The atmosphere was “very positive” at the Oct. 26-27 BC Liberal Party convention in Whistler attended by about 1,000 delegates, says Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett.
“I've been to many conventions. I've been to the Socred [former Social Credit party's] conventions when it was passing on – and it was not good – but this was positive the whole way.”
She was at the conference from Thursday night to noon on Saturday, Barnett explains, as she returned to 100 Mile House early for a good friend’s memorial tea.
While she was unable to participate in many of the policy and resolution sessions held after that, Barnett did attend some.
“One very interesting resolution was ... the vote was about 80 per cent to continue with the carbon tax.”
People, who didn’t belong to the party, were invited to come and ask questions at a meeting on Oct. 26, she notes.
Called an accountability session, the local MLA says it had all the cabinet members up on the podium and anyone could ask them questions.
“I thought it was very good. When the questions were posed to [the ministers], they answered them directly. I didn't see anybody skirting around the question.”
Barnett also attended a sold-out breakfast meeting hosted by the BC Liberals Women's Network, along with many other women, and a few men, she notes.
Again, all the female MLAs fielded question, and together with the networking experiences, she says it was “very interesting.”
Barnett adds many meeting rooms were full at this year's convention.
“A lot of people sometimes don't go to the sessions ... but I thought the attendance was quite good.”
She notes Whistler isn't an easy place to get to with no commercial airport service.
“The whole province was represented, I believe. I think every riding had delegates.”
Cariboo-Chilcotin BC Liberal Association president Bill Carruthers says the association didn't put forward resolutions, but he was personally disappointed when some he supported didn't make prioritization for voting.
He notes there were only 16-18 of 63 resolutions in total voted on before the time ran out.
Carruthers isn't sure what will happen with those not voted on, as the ones the delegates supported will go forward to government for legislative consideration.
Some of the more interesting resolutions were “hotly debated,” but did not pass, he explains.
One asked for public disclosure of where the union dues are spent in public sectors, which Carruthers says he's glad didn't pass.
“I really think that's a union membership issue.... I'm not sure that's a situation where the government should say, 'Hey, we're not really happy where you spend the money'.”
A couple of groups also “took some runs” at the British Columbia Teachers' Federation, he adds, as to whether it should have compulsory membership.
“There were some teachers in the crowd, who said, 'Look, this is an internal issue’ and I agree.”
He notes these are not things that should be legislated, or they can become draconian.
Carruthers says resolutions passed that stood out to him included mandating balanced provincial budgets.
“I agree with that. I think we have to start looking more prudently at how we're doing our finances. You can't spend money you don't have.”
This is his personal opinion, not necessarily reflective of the riding association, he quickly adds. Carruthers notes a breakout session that focused on taxes and finance was standing-room-only.
“It's very much a concern to people, as to how we raise funding for government and how we use it.”