Abbotsford South MLA Darryl Plecas is adamant that he never lied to his party.

香蕉视频直播淪omehow there香蕉视频直播檚 this message out there that I told a lie about something and that is so incredibly untrue,香蕉视频直播� the new Speaker of the B.C. legislature told The News Wednesday morning. 香蕉视频直播淚f I香蕉视频直播檓 guilty of anything, it香蕉视频直播檚 changing my mind.香蕉视频直播�

Plecas by accepting an offer to sit in the non-partisan Speaker香蕉视频直播檚 chair, prompting a furious reaction from Plecas香蕉视频直播檚 own BC Liberals, which at the request of his own riding association. Speakers only vote in the case of a tie, which means Plecas香蕉视频直播檚 decision will increase the NDP/Green partnership香蕉视频直播檚 narrow margin in the legislature.

After the move, BC Liberals, including party president Sharon White and interim leader Rich Coleman, said that Plecas had repeatedly promised to not sit as Speaker. Coleman labelled the move a 香蕉视频直播渂etrayal香蕉视频直播� of the party. In June, Plecas had told The News 香蕉视频直播� and improper to accept the Speaker香蕉视频直播檚 position.

Plecas said Wednesday, though, that his thinking on the matter shifted after the Lieutenant Governor granted the Green and NDP party the opportunity to form government after Christy Clark香蕉视频直播檚 throne speech had been defeated.

He said that following May香蕉视频直播檚 election, 香蕉视频直播淚 was advised, as were all members of caucus, that [an NDP/Green partnership] was not a legitimate government.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淪ince then, it香蕉视频直播檚 been made clear that in fact it was: the Lieutenant Governor said so.香蕉视频直播�

Plecas said that change in circumstances led him to revisit the issue, and that he has been out of town and hasn香蕉视频直播檛 attended a caucus meeting since the Lieutenant Governor香蕉视频直播檚 decision. Party members were asked to submit papers removing their name from consideration for the Speaker香蕉视频直播檚 seat. The deadline was Thursday, but Plecas never submitted his paper. He said he and Coleman spoke Thursday evening

香蕉视频直播淭he discussion I had with him was 香蕉视频直播榃ell you haven香蕉视频直播檛 signed the form.香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈��

Plecas said there was still the opportunity for him to stand in the legislature and say he wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 sit as Speaker. But that he made no promises.

香蕉视频直播淚 didn香蕉视频直播檛 say I wouldn香蕉视频直播檛,香蕉视频直播� he told The News. 香蕉视频直播淰ery clearly it was not the case that I lied to somebody about doing it. I did not say to anyone 香蕉视频直播業 am not going to do this.香蕉视频直播� I had only said that earlier, long before [the NDP] were declared the government.香蕉视频直播�

Plecas said he is hurt that some would think otherwise.

香蕉视频直播淚 wish I could stand up and yell and scream and say 香蕉视频直播楽ee how it is!香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈��

He said around 85 per cent of the feedback he has received since Friday has been positive.

香蕉视频直播淭he people who know me and have known me for years 香蕉视频直播� they have been over the top supportive.香蕉视频直播�

But he said the remaining 15 per cent, though, 香蕉视频直播渋s pretty horrible stuff,香蕉视频直播� with people calling him a traitor and a liar.

香蕉视频直播淚 had one person who said, 香蕉视频直播楧on香蕉视频直播檛 worry, after all of this you will know who your friends are.香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈��

He also said he worries that the idea that he lied will impact his new role as Speaker.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 incredibly important that the speaker be seen as an honourable person and right now, with all the kerfuffle, I don香蕉视频直播檛 have the opportunity to show that. That香蕉视频直播檚 what香蕉视频直播檚 saddening. But I香蕉视频直播檓 moving forward, I香蕉视频直播檓 going to get past it.香蕉视频直播�

Plecas also implied that some of the statements coming from his erstwhile colleagues may not be particularly heartfelt.

