Foreign Affairs Minister David Emerson listens to a question from a reporter upon arrival from Ottawa at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C., on Thursday September 4, 2008.Darryl Dyck/ The Canadian Press
Christy Clark says Kevin Falcon, her rival for the leadership of the BC Liberals, has gone overboard with his extensive lists of supporters from the business community.
"Clearly Kevin is not having any trouble stacking up lists of insiders, but I think what British Columbians, and BC Liberals want from government now is not a leader who can grant access to people who already have a lot of access," Ms. Clark said Monday.
"The issue for government has been all the other people have felt cut out of government. They felt they haven't had access."
Ms. Clark, a former deputy premier returning to politics after a stint of several years as a radio talk show host, said she has business support - Gwyn Morgan, the former president and CEO of energy company EnCana Corp is among a team of corporate leaders offering her advice - but questioned why it would be germane to only list business support and not support from other groups.
"When you start making lists of one group of supporters, you implicitly diminish the values of all of the other votes that you hope to get," said Ms. Clark, who has been leading various polls as the candidate said to be most popular with BC Liberals and members of the public..
"The business people that support me are really important , but so are the stay at home moms and so are the teachers and so are the bus drivers."
Dozens of B.C. business leaders have endorsed Mr. Falcon through a campaign effort called Falcon 20/20, leading to lists of varied executive supporters in sectors across the B.C. economy.
Ms. Clark's observation came as Mr. Falcon announced he had won the support of David Emerson, who has been a leader of the corporate world as well as a federal cabinet minister for both Liberal and Conservative prime ministers.
Mr. Emerson, a former president of Canfor Corporation, said Monday he had thought of withholding an endorsement for any of the six candidates, but that he and his wife, Theresa, decided to make a choice.
He said he thinks Mr. Falcon, who stepped down as health minister to seek the leadership and previously had a long run as transportation minister, is best equipped by experience and temperament to manage the B.C. economy going forward.
"I've watched him over quite a number of years. I used to sometimes feel sorry for him. He was so uncomfortable sometimes on the public stage.
"That tells me you're dealing with a person who is very sincere. I've seen him take some pretty heavy barrages of criticism over some of the issues he was involved in, but he had his principles, he had his strategy and he stuck by it, and he swam his way through it and I admire it because an awful lot of leadership is about getting knocked around and feeling uncomfortable, but sticking with your principles, and staying the course.
"I think he has got those qualities."
Mr. Emerson said he likes George Abbott -"[He's]solid, and he's got lots of good qualities. I certainly have nothing negative to say about him" - but that he prefers Mr. Falcon.
Asked about Christy Clark, he said he did not want to comment.
He said business people consider the future, and "don't like flakiness" or uncertainty so the support for Mr. Falcon is a big positive for him.
"At the end of the day, those are the folks that shape the economy and create the jobs going forward. I think it's going to be a lot tougher going forward than it has been in the last five or 10 years in B.C."
Mr. Emerson was industry minister under Liberal prime minister Paul Martin, and international and trade minister under Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper. That transition came in 2006 when Mr. Emerson accepted an offer from Mr. Harper to cross the floor despite winning his Vancouver-Kingsway seat as a federal Liberal.
BC Liberals will chose their new leader, the successor to outgoing Premier Gordon Campbell, on Feb. 26.