Skip to content

Cariboo Chilcotin MLA appointed opposition deputy whip

BC Liberal MLA Lorne Doerkson said the role is mostly organizational
28096917_web1_210513-WLT-Doerkson-Leg-Roads_1
Cariboo Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson speaking in the legislature 2021. (Video screen shot)

Cariboo Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson was both surprised and excited to be appointed the BC Liberals Deputy Opposition Whip.

“It is really largely an organizational role and for that I am very excited and happy to have the opportunity,” he told the Black Press Media.

As the deputy, Doerkson will be working with the party’s Chief Opposition Whip MLA Doug Clovechok from Columbia Revelstoke and learning the ropes.

“In times of budgets and testaments, we have a number of rooms on the go here so it is not always just the chamber,” he said from Victoria. “I think a lot of people when they see the chamber and have an opportunity to see news clips and wonder why some of the seats are empty it could be a matter of other things happening at the legislature.”

He said there are often other meetings going on, typically in times of budget estimates, with opportunities for other parties, including the opposition, to ask questions.

His responsibility as deputy whip will be making sure everyone in his party is where they should be, organizing and lining up responses from the party’s members.

Commenting on the leadership race being won by Kevin Falcon last weekend, Doerkson said he is glad the contest is over.

“It’s been a very long race for the party. It’s more than a year that it was going on and that is a long time for seven people to be vying for the leadership of this party.”

A number of issues are at the forefront, including the budget which will be released in a couple of weeks, he added.

Doerkson has been a member of the finance committee, which has heard hundreds of presentations from all over B.C.

As far as the Cariboo Chilcotin, a pressing issue is the ground water registry for subsurface water rights ‘quickly’ approaching on March 1.

“Most of our commercial operators, people who are drawing water from any source below the surface need to register that water use. This is different than the well registry, you are registering for the rights to draw water. It’s important to get that message out more than ever because I think there are people who have not heard about this or just have not bothered to register.”

READ MORE: Water rights top priority for MLA in 2022

READ MORE: RANCH MUSINGS: Groundwater licensing a crisis in the making



news@wltribune.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter



Monica Lamb-Yorski

About the Author: Monica Lamb-Yorski

A B.C. gal, I was born in Alert Bay, raised in Nelson, graduated from the University of Winnipeg, and wrote my first-ever article for the Prince Rupert Daily News.
Read more