Christy Clark speaks out on van Dongen defection

Courtesy of CTV Vancouver Island:

Premier Christy Clark says the defection of her former solicitor general will benefit only the opposition NDP.

John van Dongen crossed the floor Monday, quitting the Liberal Party to join the BC Conservatives.

The Premier calls it a bad decision that will weaken the province’s free enterprise coalition.




The Premier also backed away from personal attacks on van Dongen by Liberal Party members, characterizing them as a human reaction.

But not every Liberal appeared to get the memo to tone down the rhetoric.

Pat Bell was offering up comments Tuesday on van Dongen’s “personal troubles” as a reason for his defection.

And even the Premier was advancing the notion that the estranged MLA had trouble working with her and other leaders.

The question now is whether the Abbotsford South MLA’s defection will cause a political shift.

The NDP, Conservatives and Liberals are waiting to see what the people think, closely watching two by-elections underway on the mainland

And so too are Liberals MLAs.

With the government dropping farther in the polls everyday, it could make another party look more attractive.