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Premier shouldn’t ‘delay’ confidence vote, says MLA Doug Routley

Nanaimo-North Cowichan NDP MLA Doug Routley is hoping the Liberal government won’t delay a confidence vote as the legislature resumes again on Thursday for the throne speech.
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Nanaimo-North Cowichan NDP MLA Doug Routley is hoping the Liberal government won’t delay a confidence vote as the legislature resumes again on Thursday for the throne speech.

“The premier has promised to test the confidence of the house through a throne speech or a motion of confidence,” Routley said.

“What they could do is introduce the throne speech and then it could take up to six days of debate that would again delay things, which is unnecessary. Even the premier has acknowledged there is likely going to be a change in government. Why play games? Let’s get going.”

Premier Christy Clark’s Liberals were reduced to 43 seats following the May 9 election.

In the past six weeks, the NDP and Greens signed an agreement and could be in a position to form government if Clark can’t obtain the confidence of the legislature.

However, even Routley admits the timelime for how they arrived at this point has been far from conventional and who knows what to expect.

“We hope it will be quick and John will be the premier shortly after the 22nd,” he told the Chronicle.

“The premier delaying this takes away from the next government, our government, and a lot of the planning time that we would have to do to introduce a throne speech and budget in September.”

A major part of the Liberal government’s throne speech will be a proposal for new restrictions on campaign donations and an offer to increase income assistance rates.

B.C. Liberal Social Development Minister Michelle Stilwell spoke to reporters Monday, but offered no details of increased social assistance rates.

Unnamed sources suggest the Clark government is planning to match the NDP campaign pledge to raise income assistance rates by $100 a month, the first increase in temporary income assistance rates in a decade.

In addition to increasing temporary social assistance rates, the plan proposes an expansion of the government’s single parent employment program, which covers daycare, training and transportation costs for single parents on income assistance to make a transition to employment.

Banning corporate and union donations was a demand of both opposition parties from long before the election, to which the B.C. Liberals responded only with voluntary disclosure.

In the almost certain event that Clark fails to achieve the confidence of the legislature it will then be up to Lieutenant Governor Judith Guichon to either name Horgon as the new premier or send B.C. residents back to the polls.

“There’s very little public support for that (an election),” Routley said. “She (Guichon) has in front of her an agreement that both parties will support confidence for four years.”

Asked about the prospect of what role he expects to play in a minority government scenario, Routley said he would remain committed to advocating for issues impacting the local riding and province as a whole such as poverty, homelessness and wage inequality.

“We have a great opportunity to do things for people now,” he said, adding that the level of engagement in provincial politics has been extremely encouraging.

“That’s my biggest relief that people now will see that their votes really do matter and that they can make a difference by making demands on parties and governments and that it’s worthwhile.”

- With files from Tom Fletcher





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