Vicki Huntington, sa国际传媒鈥檚 only independent MLA, won鈥檛 be a candidate in the May provincial election. While her reasons for leaving politics are undoubtedly sound, the province will be the poorer for her absence. The MLA for Delta South since 2009, she has been a reasoned, respected legislator.
An independent MLA is a good idea, because she or he can act in the best interests of the riding, not of party bosses. But with only one or two of them in the legislature, it鈥檚 hard for them to be heard. Independents also face huge troubles gathering money and volunteer help in a campaign.
Yet the legislature would be a different place if we had a dozen of them. Perhaps more progress would be made on issues such as limiting campaign contributions, something Huntington championed but could not get the partisan politicians in the legislature to accept.
She was supported by independents Bob Simpson (Cariboo North) and John Van Dongen (Abbotsford South), but carried on the fight alone after they were defeated in the 2013 election.
As she prepares to leave office, she still firmly believes MLAs need to be more responsive to their constituents.
鈥淭his province is a dinosaur when it comes to political reform,鈥� Huntington said, referring to party whips enforcing discipline.
鈥淭he whips are real. The whips watch what their members are saying and how they say it, and whether they鈥檙e speaking to the party policy. The government, especially, expects its caucus to toe the party line.鈥�
Huntington says she鈥檚 leaving politics to focus on her health, and we wish her all the best. She has served well.
