Close budget vote allows Premier to move on
By Contributor
It was close, but the B.C. Liberal government survived a key budget vote Tuesday.
The close vote comes on the heels of a stormy period over a leaked ethnic vote winning strategy.
Premier Christy Clark took the positive road, saying the 45 to 38 budget vote in her favour is a sign for her people to the start towards the government meeting its financial commitment of delivering a balanced budget next year.
BC goes to the polls in a May 14 election.
“Sadly, I don’t think British Columbians are out of the darkness,” said NDP Leader Adrian Dix. “The fact is we have a Liberal government that does nothing but campaign. At a certain point, you’ve got to start governing.”
The NDP leaked the controversial ethnic vote outreach plan.
To deflect the media from swooping down on the Clark government, Clark’s former deputy chief of staff Kim Haakstad and Multiculturalism Minister John Yap resigned.
The Liberals also appointed Clark’s deputy minister John Dyble to conduct a review of the leaked plan that had party faithful use a taxpayer funded Liberal government workers to co-ordinate an ethnic voter strategy with the Liberal Party in time for the May 14 election.
Premmier Clark held hastily called cabinet Sunday with members of her inner circle attempted clear the air over the ethnic vote document.
The year-old strategy angered many in the multicultural community and concerned members of Clark’s caucus who interact daily with constituents from all walks of life and ethnic backgrounds.
Cabinet members left the meeting saying they were united in their support for Clark despite the ethnic vote uproar.
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