香蕉视频直播淵ou always have to remember with party politics, simply because somebody expresses something outwardly, it doesn香蕉视频直播檛 mean that 香蕉视频直播� obviously I made friends when I was there. They香蕉视频直播檙e not going to quit being my friend.香蕉视频直播�

Asked about the fact that his constituents elected a BC Liberal but are now represented by an independent, Plecas said he didn香蕉视频直播檛 choose to leave the BC Liberal party, and that all MLAs have the opportunity to stand for Speaker.

Plecas said he was disappointed that he was booted from the party, but that being kicked out may have been a 香蕉视频直播渂lessing in disguise.香蕉视频直播� While he said he respected the idea of party discipline, Plecas maintained that wasn香蕉视频直播檛 in his nature to tow the line or match his belief that each party 香蕉视频直播渉as something to offer,香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淎s a consequence, I was always in trouble,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚n hindsight, it香蕉视频直播檚 probably fair comment to say I was ill-suited as a Liberal.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淎s much as I香蕉视频直播檓 disappointed that I was removed from the party, I understand it.香蕉视频直播�

Plecas also said the pay bump that comes with the Speaker香蕉视频直播檚 office had no bearing on his decision. As speaker, Plecas will make $150,000 a salary closer to that of a cabinet minister than a backbench MLA, whose pay starts at $105,881.

香蕉视频直播淚t bothers me when I hear [money is a motivating factor] because people forget what I was doing before entering politics.香蕉视频直播�

He said if money was his chief concern, he wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 have ran for office in the first place, and that as an MLA he has been making half of his previous salary as a tenured professor and part-time prison judge.

As the dust settles, and enforcing the rules of the legislature. And already he has had to clamp down on the political theatrics, telling BC Liberal Abbotsford West MLA Mike de Jong that he shouldn香蕉视频直播檛 be using a prop in the legislature.

He said his instinctual non-partisanship, which may have brought him trouble as an MLA, along with his time as a prison judge, will inform and aid his time as speaker.

香蕉视频直播淎t the end of the day, it香蕉视频直播檚 me saying to myself, I香蕉视频直播檓 serving for another four years and how can I do that in the most effective way and in a manner that best fits to my experience and approach to things,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淲hen I say, gee this is a good job for me, it香蕉视频直播檚 because it香蕉视频直播檚 a direct hit on impartiality, it香蕉视频直播檚 a direct hit on being non-partisan. I can make a contribution by helping members and making sure the way we do dialogue is productive.香蕉视频直播�

While questions have been raised about his ability to command the needed authority in the legislature with one side apparently harbouring some ill will, Plecas said he can do the job.

香蕉视频直播淧eople will still respect the office and it香蕉视频直播檚 my job to demonstrate I can be impartial, that I won香蕉视频直播檛 be unfair to anyone.香蕉视频直播�

Constituency work, he said, will continue, although the Speaker香蕉视频直播檚 role means it will be different than for other MLAs. The Speaker香蕉视频直播檚 office will have a staff member with the ability to raise issues of concern with Ministers, but Plecas won香蕉视频直播檛 be doing that himself.

The Speaker香蕉视频直播檚 office has also been contacting reporters, telling them that Plecas won香蕉视频直播檛 be engaging with the media during his time in the chair. That has been standard practice, albeit one applied flexibly, with Speakers addressing issues of mostly personal, rather than political, concern.

Previous Liberal Speaker Linda Reid about concerns about her spending, while her predecessor, Bill Barisoff, wrote weekly columns for his local paper and about the BC Legislature building, a matter that falls under the Speaker香蕉视频直播檚 personal jurisdiction.

Plecas said he will also have the opportunity to raise issues of personal concern to him, and that no longer being connected to a party might assist in that.

香蕉视频直播淏eing an independent makes it all so much easier,香蕉视频直播� he said.

Throughout the half-hour interview, though, Plecas repeatedly returned to the notion that he lied to those in the party. And he concluded on that topic.

香蕉视频直播淚 challenge anyone to ever say an instance ever in my entire life where I香蕉视频直播檝e lied about something. That香蕉视频直播檚 just not in my DNA to do that,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚 just wish people didn香蕉视频直播檛 think I did that. I mean, criticize me, it香蕉视频直播檚 fair criticism for changing my mind. But not that I somehow was lacking in integrity and doing things in an underhanded way.香蕉视频直播