By Corey Fischer

Foster Retains Role As Whip

Feb 16, 2018 | 7:00 PM

BC’s new Liberal leader made one major change to his party’s leadership group.

Andrew Wilkinson replaced Mike de Jong as house leader with Mary Polak, the former environment minister who supported Wilkinson in the leadership campaign.

Vernon Monashee MLA Eric Foster says Wilkinson also filled his former role.

“Obviously he’s not a critic anymore. He was the critic for the attorney general. That’s being taken over by Michael Lee,” says Foster.

As for Foster, he remains the Liberal’s whip, responsible for maintaining party discipline in caucus, and ensuring enough members are present for votes.

Go Indoors When The Thunder Roars

Thunderstorm warning issued in the North Okanagan

12h ago

Mid to High 30s

Heat warning issued for the Okanagan

13h ago

Hazy Skies

North Okanagan air quality declined as wildfire smoke settled in the valley

15h ago

Foster says the Liberal’s win the Kelowna West by-election, will make life a little more difficult for the minority NDP government.

The veteran MLA says Ben Stewart’s win gives them 42 seats, to the NDP’s 41, with the Greens still at 3.

He says it doesn’t change the balance of power.

“No. As long as the Greens stay tied to the NDP, they will be able to carry the vote. What it does do, is it makes it a little more difficult to manage because essentially they can’t leave the House,” Foster tells CJIB News.

Foster says the NDP will have to be careful they don’t leave themselves vulnerable in votes, if they have ministers making announcements or attending ribbon cuttings around the province.

by Corey Fischer