STEVIE WONDER — Steve Thomson put up the ceremonial mock resistance after being acclaimed as Speaker and had to be dragged the length of the aisle up to the throne. That made things difficult — the burly Kelowna-Mission MLA and former rugby star stands about six-four, which makes him hard to push around.
Luckily, he gave indications elsewhere of actually wanting the job, for reasons that are hard to explain. He said he was always interested in it and when the Liberals decided they would supply a candidate, he decided to let his name stand.
But it looks to be a short-term gig.
Thomson noted the long-standing practice of the government identifying a Speaker coming from their side — and signalled that he would likely quit in the coming days.
Should the New Democrats topple the minority Liberal government on a confidence motion this week, it would make the NDP the government and Thomson would likely step down.
Thomson gave a few other unintentional clues about his plans. After his name was announced, he asked the house for a short recess, “in order to assume the appropriate retire … attire.” (Nearby, cabinet minister Stephanie Cadieux could be seen cracking up at the brief fumble.) He also promised reporters he’d work hard in the “days ahead,” later extending that to weeks and months.
Premier Christy Clark welcomed him to the chair and its elaborate console, which controls house activities, with: “Watch out for the button for the ejector seat.”
The NDP and Greens would prefer a Liberal Speaker based just on the head count (they have a combined 44 seats, while the Liberals have 43), so they praised the well-regarded MLA to the skies.
“It’s not just the cool hat you get to wear now, which is coveted by all members, but it’s also our gratitude for taking on this challenge … ” said Opposition Leader John Horgan.
If Thomson resigns after the confidence vote, he’ll have a place in the history books and get his portrait on the wall in the Speaker’s corridor.
DEAD WRONG — Speaking of the Speaker’s corridor, Clerk of the House Craig James set the record straight about the photo of D.W. Higgins that hangs there.
“A Speaker often serves for a parliament until he or she resigns or, heaven forbid, they die in office,” James said. “Even in death, the Speaker cannot escape the clutches of this place.
“Members are fond of referring to Speaker Higgins’ photograph in the Speaker’s corridor, where it was thought that despite his death, he was dressed, propped up and a photograph taken of him. I’m here to tell you that he was not dead then, although he looked like it, but he is now, having served as Speaker from 1890 to 1898.”
So that kills the best part of the legislature tour.
HISTORY LESSON — James also offered a bit of background about the Speaker’s role and those who have filled the post.
Thomson becomes the 38th person to take the job, the first being James Trimble of Victoria City, who was elected in 1872.
“B.C. was the first Commonwealth parliament to elect a woman Speaker — Nancy Hodges, Victoria City — in 1950,” James said. “And in 1994, B.C. elected the first black person to serve as Speaker: Emery Barnes, representing Vancouver-Burrard.
“The longest-serving Speaker was Norman William Whittaker of Saanich, who held the office from 1937 to 1947.”
ROSTER CHANGES — With all the fuss about Thomson’s appointment, a few other job postings got overlooked. Shuswap Liberal MLA Greg Kyllo will serve as deputy Speaker; Burnaby-Edmonds NDP MLA Raj Chouhan will be the assistant deputy Speaker; and Abbotsford-Mission Liberal MLA Simon Gibson will serve as deputy chairman of the committee of the whole.
IN MEMORIUM — By tradition, the throne speech pays tribute to prominent British Columbians who have died.
Former Social Credit cabinet minister Grace McCarthy was remembered as “tough, compassionate, principled, and unflinching in the face of change.”
The speech also honoured Christine Archibald, originally from Castlegar, who died in a terrorist attack in London this month. She was “brutally taken from her family in the attacks on London Bridge, by people fueled with hate, but who are destined to fail in spreading their evil.”
— By Les Leyne and Lindsay Kines
