May 14, 2013, VICTORIA - Shortly after polls closed today, Liberal Leader and Premier Christy Clark conceded defeat to the NDP.
The Liberal Party under Clark was reduced to only a few seats as the NDP gained seats across the province, and the resurgent B.C. Conservative Party looked to take over official opposition status.
Many analysts saw the seeds of Clark's downfall sown in her battle with labour unions in the spring of 2012; however, most observers believe that Clark was destined for defeat from the time her election as B.C. Liberal Party leader in February 2011.
After a surprising victory to replace Gordon Campbell as Liberal leader, Clark never really managed to gain the support of the people of British Columbia or the members of the Liberal Party.
Clark, who won her seat in 2011 in the "safe" riding of Vancouver-Point Grey by only a few hundred votes, was unable to hold on to it in this election, ending up third after the NDP and Conservative candidates.
Clark's support plummeted in the spring of 2012, when she decided to pick fights with several of the public-sector unions: The BCTF (British Columbia Teachers' Federation), the BCGEU (The B.C. Government Employees Union), the HEU (Hospital Employees Union) and the BCNU (B.C. Nurses Union).
Defections from the party began about the same time, with John van Dongen leaving for the Conservatives. The news that Liberal heavy-hitters George Abbott and Kevin Falcon - both of whom fancied themselves leaders of the party only a year before - were considering not running again sealed Clark's fate.
"The image that comes to mind is rats and sinking ships," commented one wag. "Christy Clark ran the province like it was a radio talk show. She was a female Vander Zalm (referencing the infamous and disastrous B.C. Social Credit premier from 1986-'91): all style and no substance."
The public perception of Clark seemed to get tainted as she became better known. It became evident that she didn't have a firm grasp of policy or a clear sense of public sentiment.
Some Liberals, however, chose to ignore the looming icebergs and continued to purchase drinks (strong ones, apparently) from the bar on the sinking liner.
"Brian Mulroney had his highest approval rating when the civil service was on strike," commented one long-time Liberal, suggesting, perhaps, that Clark's clashes with the unions was part of a larger political strategy.
"How does emulating the strategy of Canada's most reviled Prime Minister make good political sense?" wondered one pundit.
Clark was not commenting after the crushing defeat, but sources have suggested that she had approached former employer CKNW several months before the election to see if her old job was available, perhaps anticipating her government's fall.
Speculation is that Clark is shopping a book about her life and time in office, but that is questioned by many people close to the government.
"It would mean that she would have to write stuff down, and that seems highly unlikely," said one insider.
