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Bill Speaks His Mind December 1, 2010

Posted by admin in : Bill Bennett , comments closed

After a tempestuous few weeks in BC politics, Bill Bennett, MLA for Kootenay East, finds himself sitting as an Independent. This move followed a series of conflicts within the Cabinet and BC Liberal Caucus.

In an MLA column entitled My Constituents Deserve to Know, Bill Bennett explains that over his years of serving as an MLA and minister, many political decisions coming out of the office of the Premier have bothered him. However, the benefits he could bring back to his constituents were too great for him to risk losing his job. He continued to do his job until he reached a line that he could not cross. According to Bennett, ―Honesty and my personal well-being began to overshadow the important value of being part of a political team.‖ He knew that it was time to confront Premier Gordon Campbell.

On October 26, Bill Bennett publicly criticized Premier Campbell for his latest government reorganization plan. Over the next few weeks, he worked with colleagues to ―persuade Premier Campbell that the BC Liberal Party, the government, and the Province, would benefit from his quick retirement.‖ On November 10, Gordon Campbell resigned with plans to stay on until a new leader is chosen. On November 13, Bill Bennett, privately supported by many in the Caucus, went public with the belief that Campbell should step down immediately. These views were not publicly supported and Bill Bennett was fired from Cabinet on November 17 and from the BC Liberal caucus on November 19. He now sits as an Independent MLA.

―To my constituents, whether you have supported me in the past or not, I say a sincere thank you for allowing me the honour of working for you. I have over two years left as the MLA for Kootenay East. My choices are to sit as an Independent; start a new provincial party; rejoin the BC Liberals under a new leader; seek the MP‘s job; return to private life. Please email me or call and let me know what you think. Thank you. bill.bennett.mla@leg.bc.ca