Christy Clark
Encyclopedia
Christina Joan "Christy" Clark, MLA
(born October 29, 1965) is a Canadian
politician, the 35th and current Premier of British Columbia
, Canada. Clark was sworn in as premier on March 14, 2011, after she won the leadership of the BC Liberal Party in the 2011 leadership election
on February 26, 2011.
At the time of her leadership victory, Clark was not a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
, though she previously represented the ridings of Port Moody-Westwood and Port Moody-Burnaby Mountain between 1996 and 2005. During that time she served as Minister of Education, Minister of Children and Family Development and as Deputy Premier. She re-entered the legislature after winning a by-election
on May 11, 2011 in Vancouver-Point Grey
, the riding vacated by her predecessor as premier, Gordon Campbell.
Clark is the second, and longest serving, woman to serve as Premier of British Columbia (Rita Johnston
being the first in 1991), as well as the fourth woman in Canadian history to serve as a provincial premier, and the eighth woman overall to be a first minister. With Eva Aariak currently serving as Premier of Nunavut
, and with Kathy Dunderdale
holding the office of Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
, Clark's investiture as premier in British Columbia also marked the first time in Canadian history that three provinces or territories have simultaneously had female premiers. When Alison Redford
became Premier of Alberta
seven months later, this number was increased to four.
(SFU), the Sorbonne
(France) and the University of Edinburgh
(Scotland), studying Political Science
and Religious Studies
. She, however, does not hold any degree.
In 2001, Clark gave birth to her first child, Hamish Marissen-Clark, with now ex-husband Mark Marissen
. Clark was the second woman in Canadian history to give birth to a child while serving as a cabinet minister, after Pauline Marois
, a Quebec provincial minister, in 1985.
, representing the riding of Port Moody-Burnaby Mountain. During the next five years, she served as the Official Opposition critic for the environment, children and families and for the public service. She also served as the campaign co-chair for the BC Liberals during the 2001 election
, in which the party won 77 of 79 seats in the legislature.
. She brought in a number of changes that were claimed to increase accountability, strengthen parental power in the decision-making process, and provide parents greater choice and flexibility in the school system. These changes were unpopular amongst teachers, school board members, opposition politicians, and union officials who argued that the decision not to fund the pay increases agreed to by the outgoing New Democratic Party government resulted in funding gaps.
As Education Minister, Clark sought to increase the independence of the BC College of Teachers against heavy opposition from the British Columbia Teachers' Federation
.
Clark was deputy premier at the time of the privatization of BC Rail and resulting scandal
. Clark was also the Co-Chair of the 2001 Liberal campaign, which included a platform that specifically promised not to sell BC Rail. In 2009, Michael Bolton, defence attorney in the Basi-Virk trial, alleged that Clark had participated in the scandal by providing government information to lobbyist Erik Bornmann. These allegations were never proven or tested in court. Her brother Bruce Clark, a lobbyist for BC Rail bidder Washington Marine Group
, was the subject of one of the warrants. Though confidential draft "Request for Proposal" documents relating to the bid process allegedly provided by Dave Basi were found in Bruce Clark's home no charges were laid against him. Dave Basi and Bob Virk,Liberal Party insiders were charged for accepting benefits from one of the bidders, however. Ms. Clark has rebuffed talk of her links to the scandal as "smear tactics". At the time of the raids and associated warrants, her then-husband Mark Marissen was visited at home by the RCMP, but like other elected officials she was excluded from any investigation. Her husband was also not under investigation, and was told that he might have been the "innocent recipient" of documents (resumes of people looking for federal political work) then in his possession.
In 2004, Clark was appointed Minister of Children and Family Development after Minister Gordon Hogg
was forced to resign. On September 17, 2004, Clark quit provincial politics and did not seek re-election in the 2005 provincial election. She declared she wanted to spend more time with her three-year old son.
(NPA) to run for Mayor in the Vancouver
Civic Elections against local councillor Sam Sullivan
. On September 24, 2005, she lost the NPA's mayoral nomination to Sullivan by 69 votes out of 2,100 cast. Sullivan was subsequently elected Mayor of Vancouver.
She served as a weekly columnist for the Vancouver Province and the Vancouver Sun newspapers during the 2005 provincial election
and an election analyst for Global BC and CTV News Channel during the 2006 federal election
.
