B.C. Liberal candidate Christy Clark said Wednesday she would lead a trade mission to India and China in the first six months if she is selected as leader and becomes premier.
She noted that both countries are growing in importance for British Columbia's natural resource and green-technology sectors.
She credited Premier Gordon Campbell, Forests Minister Pat Bell and fellow leadership-candidate Mike de Jong for helping increase trade between B.C. and the Asia Pacific.
"I want to work to build on that momentum and sell B.C.'s natural resources to other countries," said Clark, who has taken a leave of absence from her position as a radio talk show host. "There are mills in British Columbia that are operating simply because of our increased access to the China market," said Clark, who was elected 1996 as a B.C. Liberal, stepped away from politics in 2004.
Campbell has been a major proponent of opening up another corridor in northern B.C. between Asia and North America. The Port of Prince Rupert and Prince George, as a hub, would play significant roles in that corridor.
Most recently, Bell, the MLA for Prince George-Mackenzie, has been helping to establish a new market for lumber in China. The volume of lumber has risen exponentially to the 2.8 billion board feet level in 2010, the amount produced from about 10 sawmills.
The statement by Clark was the latest in a flurry of policy jockeying in the Liberal leadership race which will be decided on Feb. 26.
The day before, Kevin Falcon promised to work with local governments to cut red tape, as well as keeping a zero-net increase in regulations within five years.
"The provincial and federal governments are working hard to cut bureaucracy, and local government should be encouraged to do the same," said Falcon, who stepped down as health minister to run for the leadership. "I will work with local leaders to identify and reduce the regulatory burdens the province has put on them, and ask them to review their own bylaws and procedures for red tape to cut," he added.
There have been dozens of policy pronouncements by the Liberal leadership candidates, which also include George Abbott, Mike de Jong, Moira Stilwell and Ed Mayne.
But some of them have approached the "politics of gimmickry," said political scientist Norman Ruff.
Clark announced she would establish a family day, Falcon called for merit pay for teachers and de Jong, who stepped down as attorney general, wants to see a more transparent accounting of MLA expenses. Abbott has called for a vote on further increasing the carbon tax.
These are not the kind of topics families are discussing at the dinner table, noted Ruff, a professor emeritus at the University of Victoria.
Ruff said the increased public discourse in the Liberal leadership campaign is a result of the voting system. Instead of a delegate convention, each member will cast a weighted vote.
The Liberal candidates have until Feb. 4 to sign up members.
After that, the campaign may die down, observed Ruff.
