Vancouver Island’s only Liberal Member of the Legislative Assembly was surprised by Christy Clark’s departure from politics.
“It did [come as a surprise],” said Parksville-Qualicum MLA Michelle Stilwell. “From all that has happened since the election, I am sure that it was weighing on her mind … what would be best, not only for her, but for our party moving forward. I know it was a very difficult decision for her. Many of us are deeply disappointed.“
There was a deeper cause for Stilwell’s disappointment. She credits Clark as her inspiration to enter the political world in the first place.
“Christy is the reason I stepped up and ran for MLA,” said Stilwell. “Of course there are multiple reasons why a person chooses to serve, but she was certainly one of the deciding factors, in the fact that I believed in her vision for the province, and I believed in her leadership.”
According to Stilwell, the majority of the party was surprised by the announcement.
“I think for the majority of us, we were disappointed, but we all understand that the timing was right for her, and the timing was right for the party,” said Stilwell. “We are in unprecedented waters with the result that we got from the election, and there is definitely work to be done moving forward as a party.”
Stilwell added there was no sense that Clark had lost the confidence of the party.
Now the campaigning begins for a new Liberal leader, who will assume the duties of Leader of the Opposition upon his or her leadership victory. Stilwell would like to see the position widely contested.
“I am hopeful that many people will take a run at it, because that’s what renewal is about,” she said, without mentioning any names in particular. “We need to ensure that we are building the party back up and having that renewal, so I hope there will be people interested from inside caucus and from outside the caucus.”
While no date has been set for a leadership convention, Stilwell is hopeful to have someone in place by early 2018. In the meantime, she said the party is in good hands with interim leader Rich Coleman, who served as Clark’s deputy premier.
“He’s the right person for the job to get us organized and start preparing us for the recall of the legislature,” said Stilwell.
Former Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan, ex-journalist Jas Johal, and Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Todd Stone are among the names already filtering through as possible leadership candidates.