One of her early campaign announcements promised to cancel the Harmonized Sales Tax
(HST) referendum scheduled for September 2011. She suggested a free vote in the House by MLAs, believing the HST referendum has little chance of success. “Let our MLAs do their jobs and let our MLAs vote down the HST. Do it by March 31 and get it over with and get on with life in B.C.,” Clark told a crowd of about 40 in Pitt Meadows.
Her campaign faced questions regarding her involvement in the sale of BC Rail due to her cabinet position and family connection to people "mentioned prominently in court documents, including search warrants", with opposition members stating that she "wants to shut down the public's questions about the scandal". It was in the wake of the controversial Basi-Virk guilty pleas that ended the trial proceedings that she declared her candidacy for the party leadership on her radio show. Clark had called for more questions to be answered about BC Rail, but since then has said that there is no need for a public inquiry, as have the other Liberal Party leadership contenders.
and defeated NDP candidate David Eby by 595 votes. She was sworn into the legislature on May 30, 2011.
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is one of two components of the Parliament of British Columbia, the provincial parliament ....
(born October 29, 1965) is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politician, the 35th and current Premier of British Columbia
Premier of British Columbia
The Premier of British Columbia is the first minister, head of government, and de facto chief executive for the Canadian province of British Columbia. Until the early 1970s the title Prime Minister of British Columbia was often used...
, Canada. Clark was sworn in as premier on March 14, 2011, after she won the leadership of the BC Liberal Party in the 2011 leadership election
British Columbia Liberal Party leadership election, 2011
The British Columbia Liberal Party leadership election of 2011 was prompted by Gordon Campbell's announcement on November 3, 2010 that he would be resigning as Premier of British Columbia and had asked the BC Liberal Party to hold a leadership convention "at the earliest possible date." The...
on February 26, 2011.
At the time of her leadership victory, Clark was not a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is one of two components of the Parliament of British Columbia, the provincial parliament ....
, though she previously represented the ridings of Port Moody-Westwood and Port Moody-Burnaby Mountain between 1996 and 2005. During that time she served as Minister of Education, Minister of Children and Family Development and as Deputy Premier. She re-entered the legislature after winning a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
on May 11, 2011 in Vancouver-Point Grey
Vancouver-Point Grey
Vancouver-Point Grey is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada. It first appeared on the hustings in the general election of 1933. It and the other new Vancouver ridings in this year, Vancouver-Burrard, Vancouver Centre and Vancouver East, were...
, the riding vacated by her predecessor as premier, Gordon Campbell.
Clark is the second, and longest serving, woman to serve as Premier of British Columbia (Rita Johnston
Rita Johnston
Rita Margaret Johnston was a politician in British Columbia, Canada. Johnston became the first female premier in Canadian history when she succeeded William Vander Zalm in 1991 to become the 29th Premier of British Columbia.Much of her early life was spent running a successful trailer park in the...
being the first in 1991), as well as the fourth woman in Canadian history to serve as a provincial premier, and the eighth woman overall to be a first minister. With Eva Aariak currently serving as Premier of Nunavut
Premier of Nunavut
The Premier of Nunavut is the first minister for the Canadian territory of Nunavut. They are the territory's head of government and de facto chief executive, although their powers are considerably smaller than that of a provincial premier....
, and with Kathy Dunderdale
Kathy Dunderdale
Kathleen Mary Margaret "Kathy" Dunderdale MHA is a Canadian politician and the tenth and current Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, having served in this capacity since December 3, 2010...
holding the office of Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
The Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador is the first minister, head of government and de facto chief executive for the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Before 1964, the position's official title was Premier of Newfoundland...
, Clark's investiture as premier in British Columbia also marked the first time in Canadian history that three provinces or territories have simultaneously had female premiers. When Alison Redford
Alison Redford
Alison Merrilla Redford Q.C., MLA, is a Canadian politician, and the 14th and current Premier of Alberta, Canada. Upon winning the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta, in October 2011, she became the first female premier in Alberta...
became Premier of Alberta
Premier of Alberta
The Premier of Alberta is the first minister for the Canadian province of Alberta. He or she is the province's head of government and de facto chief executive. The current Premier of Alberta is Alison Redford. She became Premier by winning the Progressive Conservative leadership elections on...
seven months later, this number was increased to four.
Personal life and education
Clark was born in Burnaby, British Columbia. Her father, Jim, was a teacher and a three-time candidate for the Legislature and her mother, Mavis, was a family counsellor. Clark attended Simon Fraser UniversitySimon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
(SFU), the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
(France) and the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
(Scotland), studying Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
and Religious Studies
Religious studies
Religious studies is the academic field of multi-disciplinary, secular study of religious beliefs, behaviors, and institutions. It describes, compares, interprets, and explains religion, emphasizing systematic, historically based, and cross-cultural perspectives.While theology attempts to...
. She, however, does not hold any degree.
In 2001, Clark gave birth to her first child, Hamish Marissen-Clark, with now ex-husband Mark Marissen
Mark Marissen
Mark Allan Marissen is a senior strategist for the Liberal Party of Canada. He is currently a VP of Vision Critical, a public opinion and market research firm headquartered in Vancouver and was chairman of the Burrard Group, a strategic communications and government relations firm he operated...
. Clark was the second woman in Canadian history to give birth to a child while serving as a cabinet minister, after Pauline Marois
Pauline Marois
Pauline Marois is the current leader of the Parti Québécois in the province of Quebec, since June 27, 2007 and current Leader of the Official Opposition of the National Assembly of Quebec, representing the riding of Charlevoix...
, a Quebec provincial minister, in 1985.
Opposition
Clark was first elected to the legislature in the 1996 electionBritish Columbia general election, 1996
The British Columbia general election of 1996 was the thirty sixth provincial election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on April 30, 1996, and held on May 28, 1996...
, representing the riding of Port Moody-Burnaby Mountain. During the next five years, she served as the Official Opposition critic for the environment, children and families and for the public service. She also served as the campaign co-chair for the BC Liberals during the 2001 election
British Columbia general election, 2001
The British Columbia general election of 2001 was the 37th provincial election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on April 18, 2001, and held on May 16, 2001...
, in which the party won 77 of 79 seats in the legislature.
Government
Following the BC Liberal Party's election victory in 2001, Premier Gordon Campbell appointed Clark Minister of Education and Deputy PremierDeputy Premier of British Columbia
The Deputy Premier of British Columbia is the representative of the Premier of British Columbia in the Canadian province of British Columbia when the current Premier is unable to attend functions executed by the Premier....
. She brought in a number of changes that were claimed to increase accountability, strengthen parental power in the decision-making process, and provide parents greater choice and flexibility in the school system. These changes were unpopular amongst teachers, school board members, opposition politicians, and union officials who argued that the decision not to fund the pay increases agreed to by the outgoing New Democratic Party government resulted in funding gaps.
As Education Minister, Clark sought to increase the independence of the BC College of Teachers against heavy opposition from the British Columbia Teachers' Federation
British Columbia Teachers' Federation
The British Columbia Teachers' Federation is the labour union that represents all public school teachers in the province of British Columbia, Canada.-Governance Structure:...
.
Clark was deputy premier at the time of the privatization of BC Rail and resulting scandal
BC Legislature Raids
The BC Legislature Raids resulted from search warrants executed on the Legislature of British Columbia, Canada, in 2003. The legal proceedings were stopped just before government officials were to testify...
. Clark was also the Co-Chair of the 2001 Liberal campaign, which included a platform that specifically promised not to sell BC Rail. In 2009, Michael Bolton, defence attorney in the Basi-Virk trial, alleged that Clark had participated in the scandal by providing government information to lobbyist Erik Bornmann. These allegations were never proven or tested in court. Her brother Bruce Clark, a lobbyist for BC Rail bidder Washington Marine Group
Washington Marine Group
Seaspan Marine Corporation provides marine-related services to the Pacific Northwest. Within the Group are three shipyards, an intermodal ferry business, and a tug and barge transportation company that serves both domestic and international markets. Seaspan Marine Corporation is part of the...
, was the subject of one of the warrants. Though confidential draft "Request for Proposal" documents relating to the bid process allegedly provided by Dave Basi were found in Bruce Clark's home no charges were laid against him. Dave Basi and Bob Virk,Liberal Party insiders were charged for accepting benefits from one of the bidders, however. Ms. Clark has rebuffed talk of her links to the scandal as "smear tactics". At the time of the raids and associated warrants, her then-husband Mark Marissen was visited at home by the RCMP, but like other elected officials she was excluded from any investigation. Her husband was also not under investigation, and was told that he might have been the "innocent recipient" of documents (resumes of people looking for federal political work) then in his possession.
