'It's been frustrating dealing with the Greens': B.C. Liberal leader looks back on 1st year in opposition
Andrew Wilkinson says minority government should offer more opportunity for better public policy
Andrew Wilkinson is coming up on one year in his role as leader of the B.C. Liberal Party and the voice of opposition to a minority government — which he says has not been without its challenges.
In particular, he blasts the Greens for being a "non-party" by always falling in line with the NDP.
But the Liberals have yet to offer up much criticism of strategies like the CleanBC climate plan. And how does he justify open discussion of the legislature suspensions scandal amid a criminal investigation?
CBC reporter Tanya Fletcher sat down with Wilkinson for a year-end interview recorded Dec. 7.
Note: This interview was conducted before the results of B.C.'s referendum on electoral reform were released.
Highs and lows
Looking back over the past year, what are you most proud of? What would you change if you could do it all over again?
The thing that's worked really well is bringing together our caucus and our party in a way that's been stronger than I think it has been in years.
People are feeling a real sense of cohesion, a real sense of purpose, and we've come together as a great team.
In terms of something to perhaps do better the next time, it's getting off the ground sooner, I suppose.
I was new in the job as of Feb. 3 and it takes a while to find your feet, but it's gone really well overall.
Climate action
The B.C. Liberals haven't voiced much substantial concern with the CleanBC strategy. What is your main criticism of the climate plan?
The core thing about the climate action plan that the NDP have introduced — with the Greens in their back pocket — is that they've talked only about 75 per cent of the changes.
There's still a quarter of the tonnage of gas they've got to get rid of that they haven't accounted for because they don't want to talk about how it might actually affect people's daily lives.
They talk in very grand terms but the arithmetic isn't there; there's no business plan, there's no plan to actually execute on this thing.
So it remains to be seen if they're actually going to deliver anything with this because if they get three-quarters of the way to the finish line, it's still not there. It's incomplete.
Legislature suspensions
The NDP and Greens have said it's not appropriate to discuss the suspensions of the B.C. Legislature's clerk and sergeant-at-arms because of an ongoing RCMP investigation. How can you argue that?
That's true in terms of the actual allegations that might arise against the two individuals who were removed from their positions.
But the auditor general has an overriding obligation to make sure that the financial credibility of British Columbia is intact and that taxpayers are being told the truth about their finances.
There are a lot of questions about the legislature right now, and the high-handed behaviour of the speaker has not helped.
This whole thing has an air of the Keystone Cops about it — and that's not good for the people of British Columbia who are supposed to have faith in this institution.
Opposition obstacles
What are the biggest challenges that come with being opposition leader to a minority government?
It's been very frustrating for us trying to deal with the Greens.
They maintain they're an independent organization with their own ways of thinking; they talk a lot about independent policy and evidence-based policy; but then they just vote slavishly with the NDP.
Given that it's a minority government, there's an opportunity to do some really creative things to provide better public policy. But instead we get the Greens just following the party line of the NDP.
It's very frustrating because why do they exist as a party if they're just going to follow along with the NDP?
Leadership identity
How has it been stepping into this role on the heels of someone like Christy Clark? How do you plan to leave your own mark as leader of the B.C. Liberals?
I'm often told I'm not Christy Clark — sometimes that's a good thing, sometimes that's not so good.
But I'm a very different person with obviously a very different style.
Christy was very successful in her own right and I thank her for the work she did. She gave up most of her adult life for British Columbia.
But I've now got this job and will put my own stamp on it and will hopefully have a lot of fun making sure British Columbians have a real choice in the next election.
This interview has been edited for clarity and structure. Watch the full interview below:
