Christy Clark

Christy Clark - B.C. Liberal Party

Christy Clark is the Premier of British Columbia and the leader of the BC Liberals.

The 47-year-old was sworn in as the Premier on March 14, 2011, a month after she won the BC Liberal Party leadership campaign sparked by Gordon Campbell’s resignation.

She is the second, and longest serving, woman to serve as the Premier of British Columbia.

Born and raised in Burnaby by her mother Mavis, a family counsellor, and her father Jim, a school teacher and three-time Legislative Assembly candidate, Clark studied at Burnaby Senior Secondary.

She completed post-secondary studies at Simon Fraser University, the University of Edinburgh and at the Université de la Sorbonne in Paris.

In 1996, Clark was elected to the British Columbian legislature. She was appointed Minister of Education and Deputy Premier in 2001.

Clark took a break from politics in 2005 to spend more time with her family, and her young son Hamish.

She became a columnist with the Vancouver Province newspaper and was an election analyst for CTV News Channel during the 2006 federal election.

In 2007, she began the “Christy Clark Show” on CKNW radio.

Clark reentered politics after winning a by-election in May 2011, in the riding of Vancouver-Point Grey, the seat left vacant by former premier Gordon Campbell.

In her role as Premier, Clark has pushed a “families first” agenda, increased B.C.’s minimum wage and created a Family Day holiday in February.

Despite a brief uprising in poll numbers following her swearing in, Clark saw support drop throughout her candidacy until she was left lagging behind the surging B.C. New Democrats.

She tied with Newfoundland Premier Kathy Dunderdale as the least popular provincial leader in the country in an April Angus Reid Public Opinion poll. It was conducted shortly after Clark was forced to apologize for a leaked strategy aimed at wooing ethnic voters.

The BC Liberal Party is campaigning on a platform that stresses paying down provincial debt and holding the line on taxes.

The party promises that it will not expand the carbon tax or institute a capital tax on financial institutions.

Perks for voters included a five-year freeze on personal income taxes, a $250-per-child back-to-school tax credit for parents.

B.C. Liberals' upset win leaves NDP wondering why

B.C.'s New Democrats are dazed and confused today, pondering a stunning election defeat that saw Premier Christy Clark's Liberals capture a majority despite pollsters reporting the NDP leading the campaign from start to finish by as much as 20 points.

Christy Clark loses seat, but says she’s still waiting for 'final results'

After losing her seat in Tuesday night’s election, B.C. Premier Christy Clark fended off questions about asking an MLA to step aside so she can run again in a byelection.
BC Liberals win majority, but Christy Clark loses her seat

B.C. Premier Christy Clark defied poll predictions and led the BC Liberals to victory Tuesday night, but she failed to keep her own seat.

Dix or Clark? It's decision day as B.C. voters head to the polls

Polls opened across British Columbia at 8 a.m. as voters elect their next provincial government, a choice between the reigning Liberal's Christy Clark and NDP Leader Adrian Dix.
B.C. election has been NDP's to lose; Liberals' to survive

Voters in British Columbia go to the polls today in what was the provincial New Democrats' election to lose.

B.C. leaders hold gruelling last-minute push before Tuesday's election

The leaders of British Columbia's two main parties headed into a sprint to get their message out Monday, one day before the finish line would deliver one of them a victory.
Dix, Clark full of confidence as B.C. election day approaches

The leaders of British Columbia's two main political parties both projected confidence Sunday, and predicted victory when provincial voters go to the polls on Tuesday.

Liberals’ vote-splitting strategy under fire from NDP

As the clock runs out on the provincial election campaign, the BC Liberals are asking some constituents to cast their votes – for the Green Party.
Christy Clark says B.C. Liberals are gaining momentum

With three days left for campaigning before British Columbians go to the polls, Premier Christy Clark and her incumbent Liberals appear to have narrowed what was deemed by some at the outset as an insurmountable lead by their New Democrat rivals.

Clark touts forest strategy during visit to Burns Lake

The steel trusses of a new multimillion-dollar sawmill formed the backdrop for Liberal Leader Christy Clark as she touted her government's forests strategy during a campaign whistlestop Wednesday in Burns Lake, where little more than a year ago an explosion and fire at the previous mill devastated the community.
BC Liberals accused of copyright infringement

The BC Liberal party has been accused of violating copyright in its latest attack ad targeting the opposition NDP.

Latest Liberal attack ad targets Dix's Memo-gate defence

Saying there's no "expiry date on ethical behaviour," B.C. Premier Christy Clark has resurrected a sore spot in her NDP rival's political career as the Liberals unveiled another attack ad before the provincial election.
Christy Clark casts her ballot to remind voters to use advance polls

B.C. Liberal Leader Christy Clark has shrugged off the usual election day photo opportunity and cast her ballot today, the first day of advanced polling.

Liberal campaign manager quits over gay concerns

The campaign manager for the BC Liberal candidate in a Langley riding has quit a week before the election, saying he was marginalized because he's gay.
BC Liberals accused of ‘petty’ sign-blocking tactics

The BC Liberals are being accused of taking campaign sign turf wars to a new low.

B.C. Premier candidates talk preschoolers, pipelines, skills training and 'Pixie'

Preschoolers, pipelines, professional skills training and "Pixie" all came up as the provincial election campaign entered its last full week on Sunday.
Just 7 points separate BC Liberals and NDP: Poll

The B.C. leadership horserace just got a lot closer, with new numbers suggesting just a seven point gap separates the ruling BC Liberals and New Democrats.

Clark clarifies BC Liberal candidate's fracking views

Premier Christy Clark says the Liberal candidate in Peace River South may support a review of fracking -- which is a method of extracting natural gas -- but she says that doesn't mean Mike Bernier opposes Liberal plans for the natural gas resource.
BC Liberals buy newspaper cover to claim debate win

A paid advertisement for the BC Liberals designed to look like the front page of a newspaper is being dismissed as a desperate attempt to mislead voters.

Clark, Dix continue road trips with stops in Cariboo, Interior

Premier Christy Clark and New Democratic Party Leader Adrian Dix continue their election campaign road trips today with stops in the Cariboo and Interior.