Lots of buzz yesterday among the TransLink apologists that the Premier was breaking her election promise and delaying the TransLink referendum – but I’m not so sure that’s where Christy Clark is headed.

CBC sent me a transcript of her comments, and they are not exactly as was advertised:

Clark: I’m always happy to talk because we want this to work for the citizens of the Lower Mainland.  I mean my view and my commitment was we will hold a referendum.  We will put taxpayers in the driver’s seat when it comes to deciding on whether there will be new sources of revenue in addition to the existing sources of revenue that mayors have.

That’s my commitment that I intend to keep, but we are continuing to talk to mayors. We want it to work for them. We want it to work for TransLink but my top commitment is to make it work for the people, the taxpayers, the transit users of the Lower Mainland and I appreciate that referenda can be complicated and these have been complicated in other jurisdictions and sometimes they need a little more time.  That’s what the mayors have been saying. Todd Stone is continuing to talk to them about that and will continue to do so.

Reporter: So it doesn’t have to be on the ballot in November then?

Clark: I’m saying we’re talking to them.  We sure would like it to be on the ballot in November. I think voter turnout would be great and it would mean people get a chance to really focus on issue which is one of the most, many would say the number one issue but certainly the top three in politics in the Lower Mainland at the local level. 

They should be talking about it in the municipal election so it’s certainly my hope we can do it in November but I do know the mayors have been saying they need more time if they want to be leaders on this and they need to be leaders on this if the referendum is going to succeed. It’s their taxpayer. It’s their organization, TransLink. They are the ones who will have to lead the debate. We are enablers on this. We are enabling the people of the province on this but it’s ultimately the mayors that are going to have to lead it. They are saying they need more time to lead it so we’re talking to them about that. 

Based on that, I’m not convinced the referendum will be delayed. And, in case you missed it yesterday, here’s a news release we put out yesterday outlining our preferred rules for the referendum.