Premier Gordon Campbell may have the support of his cabinet and caucus, but others are still expressing doubts about his leadership.
Cariboo-Chilcotin Liberal Donna Barnett says she supports Campbell even though her riding association and its former executive secretary want the premier to quit.
"We live in a democracy and everybody is entitled to their opinion," said Barnett Friday after a meeting of the Liberal caucus. "Everybody is allowed in my riding, and I'm sure in every other riding -- I don't care what party you're in -- to express your opinions."
The Cariboo-Chilcotin riding executive voted last July to call on Campbell to resign, but that motion was shelved.
On Friday, riding executive secretary Steve Forseth quit his position, just one day after calling for Campbell to resign.
Forseth's blog said the premier's resignation is the only way to ensure the Liberal party is capable of taking on the New Democrats in the next election in May 2013.
"For months now, I have tried to convince the B.C. Liberals privately ... that the provincial government's strategy vis-a-vis the HST and the future of Gordon Campbell is woefully inadequate and needs to change before voters stop listening to us as B.C. Liberals," his blog states.
He said he was forced to make the statement after hearing Campbell's recent statements to the media about having the support of the party.
"I am compelled to state my personal opinion that Campbell must retire before more political harm to the B.C. Liberals is done," he said.
Barnett, who was heading up to 100 Mile House to tend to riding business for the weekend, said Forseth's repeated calls for Campbell to quit were "upsetting."
Campbell has been fighting back calls for him to resign or retire from inside the Liberal ranks over his government's handling of the harmonized sales tax.
Former Liberal cabinet minister Blair Lekstrom, who quit the cabinet and caucus over the HST, said earlier this week that Campbell should retire to allow the Liberals an opportunity to regroup in time for the 2013 election.
Former Williams Lake mayor Scott Nelson, and a Liberal backroom worker, also said Campbell must quit to take away the sting of the HST.
Former Bulkley Valley-Stikine Liberal MLA Dennis MacKay also now says Campbell should consider quitting.
"On the one hand, the premier has done a lot of good work for our province," said MacKay. "He's done a lot of good things. I've told the premier the people of this province won't remember the good things that you've done. They will remember the bad things that effect them.
And the bad thing, in this case, is the HST," he said.
MacKay, who chose not to run in the May 2009 election, said he's become increasingly disillusioned with the Liberals under Campbell, especially with the HST.
MacKay said he supports Lekstrom who quit over the way the government was moving ahead with the HST despite widespread concerns among British Columbians.
