It s a thoroughly repulsive notion, yet this is exactly what Premier Glen Clark is trying to sell to British Columbians as a desirable thing. The reason Clark can get away with this has to do with the structure of Canada. The British North America Act outlines the federal and provincial governments authority, making them virtually omnipotent. The same is not true for local governments. Municipalities derive their authority, not from the BNA Act, but from the province s Municipal Act.
Municipalities exist only at the pleasure of the provincial government.
Municipal politicians and local citizens get to play politics and hold elections only as long as the provincial government allows them to do so. The province creates these little kingdoms and sets the rules under which they operate. The Minister of Municipal Affairs is king, or in BC s case, queen. BC s Municipal Affairs Minister is Jenny Kwan, who rules, like most queens by divine authority. In other words she takes orders only from God, and in British Columbia, we know who that is - Premier Glen Clark.