ESCORT CHAMBER — MLAs are public servants. But one person was looking for a different kind service in the legislature on Thursday.
As John Horgan and Bill Bennett battled it out over B.C. Hydro rates during question period, one of the phones on the clerk’s table in the middle of the chamber started to ring.
The table officers quickly and quietly answered the phone. “Is this the escort service, and do you have anyone available?” the caller asked.
The unflappable clerks, who have dealt with far worse situations (read: Kevin Krueger outbursts), didn’t miss a beat.
“Not right now,” they said, and hung up.
LEADOFF BATTERS — Numerous rookie MLAs delivered their first speeches in the legislature this past week. They ranged from awed to comical.
Liberal MLA Laurie Throness remarked in passing: “Am I really here? Is it really happening? Somebody will have to pinch me.”
Transportation Minister Todd Stone paid tribute to his grandfather, who was “a staunch CCFer and member of the New Democratic Party,” much to Stone’s dismay.
“But I always said to him: ‘Gramps, one day I’m going to get elected, and I’m going to hang a picture of you in my office in the legislature.’ So I’m thrilled to say that even though he’s probably rolling in his grave, there is a big picture of my Grandpa Spring in my office here in the legislature. I’m sure that he would be very proud.”
NDP MLA David Eby thanked his brothers and sisters for teaching him how to negotiate “when dealing with someone else who is clearly wrong."
“I’m sure that is a skill set that will come in handy in this house.”
A DREAM DIES — One of North Island Liberal candidate Nick Facey’s election promises was that the twisting 45-kilometre gravel road from the Island Highway to Zeballos would be paved.
Facey lost to NDP MLA Claire Trevena, who followed up on the promise this past week.
She asked if the road will be paved, or if all the money for that job was used up on the jobs plan for failed Liberal candidates. (Facey and several others wound up with jobs in ministers’ offices.)
Transportation Minister Todd Stone said: “At this point in time, there are no plans to pave this road to Zeballos.”
LIAR LIAR — New Democrats are still having fun with the fact Premier Christy Clark doesn’t have a seat in the house, and so they can call her by name during debate. They’ve coined the “Christy Clark wheelchair tax” and sprinkled it into speeches as often as they can. But Bruce Ralston took it too far when he started talking about Clark’s promises for a “debt-free B.C.”
“This is really the biggest lie that Christy Clark told in the election — repeatedly lied about it. ‘Debt-Free British Columbia.’ Well, the provincial debt, under her …” he said.
That’s as far as he got. Ralston was reminded MLAs can’t call people liars. Ralston argued that he’s not allowed to say it about other MLAs, but he can call ordinary non-elected folk liars. No way, said the deputy speaker. Ralston was forced to withdraw.
MOE AWARDS, MOE PROBLEMS — An attack on the dismal ratings and high costs of the government-sponsored Times of India Film Awards blew up in the face of the NDP Opposition last week.
They attacked the event with gusto, only to have the Liberals produce a picture of their president, Moe Sihota, posing happily there with Premier Christy Clark.
Sihota said he was invited by friends.
“The premier happened to be there, a number of people in the Indo-Canadian press couldn’t resist the opportunity to take the picture of the two of us,” he recalled.
“The civil and appropriate thing to do was to grant them their request.”
The Liberals are “well within their rights to try and play it for political benefit,” admitted Sihota. “But it won’t be the first or the last time I pose with the opposition.”
— With files from Les Leyne and Rob Shaw
