, Swedish People’s Party, Christian Democrats.
France: Socialist Party, Écologistes !, Radical Party of the Left.
ermany: Christian Democratic Union, Christian Social Union, Social Democratic Party.
Greece: Coalition of the Radical Left, Independent Greeks.
Iceland: Independence Party, Reform Party, Bright Future.
Italy: Democratic Party, Civic Choice, Union of the Centre, New Centre-Right, Italian Socialist Party, Populars for Italy, Independents
Kosovo: Democratic Party of Kosovo, New Kosovo Alliance, Turkish Democratic Party of Kosovo, Independent Liberal Party.
Latvia: Unity, Reform Party, National Alliance, Union of Greens and Farmers.
Lithuania: Social Democratic Party, Labour Party, Order and Justice.
Luxembourg: Democratic Party, Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party, The Greens.
Macedonia: Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity, Democratic Union for Integration, Socialist
Party of Macedonia, Party for the Movement of Turks in Macedonia.
Moldova: Liberal Democratic Party, Democratic Party.
Monaco: Union for the Principality, National Union for the Future of Monaco, Promotion of the Monegasque Family.
Montenegro: Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro, Social Democratic
Party of Montenegro, Democratic Union of Albanians, Bosniak Party.
Netherlands: People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy, Labour Party
Norway: Conservative Party, Progress Party.
Poland: Civic Platform, Polish People’s Party.
Romania: Social Democratic Party, Alliance of Liberals and Democrats
San Marino: Sammarinese Christian Democratic Party, Popular Alliance,
Freedom List, Sammarinese Union of Moderates.
Serbia: Democratic Party, Socialist Party of Serbia, G17 Plus, Party of United Pensioners of Serbia, Social Democratic Party of Serbia, Party of
Democratic Action of Sandžak, Serbian Renewal Movement.
Slovenia: Modern Centre Party, Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia, Social Democrats.
Sweden: Swedish Social Democratic Party, Green Party (Sweden).
Switzerland: Social Democratic Party of Switzerland, Free Democratic Party of Switzerland, Christian Democratic People’s Party of Switzerland,
Conservative Democratic Party of Switzerland, Swiss People’s Party.
Ukraine: Batkivshchyna, Svoboda.
Northern Ireland: Democratic Unionist Party, Sinn Féin, Ulster Unionist Party, Social Democratic and Labour Party, Alliance Party of Northern Ireland.
and that is just Europe.
Reason … tons of splinter parties
solution … form coalition BEFORE election so that voters know who and what policies they are voting for.
We have a lot to learn. We are heading that way here as well with the increasing lack in trust of the people we elect..
I still don’t give a crap! Bottom line is my vote got cancelled out! B.C. is what counts, not other countries! Regardless, the bottom feeders had to COMBINE to form some other weird party, am I peeved that this charade can be carried out? Damn right!
That’s called democracy, Lien. Get used to it.
Lien, so true. Election 15 months or less with a Liberal Majority.
That is not democracy ammonra. The after election coalition can not even get a majority once they appoint their speaker. They wish to replace a party that was only a few dozen votes from a majority.
Yup,
The loser and the biggest loser of the election gets to toss out the one that actually won the election. What a crock of cow dung! Neither one of these dorks would even get a job in my industry. We HAD a top leading province on the verge of exploding with even greater success, now is quickly turning into a joke in the business community circles. So sad that we finally had a classy very smart lady doing an awesome job.
You should take up writing comedies, “a classy very smart lady doing an awesome job” indeed! That’s the laugh of the year.
She didn’t win the election… if she did she would be in power..
Coalitions is just nothing but compromise and kissing butt…
Election before end of year..
NDP Leader, John Horgan also congratulated Thomson, saying he could not think of a better person to take on the role, saying Thomson has “always been fair in dealing with all members of the House.”
Hmmm, me thinks this comment is nothing more than Horgan kissing up to Thomson in the hopes that when the coalition topples the Government, Horgan can somehow convince Thomson, a Liberal MLA, to stay on as Speaker of the House under the Horgan/Weaver coalition!
Sorry John, ain’t gonna happen! Sit back and watch how fast Thomson gives up the role when his Government falls!
John and Andrew will then have to elect a new speaker, undoubtedly from within their own ranks, and then the fun continues!
May 29, 2017
The Greens and NDP said the agreement was a “Confidence and Supply Agreement,” meaning a guarantee of support for any budgets or confidence motions.
“We specifically did not ask for there to be a coalition,” Weaver said. “We wanted to maintain a minority situation to show British Columbians that [it] can work.”
