Letter to the Editor

RE: BC Liberal demands an accounting by MLA

What do failed BC Liberal candidates do after the polls have closed and the results have been announced? Let me tell you about my experience in the 2009 and 2013 elections.

In 2009, I ran against Mark McKee, the highly respected, long-serving, former Mayor of Revelstoke. Mr. McKee and I, prior to the election, worked closely on a number of files. During the election campaign, we both fought hard, but respectfully, to win. And when the ballots were counted, the people of Columbia River – Revelstoke chose to continue to have me represent them in the Legislature.

In 2013, I ran against Doug Clovechok, a man who has never been elected to serve at any level of government. Mr. Clovechok had no previous experience with either winning, or losing, elections in this area.

In 2009, Mr. McKee accepted the decision of the people with dignity and grace. And although Mr. McKee no longer holds elected office in Revelstoke, he has continued his service to the community in many other ways. And this is my experience with defeated candidates throughout my years as Councillor, Mayor and MLA; those who are committed to democracy accept the election outcome and get back to serving their community in some other capacity.

But Mr. Clovechok is taking a different path. It begs the question why.

Is Mr. Clovechok simply a sore loser who doesn’t care what the voters decided? Or has he, like so many other failed BC Liberal candidates from the 2013 election, been hired by the BC Liberals? Is it his new job to constantly regurgitate the BC Liberal message box?

My job as the elected representative for Columbia River – Revelstoke is to listen to what you tell me, articulate your concerns, and hold this government to account. And that is exactly what I will continue to do.

Norm Macdonald, Columbia River – Revelstoke MLA

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