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UPDATES: Three Liberals bail
VICTORIA/CKNW (AM980)
Sean Leslie | Email news tips to Sean
8/30/2012

Three more Liberal MLAs have made it offical: they are getting out of B.C. politics and won't run again.

Education Minister George Abbott has now confirmed what he strongly hinted at just a few days ago on The World Today on CKNW: He's not going to seek re-election next May.

Abbott has spent more than 30 years in public life.

He had been one of the highest profile members of the Clark government, and serving in one of the most challenging ministries.

Veteran Liberal MLA John Les is calling it quits.

The 60-year-old Les cites his age and long service in the Chilliwack riding, which he's held since 2001.

He says it's time for new blood.

Les also downplays the exodus and says Premier Christy Clark should not be written off.

"She's a great campaigner and those who count out the BC Liberal Party's prospects in the next election in may are making a big mistake. I know that some have already written the narrative, they should maybe just keep it in the can."

Les will remain as MLA until next May.

He says he may pursue volunteer work or a private sector job after politics. 

Children and Family Development Minister Mary McNeil has decided not to seek re-election next year, saying she has already lost out on quality time with her grandchildren over the past four years.

McNeil was first elected in 2009.

She says she will stay on as MLA for Vancouver-False Creek until the election.

Clark says Abbott's keen intellect and sharp wit around the cabinet table will be greatly missed.

With 13 grandchildren, Clark says she understand's McNeil's decision to retire.

And she calls the John Les' decision not to seek re-election a loss to the government.


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  • 12
  1. KenL_6250 posted on 08/30/2012 11:58 AM
    This is more great news more should fallow like this Naomi Yamamoto and others! She is completely useless, where are the results of academic fraud BC schools by China Chinese? Asked her many times just hiding thinking people will forget about this.
  2. PeterS_8364 posted on 08/30/2012 11:59 AM
    Re. Les' observation: In my narrative, it's John Les who finishes up in the can; and if there is any justice in this province, that's just where he will languish....together with a number of his criminal fellow Liberals!
  3. SalV posted on 08/30/2012 12:06 PM
    Cue to the abandon ship references!
  4. taxed to death posted on 08/30/2012 12:37 PM
    Last think Snookie was heard saying this morning after she stopped choking on the other foot in her mouth " Sara, thats a wrap (not gum wrap) will you and Pam turn off the lights on the way out, Hamish and i are outa here on a flight to South America!

    Beat it snookie your done!
  5. BOBF_5970 posted on 08/30/2012 01:29 PM
    so , i must conclude that the four of you can hardly wait for the ndp to come riding in to rescue this province ? have you all lost your memories...i was so peeved with the last election i refused to vote...i can assure you that this time i will vote for anyone but the ndp.....i am really hoping to be able to vote for an indepandant. where is another chuck cadman
    when you need him.
    1. taxed to death posted on 08/30/2012 02:46 PM
      @BOBF_5970 No not at all in fact like yourself my voting strategy is the same. As voters we literally have no one to vote for. The Liberals have ruined this province in the last 10 years and Snookie is just making thins far worse than they need to or should be. The first thing she should have done id removed the HST period! On merit alone....

      She's a criminal!
  6. RonE_1902 posted on 08/30/2012 04:23 PM
    I would not rule out a new party formed by both remaining Liberals and Conservatives. This would eliminate the NDP and any split vote advantage.

    Stay tuned as it is never over till the fat lady sings.
    1. miltw posted on 09/02/2012 01:57 PM
      @RonE_1902 It will take JC himself to yank this province out of the hell that the lirebrals have sunk it to. And I don't mean John C.
  7. SlimP_9860 posted on 08/30/2012 06:00 PM
    Christie, you're probably okay, probably would make a friendly, perky kind of neighbor too, which means a lot more than a lot of the other stuff, when you get right down to it. But, you are in over your head. That was bad advice you got about not calling an election when you were first voted in by your party, and it went sideways from there. Too late now, however it happened. Time to pull your stakes, and pack it up. This isn't for you.
    Or us.
  8. edwardm_4515 posted on 08/31/2012 09:18 AM
    please Christie, why don't you step aside now and save yourself a lot of heartache in May.
  9. joes_2868 posted on 09/02/2012 07:07 PM
    Propaganda machine at work. Finance Minister Kevin Falcon resigns, and the B.C. media starts spreading the propaganda that he is leaving because the B.C. Liberal government is a sinking ship.
    They forget to mention that Graham Steele, the New Democrat Party finance minister in Nova Scotia, an icon, resigns in the third year of their mandate. Graham's saying his departure is driven by personal consideration and an internal clock that chimes for a career change.
    Bill Estabrook, the NDP Minister of Transportation, a five term elected candidate, also resigns because of advanced Parkinson's disease. The premier does not blow a gasket, just has a cabinet shuffle and life goes on. Here in B.C., the media is saying that it is time for a change of government because the B.C. Liberals have been in government for 11 years.
    They don't mention that it is OK for Alberta to keep the Conservatives in government for 41 years, the NDP in Manitoba for 13 years, the Liberals in Ontario for 10 years, the Liberals in Quebec for nine years, and the Conservatives in Newfoundland and Labrador for nine years.
    How come it is always OK in other Canadian provinces but never OK in B.C.?
    The time has come for the B.C. media to start mentioning facts for comparison purposes and using reality before propaganda remarks are made. We won't go into it, but these media people do make good wages, so start earning it. The taxpayers have the final say in who will be government, and they should not be marking their voting ballots based on B.C. media propaganda. If you compared this scenario with a kindergarten class, the B.C. media would be in the detention room every day of the school year. Unbelievable, but true!
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