The Greens are the bullies in the sandbox. They won’t join either side. They want to bully one or the other or even both if they feel like it.
There is no Horgan/Weaver coalition.
Weaver was very specific about that.
True, but don’t expect any of the right wing dogmatists to ever acknowledge that, not when they can pretend it is not so and vilify, insult, distort and otherwise display their utter rage at losing the election. They need to get over it and let democracy take its course, you know, where the majority get to govern, the majority having voted out the Liberals.
OMG ammonra, you make me laugh!
If those of us on the “right” are guilty of any of what you suggest, then you simply must agree that what we do is what we have learned from observing 16 years of whining, complaining, etc. from those on the left!
I laugh at your assertion that we need to get over anything! The mere fact that you would use the word “rage” in the same sentence as ‘”right wing” shows your holier than thou contempt for anyone with an opinion that differs from your “left wing” view of things!
Rage? You want to talk about “rage”! Look at how civilized the left wing protestors have been both in the USA and at home here in Canada! The last time that I checked, I haven’t been blocking traffic, protesting in the streets, shattering windows, destroying cars and mailboxes in the streets and none of my right wing friends and associates have been either!
If you want to see “rage”, gather your left wing friends and then all of you should gather in front of a mirror and take a long hard look in that mirror!
Rage? ammonra, you make me laugh!
Ammonra, you are a left wing dogmatist, so when you are posting your criticism of right wing dogmatists it is like the pot calling the kettle black! Dogmatism in any form is an eextreme!😎
Actually, Prince George, I am not a dogmatist since I do not always agree with NDP policy. That is, I reject some NDP dogma, both within the party and within government policy. However, I support far more NDP policies than I do Liberal policies, so I prefer to associate myself with the NDP. I am actually quite centrist politically.
You will also notice that I very frequently criticise the comments made by rightist supporters on this site without saying whether I agree with the NDP position on the issue. That is quite deliberate. Politics is not black and white, it is an infinite variety of greys.
To Hart Guy, your response displayed a distinctly angry overtone. There was no humour in it at all. In any case, tell me where in British Columbia this NDP inspired violence you go on about has taken place. After all, we are discussing BC politics, aren’t we?
ammonra, so sorry to disappoint you, but there is no anger whatsoever in my comment!
As I said, you make me laugh and quite honestly I was smiling and laughing the entire time that I typed it!
In your most recent comment you state:
“You will also notice that I very frequently criticise the comments made by rightist supporters on this site without saying whether I agree with the NDP position on the issue. That is quite deliberate. Politics is not black and white, it is an infinite variety of greys.”
Do you frequently criticize the comments made by leftist supporters on this site as well? Mmmmm, didn’t think so! That’s surprising as I’ve seen some definite bullying on this site, courtesy of some of your left-wing friends!
P.S. – I’m still smiling and I’m still laughing!
Why on earth would you expect me to criticise left wing comments when I am more likely to be accepting of them than of the right wing attitudes that you and yours espouse? Certainly, right wing bullying is very common here, not to mention distortions, misstatements and outright falsifications about NDP policies. Those need to be corrected and dishonest rightist propaganda nullified.
Nevertheless, once again, you have made a good deflection so as to avoid answering my request that you justify your comments about left wing violence by specifying where in British Columbia it has occurred. Have you ignored that request because there is none and your claims are just an example of dishonest right wing propaganda?
It is by definition a coalition but for some reason Horgan/Weaver aren’t calling it a coalition. They are 100% are applying the principals of a coalition for the purpose of defeating the ELECTED government. The real bizarre part here is why don’t they just come out and call it what it is..? I suspect that there is a lot of tension over this “alliance” within the party ranks behind the scenes.
Either way its a safe bet to say that there will probably be another election soon in order to settle this. Get ready for the campaign..(puke!!)..
Actually it is not a coalition. It is just an agreement between the Greens and the NDP tom stick together when it is necessary to have a majority over the Liberals at voting time!
co·a·li·tion
ˌkōəˈliSH(ə)n/
noun
an alliance for combined action, especially a temporary alliance of political parties forming a government or of states.
“a coalition of conservatives and disaffected Democrats”
synonyms: alliance, union, partnership, bloc, caucus;
I don’t vote Liberal in B.C. but by definition, the NDP and Greens are a coalition!
It’s been said before and I’ll say it again, this is going to be interesting!
One of the best things about this interesting situation is that I think more and more British Columbians are actually paying attention to the politics of our province! This is a good thing!
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