SO LONG, SAYONARA — Twenty-three MLAs are retiring (roughly one-quarter of the house) and many tried to squeeze in thank-you speeches before leaving.
Most called for reform that would let MLAs contribute more on committees and in debates.
George Abbott broke down when talking about his family. Blair Lekstrom called for the end to legal immunity for MLAs in the house. Kevin Falcon paid tribute to Gordon Campbell as one of the great premiers. John Les called question period “a stupid thing. It brings out the worst in all of us.”
Randy Hawes demanded the next Speaker let MLAs drink coffee in the chamber, and, no fan of his premier, ended with this quote from the comic strip Pogo: “I’ve seen the enemy, and it’s us.”
Guy Gentner dedicated his speech to all the backbenchers who only get to participate in two-minute statements.
“Cabinet and opposition leaders do not appreciate all of the time spent reducing earth-shattering epitaphs into mere seconds — editing, rewriting. It takes time. …
“It’s been said that a sucker is born every minute, but a backbencher can speak for two minutes.”
Unfortunately, Gentner’s two-minute speech on two-minute speeches went for more than two minutes and the Speaker cut him off.
ROCK AND ROLL RUFF — No money. Fewer groupies. And not an electric guitar to be seen. Those are just a few of the differences between a lifetime membership in the Legislative Press Gallery and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
“People often say that if you can’t get inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the second-best thing that you can do is win an honorary life membership in the Legislative Press Gallery of British Columbia,” Liberal MLA George Abbott told the house this past week.
“The honour is going to a man who some of us have known as students at the University of Victoria and all of us know as a media commentator. That is UVic emeritus professor Norman Ruff.”
Ruff is B.C.’s most respected political scientist, responsible for teaching not only a generation of MLAs like Abbott, Colin Hansen and Barry Penner, but also educating the entire province with commentary in more than 2,000 news stories.
Clearly, the press corps owed him its highest honour. The significance was best captured by Abbott: “The legislative press gallery of this place is revered and admired in literally every corner of the legislative press gallery,” he deadpanned.
NDP MLA John Horgan called Ruff “a pillar of the political community here in British Columbia.”
Hansen called him a “great British Columbian.”
Ruff, who is fighting cancer, was still providing commentary on politics during his treatment.
GO AGGIES — Liberal MLA Norm Letnick dreamed for almost four years of a day when he would rise in the legislature and provide the government response during question period.
When he was named agriculture minister last September, it looked like his time would come. But agriculture never made it to issue of the day status this session, so day after day, his hopes ebbed.
Finally, on the next-to-last day of the parliament, the Opposition was encouraged to ask him a question, to help fulfil his dream.
NDP critic Lana Popham chose to inquire about the change in the terms of reference to the farmer’s advocate office in Dawson Creek.
Letnick had chapter and verse ready on his ministry’s achievements.
But nothing on the farmers’ advocate office.
House leader Rich Coleman whipped around and slipped a piece of paper onto his desk and Letnick read it into the record.
For posterity.
Minister of State for Seniors Ralph Sultan also debuted in question period that day, after 12 long years in the trenches.
Asked about the federal closure of a foreign visa office, he drew roars of applause with a direct response: “It’s not something they consulted me about. … I will call my member of Parliament.”
— With files from Les Leyne and Rob Shaw
