The campaign to recall from office Kamloops-North Thompson Liberal MLA Terry Lake was to begin last Thursday, February 3.
Registered canvassers have 60 days, until April 4, to obtain the signatures of at least 15,299 registered voters, which is 40 per cent of the 38,246 voters registered to vote in the May 12, 2009 provincial election.
The proponent of the recall campaign is Chad Byron Moats, who, along with MLA Lake, is restricted to spending no more than $39,788.55.
Moats’ statement of why the recall of Lake is warranted:
“I am proposing the recall of Kamloops-North Thompson member of the legislative assembly, Terry Lake, because he supported the deceptive introduction of the harmonized sales tax.
“He refuses to represent the clear wishes of his constituents as expressed in the successful initiative petition to end the tax and return to a provincial sales tax in its previous form.
“Instead, he has chosen to represent the interests of the British Columbia Liberal Party and their supporters in big business over those of his voters in Kamloops-North Thompson.
“Therefore, the voters of Kamloops-North Thompson wish to recall Terry Lake and elect a member of the legislative assembly who will better represent them.
Elections BC has 42 days from the date the petition pages are submitted to the chief electoral officer to verify that those who signed the petition were entitled to do so.
If the recall campaign succeeds, Lake’s seat will become vacant and a byelection must be called within 90 days.
A similar recall campaign on Vancouver Island faces a Feb. 4 deadline and organizers there have all but conceded defeat as they have failed to garner the signatures required.
Story courtesy of Kamloops This Week