In 2004, Clark was appointed Minister of Children and Family Development after Minister Gordon Hogg
Gordon Hogg
Gordon Hogg is a BC Liberal Member of the Legislative Assembly, in the province of British Columbia, Canada. He has represented the riding of Surrey-White Rock since 1997. He currently serves as the Parliamentary Secretary for Not for Profit-Public Partnerships. Previously he has been Minister of...
was forced to resign. On September 17, 2004, Clark quit provincial politics and did not seek re-election in the 2005 provincial election. She declared she wanted to spend more time with her three-year old son.
Campaign for mayor of Vancouver
On August 31, 2005, Clark announced that she would seek the nomination of the Non-Partisan AssociationNon-Partisan Association
The Non-Partisan Association is a civic-level electoral organization in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. There are, and have also been in the past, Non-Partisan Association political parties in the nearby municipalities of Burnaby, Richmond and Surrey.The NPA was established in 1937 to...
(NPA) to run for Mayor in the Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
Civic Elections against local councillor Sam Sullivan
Sam Sullivan
Sam Sullivan, CM served as the 38th mayor of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and has been invested as a Member of the Order of Canada, the country's highest civilian award...
. On September 24, 2005, she lost the NPA's mayoral nomination to Sullivan by 69 votes out of 2,100 cast. Sullivan was subsequently elected Mayor of Vancouver.
Radio show and columnist
Clark hosted the The Christy Clark Show, airing weekdays on CKNW 980 AM in Vancouver from August 27, 2007 through to her decision to enter the BC Liberal leadership election in December 2010.She served as a weekly columnist for the Vancouver Province and the Vancouver Sun newspapers during the 2005 provincial election
British Columbia general election, 2005
The 38th British Columbia general election was held on May 17, 2005, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia , Canada. The BC Liberal Party formed the government of the province prior to this general election under the leadership of Premier Gordon Campbell...
and an election analyst for Global BC and CTV News Channel during the 2006 federal election
Canadian federal election, 2006
The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Parliament of Canada. The Conservative Party of Canada won the greatest number of seats: 40.3% of seats, or 124 out of 308, up from 99 seats in 2004, and 36.3% of votes:...
.
Campaign for party leadership, 2010–2011
On December 8, 2010, Clark officially announced her intent to seek the leadership of the BC Liberal Party. While Clark had long been touted as a potential successor to BC Premier Gordon Campbell, she often claimed she had no further interest in a political career.One of her early campaign announcements promised to cancel the Harmonized Sales Tax
Harmonized Sales Tax
The Harmonized Sales Tax is the name used in Canada to describe the combination of the federal Goods and Services Tax and the regional Provincial Sales Tax into a single value added sales tax in five of the ten Canadian provinces: Ontario, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, British...
(HST) referendum scheduled for September 2011. She suggested a free vote in the House by MLAs, believing the HST referendum has little chance of success. “Let our MLAs do their jobs and let our MLAs vote down the HST. Do it by March 31 and get it over with and get on with life in B.C.,” Clark told a crowd of about 40 in Pitt Meadows.
Her campaign faced questions regarding her involvement in the sale of BC Rail due to her cabinet position and family connection to people "mentioned prominently in court documents, including search warrants", with opposition members stating that she "wants to shut down the public's questions about the scandal". It was in the wake of the controversial Basi-Virk guilty pleas that ended the trial proceedings that she declared her candidacy for the party leadership on her radio show. Clark had called for more questions to be answered about BC Rail, but since then has said that there is no need for a public inquiry, as have the other Liberal Party leadership contenders.
Premiership
Clark's first task as Premier was to win a seat in the provincial legislature for herself. She ran in former Premier Gordon Campbell's riding of Vancouver-Point GreyVancouver-Point Grey
Vancouver-Point Grey is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada. It first appeared on the hustings in the general election of 1933. It and the other new Vancouver ridings in this year, Vancouver-Burrard, Vancouver Centre and Vancouver East, were...
and defeated NDP candidate David Eby by 595 votes. She was sworn into the legislature on May 30, 2011.