Pay Up Ashton.

[Tero]

It's all well and good if he gets granted this extension (obviously) but we taxpayers won't forget that he promised over 30k of his own money to fund a new mayoral election if he were to be elected MLA. I hope this is the first campaign promise he keeps!

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-st ... .htm#92079

[XT225]

Not so fast, Tero. Check the latest rumor (castanet started it) re Ashton and Christy. He may not have to pay anything back; there may not BE a bi-election; who knows. I don't recall voting for Christy however; she doesn't belong in the Okanagan. Odd how that works...loses in her own riding and then can force someone out who won, to hijack theirs? Some parts of politics do not make sense. http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-st ... .htm#92096

[krocky]

I would love to see Christy in Penticton, it would serve all those losers right who voted Liberal in order to get rid of Ashton as mayor. They would not only get to keep Ashton as their mayor but they would get Christy too, poetic justice don't you think?

And the clincher, they still won't get the hospital upgrade as she had only "promised" to squander a few million on a business case to win votes, (obviously worked) and has never promised to actually "DO" any upgrade. And for all those who still believe it will happen, I've got some swampland in Florida for you, OR, another Liberal you can vote for.!!

[Mastercraft69]

Typical !! Another Liberal sham and all you Penticton voters fell for it ! Wake up !!

[fluffy]

I wonder, the race between Ashton and Canning was pretty close, it would be a bit of a gamble for Clark to try and run here. Any of the Kelowna ridings would offer a safer bet, as would plenty of others around the province.

[grammafreddy]

I'd be ticked right off if I had fought like hell to win my seat and then was forced to give it up for the good of the party. Sounds to me as if this whole scenario was cooked up ahead of time just in case Clark didn't win her seat.

Asking to have the leave of absence extended instead of resigning his seat is an unusual move - but one that would allow Ashton to keep his options open and return to the mayor's chair if indeed if he is asked to step aside for the good of the party.

For his part, Ashton says he did not ask for the extension to leave the door open for the premier, but rather because the original leave of absence ended today.

Ashton did say however he is fully prepared to work for the province, the party and the premier in any capacity asked of him.

He won his seat and should have just let the leave of absence end because he had a new job as a Liberal elected representative. Nobody asks for an extension once they are elected to the new position - unless there's something happening in the background.

Is this the first of his Liberal Party lies?

For the good of the party, of course <insert sarcastic smiley>

[Piecemaker]

I agree with fluffy, Penticton isn't that safe of a Liberal seat. Would be quite embarrassing for Clark to lose twice.

[Tero]

I wonder, the race between Ashton and Canning was pretty close, it would be a bit of a gamble for Clark to try and run here. Any of the Kelowna ridings would offer a safer bet, as would plenty of others around the province.

That's what I thought too.... but still, I want the 30 k if he resigns as mayor! lol

[twobits]

He won by over 1250 votes, add in the conservative vote plus the votes that come with having the boss in the riding.......pretty damn safe liberal seat.

[grammafreddy]

In this by-election, do all the candidates names go back on the ballot?

[GIS_Dude]

Come on folks, can't you see the obvious positives from having the Premier parachute into your riding? We will have a much better shot at that hospital upgrade with the Premier as our MLA vs a first timer to the legislature representing us...no? I mean can anybody really deny the benefits that have come to the South Okanagan from having high profile representives at both the provincial and federal level the last decade? Things like the new bridge, twinning the higway, the new remand center (whether you agree with the concept or need/location for it is irrelevant but you cannot deny the economic impact)? None of these things would have happened with only back bencher representation in the Houses of Parliament.

[Bubalouie]

I have a question and sorry if I sound stupid, but don't you have to live in the riding in order to run or it doesn't matter in this case......I thought I heard something to that effect on the news last night, about her having to uproot her son, etc. etc...

[fluffy]

Somebody told me yesterday that they have to own property here.

I also wonder how eager Mr. Ashton would be to give up his seat. I suspect that a nice fat MLA pension factors prominently in his retirement plans.

[grammafreddy]

Somebody told me yesterday that they have to own property here.

I also wonder how eager Mr. Ashton would be to give up his seat. I suspect that a nice fat MLA pension factors prominently in his retirement plans.

Ashton did say however he is fully prepared to work for the province, the party and the premier in any capacity asked of him.

Didn't Stockwell Day parachute into his Okanagan riding, too?

[krocky]

Our political system is ridiculous. Someone doesn't even get elected as an MLA yet they can still be our Premier. Go figure... And......the ones we actually do elect can't say or do anything to represent us anyway as they MUST tow party lines. I can't wait to see the video that's out on how bad it truly is in the legislature..!!

One more thing to get off my chest. I still hear on a regular basis people speaking about the money that the Liberals have promised to spend on the Penticton Hospital. Lets be clear, Christy and the BC Liberal party have only promised to do a BUSINESS CASE

Business cases can range from comprehensive and highly structured, as required by formal project management methodologies, to informal and brief. Information included in a formal business case could be the background of the project, the expected business benefits, the options considered (with reasons for rejecting or carrying forward each option), the expected costs of the project

At this point that is what has been promised, and NOTHING more..