Fri, December 5, 2003 VANCOUVER (CP) - Liberal Leader Paul Martin said Thursday that British Columbia MPs will have a substantial voice in the new government he'll form in just over a week.
"In eight days you are going to have a new government in Ottawa, and in eight days we're going to start turning up the volume and the voice of four million British Columbians," Martin told a party fundraiser Thursday evening. "And we're going to keep that volume up into the next election and through the election. We're going to do it beyond the election." Martin said it was no coincidence his first speech as party leader outside of Ottawa or Montreal was here.
"I have said that I want to narrow the distance between British Columbia and Ottawa and coming here first before going anywhere else in the country is just the beginning of making that happen."
But there were no hints about how the province's six Liberal MPs will fit into Martin's plans as the prime minister in waiting stuck to well-worn themes from his leadership campaign about revitalizing democracy in Ottawa.
People here feel Ottawa is light years away, he said.
"We have got to change the way the nation's capital works with Canadians," said Martin.
"I want British Columbia at the national table. It's good for British Columbia but it's essential for Canada."
Of course...Watch what they do not what they say. Perhaps their 6 MPs will have a substantial voice but will it be one relevant to BCers?