Environmentally-minded people urged to take over B.C. Liberal leadership vote

    1 of 1 2 of 1

      North Vancouver comedian Jon Cooksey can see the funny side of just about everything. But he’s deadly serious about getting enough green-minded people together to seize upon a “loophole” and join the B.C. Liberals in order to help save the planet.

      “There is this opportunity for a not-very-big group of voters to even temporarily join the B.C. Liberal Party and directly elect a premier,” Cooksey, creator of the documentary How to Boil a Frog, told the Straight by phone. “This is happening at a time when we are on the tipping point or past it for runaway global warming, in particular, and the frontrunner candidate is talking about repealing a puny carbon tax that is grossly inadequate, but is the only one there is in North America.”

      People must become members of the B.C. Liberals by February 4 at 5 p.m. to be eligible to cast a ballot in the leadership vote.

      Cooksey, a member of the Vancouver Peak Oil executive, has already walked his talk. He said he’s slapped down $10 for his B.C. Liberal party membership and has cancelled his membership with the provincial Greens.

      According to Cooksey, he’s not alone. A North Shore environmental ally, Tarah Stafford, told Cooksey she has joined the B.C. Liberals and convinced 50 of her friends to do the same.

      The next B.C. Liberal leader could govern for two and a half years, Cooksey added, saying this is a once-or-maybe-twice-in-a-century opportunity.

      Cooksey also claimed he has urged federal Green party leader Elizabeth May to run for the B.C. Liberal leadership, but has received “no response” to his request.

      “That [B.C. Liberal] person is going to be elected by a group of people less than 20,000 for sure, probably 10,000, and maybe even 5,000,” Cooksey said. “So, 5,000 or 10,000 voters are going to elect the next premier. And, if we could get everybody in the Green party or everyone that gives a damn about the environment to join the B.C. Liberals for the next 60 days, and, well, basically we can elect anyone we want. It’s too bad we don’t have a candidate worth voting for.”

      Kevin Falcon, according to Cooksey, is “avowedly anti-Earth”.

      Cooksey added that Christy Clark has not impressed him with her support for the Taseko Mines project at Fish Lake, which he said she expressed at a town hall meeting in West Vancouver during the campaign.

      “If nothing else, let’s create a mass of swing voters within the [B.C.] Liberal Party that some candidate has to step forward and take a position in favour of the environment to bring to their side,” Cooksey said.

      The Straight contacted the teams of leadership hopefuls Clark, Falcon, and George Abbott for interviews, but did not receive a response today (January 25).

      Reverting to humour, Cooksey said 10,000 14-year-olds, each paying the $5 membership fee, could sign up and elect the next premier.

      “Which is hilarious,” he said. “Not necessarily good, but hilarious.”

      Comments

      11 Comments

      Montag451

      Jan 25, 2011 at 5:39pm

      What an excellent idea... The Ms. May part wouldcbe even better!

      Chet

      Jan 25, 2011 at 6:52pm

      Desperate is as Desperate Does

      Odd

      Jan 25, 2011 at 7:47pm

      The problem is, the BC Liberals have so greenwashed themselves, there's no green left, just a dull brown.

      seth

      Jan 25, 2011 at 8:53pm

      I already did it for the same reason.

      George Abbott is the best of a bad lot and represents the parties progressive wing. NDP, Green, and other progressives, should at least for a few months become patriots, buy BCLiberal party memberships, vote for Abbot, and pray we elect the only remotely tolerable candidate that has a chance to win. If even a small fraction of us did it, Abbot would win.

      Gordy Hogg supports Abbot and he is as lefty as you can find in that party.

      BCRail will likely sink Clark, and it is impossible to tell what she stands for. What she does say I really don't like.

      Three more years of fascist rule under Falcon/Coleman will bankrupt the province.
      seth

      Ken Lawson

      Jan 26, 2011 at 1:03am

      Now I know why Im not renewing my Liberal membership all the enviromental wing nuts are coming over from the green and vision vanouver party no thanks, I will wait to see what the BC Conservatives have to offer

      tim.

      Jan 26, 2011 at 2:56am

      this just shows the bc greens have a lot more in common with the bc liberals and that they aren't progressive at all.

      the fact is a bc liberal will always be a bc liberal. their track record on the environment is horrific. signing up as a member will only fuel their party and won't be able to counter the big-business in their party.

      seth

      Jan 26, 2011 at 1:23pm

      Don't forget as well that it takes as little as 100 votes to nominate a candidate in your district. Nominate progressives for candidates and vote for them.

      The BCLiberal party used to be Liberal under Gordon Wilson. It can be again!!!.
      seth

      Steve Y

      Jan 26, 2011 at 8:48pm

      Too bad the NDP has a basically closed voting system. I think this is good for politics in BC where people can get more involved in politics.

      Ryan L

      Feb 2, 2011 at 12:17am

      This is a good idea. Jon is right about George Abbott has talked about getting rid of the Carbon Tax. Christy Clark is probably the best on climate change, but I don't know what Mike de Jong position is.

      Tbird

      Feb 4, 2011 at 3:52pm

      This is the spirit! We CAN affect change by joining together. We need to force them to address this! It is THE most important issue of our generation!
      Lets make the change we want to see!