Abbotsford South MLA Darryl Plecas will be speaker of the B.C. legislature for the NDP government.
Interim B.C. Liberal leader Rich Coleman said Plecas has 鈥渆ffectively鈥� left the BC Liberal caucus.
In June, Plecas rebuffed offers from the NDP to sit as speaker, before B.C. Liberal leader Christy Clark resigned. He told The News that while being speaker 鈥渋s a very honourable job,鈥� Plecas said he told those who offered him the position that he wouldn鈥檛 do so 鈥渨ithout the full blessing鈥� of his B.C. Liberal colleagues. He said to do so would be 鈥渄ishonourable.鈥�
Coleman said Plecas鈥檚 criticism of Clark did 鈥渘ot in any way鈥� lead to Plecas defying the party.
鈥淚n fact the caucus talked about that in August and welcomed him to stay in the caucus,鈥� Coleman said. 鈥淥n numerous occasions he reiterated to the caucus and to me he had no intentions whatsoever of running for speaker. I took him at his word.鈥�
. says "didn't tell me the truth" about his intention for speaker. "Effectively he's left the caucus"
鈥� Tom Fletcher (@tomfletcherbc)
But after Christy Clark attempted to try to trigger a new election, Plecas spoke out against her continued leadership.
MLAs vote by secret ballot to elect the speaker, a job made more difficult this time by the minority NDP government supported on key votes by the three B.C. Green Party MLAs elected in May.
EXCLUSIVE:
The resignation of Clark and the election of Plecas as speaker effectively gives the NDP-Green alliance a three-vote margin until the 琉璃神社 West seat is filled in a by-election that must be called by early in 2018. Assuming all MLAs are present for votes of confidence that could defeat the government, it means the speaker would not have to cast a vote to break a tie.
Green Party leader Andrew Weaver congratulated Plecas.
鈥淒arryl is known by his colleagues in the Legislature as a person of exceptional ethics and high moral standards. He will undoubtedly serve with dignity and honour as Speaker of this House.鈥�
鈥淒arryl鈥檚 willingness to stand for Speaker is an encouraging sign that the MLAs of all parties will be able to work together in a productive, collaborative session.鈥�
