By Armchair Mayor

The ABCs of the BC Liberals’ hypocrisy

Jun 21, 2017 | 5:00 AM

KAMLOOPS – When a government changes its mind, is it a case of listening to the people, or political hypocrisy?

Take tomorrow’s Throne Speech…. please. If Christy Clark and the BC Liberals don’t show up wearing neck braces from the whiplash of their 180 turn on social issues and political donations it will be surprising.

Suddenly, they’re all warm and fuzzy and lefty. According to Clark and several of her ministers, the people have sent them a clear message and, lo, they have listened.

Though they repeatedly rejected the notion of banning union and corporate campaign donations while they were in power — earning B.C. the nickname the Wild West —suddenly the Liberals have taken the wax out of their ears.

And not only that, they’ll commit millions of dollars toward the first increase in welfare rates in a decade, and a bunch of other stuff like charging stations for electric cars and so on.

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It’s quite the epiphany, really.

So here’s a quiz for you. Is all this…

A realization that they’ve been wrong all these years?
A desperate attempt to stay in power, even for a couple of more days?
A genuine desire to listen to what the public wants?
A cynical attempt to make things awkward for the NDP and Greens?
A set-up to snatch back some votes if everything falls apart and there’s another election?

It’s multiple choice but before you answer keep in mind that Andrew Weaver is already saying he and the other two Green MLAs would “absolutely” vote for a Liberal bill that bans corporate and union donations to political parties.

Before he salivates too much, Weaver might ask himself in what galaxy the commitment of Clark and the Liberals to these new promises deserves any credibility whatsoever.

Because in answer to my opening question, this change of clothing is one of the most hypocritical moves witnessed in the politics of the Wild West for a long time.