Evan Solomon pens an open letter to Christy Clark

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      The only man with his own national radio and national television show on the public broadcaster has chastised B.C.'s premier for her antidemocratic ways.

      Evan Solomon, host of CBC Radio's The House and CBC TV's Power & Politics, wrote an open letter condemning Christy Clark for cancelling the fall sitting of the legislature.

      "Now, I realize that you're extremely busy these days," Solmon wrote. "Three of your top ministers recently announced they're leaving your government—that's not fun. And then there's that massive provincial deficit."

      While acknowledging that the premier is busy, he asked if she "might want to squeeze a little democracy" into her schedule, given that the legislature only sat for 48 days last year.

      "Is it really too much for citizens to want their leaders to focus on key issues and reaching out—whatever that means—while being held accountable in their own legislature?" Solomon wrote. "Am I quibbling here to think that's your job?"

      Solomon ended his letter by proposing that the premier sit down and talk with him about the major issues she's dealing with.

      Good luck, Evan. The premier has never granted an interview to the Georgia Straight since she entered the B.C. Liberal leadership race in 2010, even though thousands of copies of this paper are distributed every week in her Vancouver–Point Grey constituency. We don't expect that situation to change before the next election.

      Nor do we expect that she'll talk to you, even though Vancouver–Point Grey may have CBC Radio's highest per-capita listenership of any provincial constituency in the region.

      The reality is that Clark appears to be more interested in talking to residents of Williams Lake or business people in Hong Kong than to the people who elected her to the legislature.


      Follow Charlie Smith on Twitter at twitter.com/csmithstraight.

      Comments

      15 Comments

      SPY vs SPY

      Sep 15, 2012 at 11:46am

      She is afraid of her own shadow.

      Clark is being advised to become a Visual and Virtual Premier.

      That is, she will only appear at scripted events ( no one opposed to her allowed at these events). She will have Press Meetings ( do not confuse with Press Conferences )and Photo opportunities ( no questions allowed ).

      This is the Canadian Conservative / USA Republican way of Governing when you are intensely disliked by the Majority.

      She's Toast I tell Yah,
      Burnt Toast,
      Deep Fried Toast

      or just plain Toast

      Lawson

      Sep 15, 2012 at 1:20pm

      Do not worry Christy Clark is toast and she is not very bright, Do you want a Premier like that?

      The Majority...

      Sep 15, 2012 at 1:35pm

      ...need to get their act together and govern ourselves. The majority have to channel the negative cynicism into positive governance, encouraging the capable and fair to run for office. Our disenfranchisement is fuelled by neo-con vote-suppression and other dirty tricks to prop up fascist tyranny

      DavidH

      Sep 15, 2012 at 1:36pm

      I find it amusing that some people in the media (present company excepted) still describe her as a skilled communicator.

      You often hear columnists and pundits say things like, "She may not be bright, she may not have an agenda, she may not know what's going on around her ... but wow, she's a skilled communicator."

      Wrong. Her history as a "broadcaster" (using the term loosely) involved talking AT people, not talking WITH them, or engaging them, or listening to them. Talking a lot, glibly, does not a skilled communicator make. Look at Charles Adler.

      She also has an engaging smile, but then so did (does) Alfred E. Neuman. And are any of Clark's "slogan policies" more meaningful than "What, Me Worry?" I don't think so.

      Not my real name

      Sep 15, 2012 at 2:41pm

      Elected? She was elected as leader of her party by Liberals, not as premier by the public .... democracy never a priority with them...

      Sheeple

      Sep 15, 2012 at 4:42pm

      Evan Solomon and the people of BC make the basic wrong assumption that the Neo-Con Fiberals represent the people.

      Scambell, Crusty et al do not they are there for Corporate interests, not you or I.

      Pat Crowe

      Sep 15, 2012 at 4:58pm

      Why doesn't Evan just give up trying to get her to do her job in disgust like everyone else in the province?
      She'll get the message in the next election. The one she has to call. The one where the people drag her kicking and screaming from her office.And her party is history...again.
      Right, Christy!
      See ya, wouldn't wanna be ya.

      Louis Cyphre

      Sep 15, 2012 at 7:20pm

      LOL yeah because Williams Lake ain't in the province! Charlie!

      judi sommer

      Sep 15, 2012 at 7:41pm

      Yikes! So Ms Clark promised us we would see the regs governing the structure of the post HST world in BC as they weren't included in the legislation passed earlier this summer. How on earth will we have economic stability in the province if we don't know what they are planning. Falcon sort-of-maybe promised what had previously been exempt from the PST would return to be so-but there is a new sherrif De Jong in town. I suspect many people are sitting on their wallets not going ahead with big ticket items until this is resolved. Phone the Liberal MLA's! Give them an earful!!

      out at night

      Sep 15, 2012 at 8:58pm

      Wow, way to go Evan! I am most impressed.