B.C. Liberals and NDP spar over proposed one-on-one debate
The B.C. Liberals are criticizing NDP Leader Adrian Dix for rejecting a one-on-one debate with Premier Christy Clark.
Clark accepted a proposal today (April 9) from Global BC for a televised townhall meeting on May 6, but Dix said all provincial political leaders should be included in the debate.
"It's extremely disappointing," Margaret MacDiarmid, the B.C. Liberal candidate for Vancouver-Fairview, said in a news release. “I think people want to see Premier Clark and the NDP leader have a real debate. But rather than engage in an exchange of ideas, the NDP are keeping the leader and his policies hidden."
Dix told reporters following an NDP platform announcement this morning that the leaders of the B.C. Conservatives and the Green Party of B.C. should also have an opportunity to participate in the debate.
“The election doesn’t belong to the premier or me, it belongs to the voters,” he said. “And I think to try and exclude the Conservative party and Green party, who are also competing with me for votes, is just wrong.”
The townhall featuring Clark and Dix would be in addition to two debates featuring the four party leaders, according to the press release from the B.C. Liberals.
"This is a chance to have another debate featuring the two people who have the opportunity to be premier," MacDiarmid said. "The other leaders will participate in debates but the opportunity for a one-on-one debate was something the NDP wanted in 2009 and now refuse to do."
Dix argued Clark’s challenge to a one-on-one debate without the Green or Conservative party leaders is “not an offer for the premier to make.”
“For the premier, at this point, having refused to allow the legislature to sit from the end of May until the middle of February...and then when we got into question period, we saw the difficulty the government had in answering basic questions about its functioning, I think it’s incredibly disrespectful now to put forward these kind of phony election-tile challenges,” he charged.
Comments
7 Comments
Smart politics, terrible for democracy
Apr 9, 2013 at 3:36pm
Of course he's scared to debate Christy one on one. Why would he leave the safety of his bubble and risk exposing himself for what he his. The media lemmings are eating out his palms and his plan of disclosing nothing is working wonders. No need to change that now.
pippatch
Apr 9, 2013 at 4:04pm
Dix would destroy her one on one.
Lawrence
Apr 9, 2013 at 4:26pm
Why sacrifice your position when you are on top, you have little to gain and the underdog has much to gain. The Liberals are desperatly grasping at straws. Let them suffer in frustration.
DavidH
Apr 9, 2013 at 5:31pm
I've seen some pretty clumsy political tactics over the years, but the BC Liberals are - without question - the most inept.
Any idiot can see the messaging here (McDiarmid blurted it out). Unfortunately, you'd have to be a mouth-breathing, drooling moron to believe it.
Clark is obliged to debate ALL of her challengers. Sadly, that makes her to the minority ... but that's also reality lady. Don't like it? Then act like the hero you idolized yesterday - Margaret Thatcher.
Would the Iron Lady back away from a challenge or take it on? Come on Christy, tell us all about it.
Twit.
James Blatchford
Apr 9, 2013 at 6:54pm
The Liberals are obviously borrowing tactical strategies from North Korea.
Hmmn, an immature leader with delusions of grandeur..
cherylb
Apr 10, 2013 at 8:15am
How arrogant of Christy to demand that only she and Dix participate in the debate. Last time I looked, there were four major parties running candidates.
Oh, and Global issued the invite? Isn't that the television station that just took payment from the Libs for a half hour BC Liberal "infomercial?"
Can't wait for the 14th.
Chris
Apr 10, 2013 at 1:27pm
Sure, there's OFFICIALLY four major parties running, but is anyone really naive enough to think that this is anything other than a two party race? I don't see the harm in a debate between the two leaders of the only parties that have a chance at winning, especially when this would be IN ADDITION TO debates featuring all four leaders.
That being said, I get why Dix doesn't want to do it. Like someone said above, he has very little to gain but much to lose. Call him a scumbag all you want, but he's smart for not taking this risk. I almost hope the Liberals pull off a win, just to throw that arrogant bastard for a loop.