iN DISCUSSION: What does the future hold for independent MLA Amelia Boultbee?

This is where cold hard facts give way to the hottest of takes, mostly mine I suppose. I’m the editor, Marshall Jones.

Want to include yours? Listen, this isn’t the comment section, this isn’t social media. Discussion and debate requires context and a wee bit of bravery — we need your name and where you’re writing from. Build it in your account or email me anytime.

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It appears Penticton-Summerland MLA Amelia Boultbee is going to test one of my favourite Canadian democracy touch points.

Boultbee was first elected as a Penticton city councillor in 2022. She left council to ride the wave of the B.C. Conservatives when she was elected to the legislature just last year.

She famously left the party earlier this year after a spat with then-leader John Rustad.

Here’s what she told a constituent on social media about her intentions to re-join the party now that Rustad is out.

“I’m not sure about that. I have legislation up for debate which may pass this spring if all goes according to plan, that I likely never would have been able to bring in a whipped caucus let alone manage to rally the votes of the greens and NDP to make it happen. I’ve been very effective as an independent… I’m in no rush to go back.”

Some of this is obviously personal for the MLA and she shouldn’t have to put up with abuse she alleges she suffered by the leader and some party officials, but choosing to remain independent?

I’m sure some people might have voted for Boultbee herself, but most of those were votes for the party she purported to represent. Voters know party platforms, party histories, party intentions.

No one knows about individual candidates. 

I happen to agree with Boultbee, I like the idea of independent MLAs, too — but only if those MLAs got elected as independents. 

The bait-and-switch is nauseating. And it’s only interesting as a novel concept. Nothing (well, less anyway) would get done in Victoria with independents.

That’s why we have parties, to get things done.

The legislation Boultbee said she hopes to pass would make it easier to recall MLAs, inspired no doubt by Tara Armstrong, who played a similar game in Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream. Armstrong left the Conservative party within months of getting elected by saying nothing in the campaign about her personal politics.

We’re going to recall her as soon as possible.

But Boultbee should perhaps be concerned her legislation isn’t used against her and she doesn’t get recalled for the same reason. 

That’s my thoughts, what’s yours? Email me at mjones@infonews.ca.

Mj

Marshall Jones

Managing Editor

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iN RESPONSE

Okanagan activist says loggers use fire mitigation as a ‘Trojan horse’ for profit

Shortly after Lytton burned to the ground our inventory branch (office of chief forester) ventured above the fire to sample some long term plots. While driving into these samples we criss-crossed through the Lytton fire north of the bridge and up the steep slope. The whole burn in this steep and unstable area was being laid out for salvage logging. My immediate thoughts were, this area is too steep, too unstable and ravaged from the effects of the fire to go in and harvest because the ground won’t handle logging without some serious damage to the terrain which could end in catastrophic losses. Why does common sense sometimes fly out the door to salvage timber after fire? Where is the accountability in BC? It doesn’t exist because stupidity prevails in the face of logging.

— Julia Smith via iNFOnews.ca

BC man who rapped about shooting friend gets 10 years jail

Justice Maisonville was either misquoted or mis-spoke. He will be eligible for release on parole at 51. There is no guarantee at all that he will be granted that parole and he will in any case be under supervision for life if he does ever get parole.

— William Mastop via iNFOnews.ca

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Tara Armstrong Recall Countdown

Tara Armstrong is currently the MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream. She rode the coattails of the BC Conservative Party, got elected, then rejected and left the party to serve as an Independent within weeks because the Conservatives were too left wing. Now she gets to spout moronic, hateful rhetoric and claim that her riding supports her.

Elections BC says you can recall an MLA if 40% of eligible voters in the riding sign a recall petition — but not for the first 18 months after an election. Some people started an online petition calling for a byelection once she made a shift to independent, then got herself a raise by forming her own party, but it won’t mean anything until the countdown clock hits zero.

So let the countdown begin!

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