Resign is defined in the dictionary as:
"to give up a paid or unpaid position voluntarily"
and usually means that you leave right away and not sit around and leave when you want. Premier Campbell seems to have forgotten the definition of the word "resign", given the firing of former BC Energy Minister and Kootenay-East MLA Bill Bennett. This coming from Premier Campbell said that previous verbal tirades of Bill Bennett, as a Cabinet Minister, was "healthy" and welcomed. If this that was the case of a 2nd & final chance for Bill Bennett - he sure said in a very weird and strange way
See articles on this subject here (Province), here (Vancouver Sun) and here (Globe and Mail)
However, I think everyone knows that only the First Minister (Premier) can demand the resignation of his Ministers' and not the collective wish of Cabinet. What's more troubling is that Colin Hansen asked his boss, Premier Gordon Campbell to leave the room while Cabinet demanding that Bill Bennett leave his post as Energy Minister. Talk about breaking 150 years of Parliamentary Government in addition to if that happened in the private sector (worker asking the boss to leave a meeting that the boss convened), you'd be fired on the spot!
Given the recent fiasco come out of Victoria - this is additional proof that Gordon Campbell should do us all a favour and quit today & not Feb 26th, that is if he truly loves the Province and wants to do the right thing for it & allow the BC Liberal Party to begin the healing process of division today before it is too late in voters' minds and lest they hold their nose and vote NDP. The next Leader of the BC Liberals' needs to ensure that Colin Hansen is booted out as Finance Minister to ensure we, as a Party, make a true fresh start with voters', as I believe with Campbell out and Hansen being fired as Finance Minister - we can truly make a clean break with voters' on the HST and other financial matters. There is precedent for this - former BC Premier Glen Clark after meeting with the Lieutenant-Governor announced his resignation in 1999 then immediately launched a process for a caretaker Premier in Dan Miller, pending a selection of a new BC NDP Leader who was Ujjal Donsanjh in 2000 until the disastrous election for the NDP in 2001
Also - surprising yesterday, Cabinet decided to "suspend" the 15% income tax reduction. Some media reports state it was "terminated". You can read the official press release here and decide for yourselves.
Also - Hon. Steve Thomson was named Energy Minister. See the official press release here
1 comment:
The real problematic figure in the whole situation is Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty who is basically Mr. HST. Basically in my mind Colin Hansen is only carrying water for Flaherty and civil service at Finance Canada. I suspect Flaherty is working up some type of method to nullify the result of any type of referendum on the HST. I do think though if Flaherty and Harper continue on the current pro HST course the might very well reopen the Reform PC split in the Conservative Party.
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