Christy Clark鈥檚 reign as leader of the BC Liberal Party is set to come to an end next week.
In a statement released Friday morning, Clark said from the position, effective Aug. 4. This follows an election that granted her a minority government, but was stripped away by a in the Legislature in June.
鈥淪erving as premier and serving the people of British Columbia for the past six and a half years has been an incredible honour and privilege,鈥� Clark wrote.
鈥淚 am so proud of everything our BC Liberal team has accomplished. From working to make British Columbia Canada鈥檚 leading economy and creating more than 200,000 new jobs, to helping thousands of single parents go from welfare to work through the single parent employment initiative, to British Columbia鈥檚 gift to the world, the protection of the Great Bear Rainforest.
鈥淚 am certain that British Columbia鈥檚 best days lie ahead. Because British Columbians can, through hard work, determination and perseverance, achieve anything they set their minds to.鈥�
鈥業 was very emotional鈥�
Former deputy premier and acting party leader Rich Coleman told reporters he was 鈥渆motional鈥� from Clark鈥檚 announcement outside the Penticton Lakeside Resort where the BC Liberals were holding a caucus meeting Friday.
鈥淚 was very emotional. Surprised, absolutely,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ecause I loved her as a leader. She鈥檚 been the greatest person that I鈥檝e worked for.鈥�
Coleman said the whole party, which thinks 鈥渢he world of her,鈥� was disappointed by the announcement, adding that it wasn鈥檛 an easy decision for Clark, either.
鈥淪he was struggling with what she wanted to do. I mean, she really does 鈥� at some point in time, I guess you come to the conclusion it鈥檚 time for you to move on and she has,鈥� Coleman said 鈥淲e will be forever grateful.鈥�
Coleman said he believed it was hard on Clark to take a minority government and lose it within a couple of months, which may have influenced her decision.
鈥淵our life changes pretty dramatically. I think she found a whole lot more time for her son and her family, as a result of this period of time, and reflected about what was really important,鈥� Coleman said.
He noted it was her decision not to wait and see how the Green Party-NDP coalition fared, adding Clark had the full support of caucus at the time of her resignation.
鈥淚 think she just thought, 鈥業 want to give these guys a chance to renew,鈥欌�� he said.
Surprised by resignation
Political scientist Hamish Telford said he was surprised by the timing of Clark鈥檚 resignation.
鈥淚 thought that she would stick around, see if the NDP can pass a couple of budgets,鈥� the University of the Fraser Valley professor said. 鈥淭hey have to do a budget quickly in September, then in the spring.鈥�
Clark has likely to pass legislation, as she plans to step down from her MLA seat as well. It also likely gives them more time to govern, as the Liberals won鈥檛 want to vote down the NDP election and trigger an election, while they have an interim leader.
I want to thank for her many years of service on behalf of British Columbians. I wish her and her family the very best. 1/2
鈥� John Horgan (@jjhorgan)
While we represented 2 different parties, we are united in our belief that our job is to work every day to build a better province. 2/2
鈥� John Horgan (@jjhorgan)
Telford said he had expected Clark to take a lesson from Jim Prentice who resigned as leader of the Progressice Conservatives in Alberta and as an MLA on the same night he lost an election, a move he said 鈥渓ooked very sour.鈥�
鈥淸He] said: 鈥榃ell, if I can鈥檛 be premier, I鈥檓 not going to be anything.鈥欌��
Telford said former Prime Minister Stephen Harper took that to heart and left and 鈥済ave a respectable amount of time鈥� before announcing his resignation as leader of the Conservative Party and MP.
Clark had said she was , after the NDP and Green Party announced their plans to topple her government. A last minute shift in policy to include key points laid out in election platforms of both the BC NDP and BC Greens did nothing to alter public perception , which paved the road for a non-confidence vote.
鈥淚t鈥檚 one thing to say that when you鈥檙e still the premier, but when the reality hits, obviously the feelings change it鈥檚 either the reality of being opposition leader hits and it hurts,鈥� Telford said.
He said the nearly 50 per cent cut in salary from about $200,000 as premier to $100,000 as MLA was also likjely a factor in her choice to resign. She can make a lot more money in the private sector, Telford predicted.
Leaving politics will also likely give her more time with her son.
鈥淚 think all of these things confronted her and she decided it would be to announce early, rather than hang on.鈥�
Telford said he to call a by-election in her Kelowna West riding 鈥� a BC Liberal stronghold 鈥� very quickly. They are required by law to hold one withing six months of her stepping down.
Going forward, Telford predicts a quick leadership race to replace Clark, perhaps as early as this fall. The precarious NDP government and likely new election looming will probably entice a number of strong candidates to throw their hats into the ring, he said.
Andrew Weaver statement
The leader of the BC Green Party released a statement shortly after news of Clark鈥檚 resignation as Leader of the BC Liberal Party and MLA for Kelowna West became public. Weaver struck a deal with new Premier John Horgan and the BC NDP in late May.
鈥淚 want to thank Christy Clark for her years of service to British Columbians, both as an MLA and as Leader of the BC Liberals,鈥� said Weaver. 鈥淪he has been a fierce advocate for British Columbia, here at home and around the world.
鈥淎 highlight of my time in the Legislature was working directly with Christy Clark to implement sexualized violence policy legislation for BC鈥檚 post-secondary institutions. Her leadership and willingness to work across party lines on this vital issue has made universities and colleges across this province safer for our students - and for this I am grateful.
鈥淭his experience illustrated what we can achieve when members of this house work together. I wish Christy Clark well in her future pursuits and look forward to developing a productive relationship with the next Leader of the BC Liberal Party.鈥�
Picking a new leader
Coleman said he appreciated Clark stepping down, so the party could move more seamlessly to finding a new leader without bitterness from Clark.
鈥淪he鈥檚 got so much class that she鈥檚 decided she鈥檚 going to do this for us, give us an opportunity to go through a leadership situation without acrimony or issues,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e can actually get it done as a party going forward.鈥�
The party now has 28 days to call a meeting to start the process of picking a new leader, and Coleman said that could come as soon as three months from now or as long as a year.
鈥淚 told the caucus this morning I have no intentions at this time to seek the leadership, and if I ever did change, I would step down,鈥� Coleman said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 plan on stepping down.鈥�
