The BC Liberals are pushing the limits of the constitutional conventions on which our parliamentary system of government rests in their plan of action concerning

(a) the duties of a Premier to the Lieutenant Governor (LG) on losing a Vote of Confidence immediately following a General Election, &

(b) the role of the Speaker elected at the beginning of a new parliament.

It is inappropriate for a Premier to force an LG to make a politically contentious choice because the Premier refuses to take personal responsibility by giving advice.  It is equally inappropriate for a Speaker to play a premeditated partisan role (in this case, by resigning after the Government falls rather than continuing to serve) to further the electoral fortunes of his/her Party.

There is a legitimate place for partisan politics but there are important limits established by convention over centuries that anchor our democracy that shouldn't be casually disregarded.