PENTICTON, B.C. - B.C. Liberals attending a convention that wasn't intended to discuss policy are finding themselves in an impromptu debate over whether to change their name.
As the first of the 1,000 attending delegates gathered Friday, longtime senior MLA Colin Hansen, a former finance, health and economic development minister, stood to suggest the current name doesn't reflect the party's reality.
A new name is needed, he said, to indicate the party's British Columbia pedigree and its coalition of left-wing federal Liberals, free-enterprising federal Conservatives and supporters of every political flavour in between.
His statement was unscheduled and took some by surprise.
Hansen said a new name would cut loose the party's confusing association with the federal Liberal Party of Canada. Hansen noted he's been a member of the provincial party for 42 years.
"If the B.C. Liberal Party had its own unique name that was purely British Columbia, I think it would help us to reinforce in the public's mind that first of all we are a coalition and that we are here basically to represent the best interests and future of British Columbia," he said.
Hansen did not suggest a new name, but told delegates that a new name needs to be tossed around.
"I think there's still a lot of confusion on the part of the general public about the relationship between the B.C. Liberal Party and the Liberal Party of Canada, which there's no relationship at all," he said.
Hansen was booted from cabinet after Christy Clark was appointed leader and premier. He was finance minister when the B.C. government introduced the HST, prompting the public anger and plummeting public opinion polls that pushed former premier Gordon Campbell to quit.
Clark, who was elected the new leader to replace him in February, said she supports a discussion among the party membership.
But she also wasn't about to make any suggestions about a new name.
Clark, who has never hidden her federal Liberal roots, is just one of many politicians in the B.C. Liberal Party who add to the political gumbo that comprises it.
She said the party should not rush to change its name, which has been around in British Columbia for decades.
"I hope the party will give it a lot of consideration and a lot of debate," she said. "I think that's one of the things that everybody's debating, is how do we make sure that people know were are a B.C. party, not a federal party."
Lorne Mayencourt, a former B.C. Liberal MLA, who ran unsuccessfully for the federal Tories, said he doesn't want to change the party name.
"We've got a brand, we should stick with it," he said. "We spent a decade-and-a-half giving good government to British Columbians as B.C. Liberals, I'm proud of that -- I want it to stay that way."
Liberal MLA Randy Hawes said British Columbians support the B.C. Liberals for their policies, not because of their name.
He said he is ambivalent about a name change.
"I would hope it is less about our name and more about the policies we put in place is why people vote for us," he said.
"I think we put together good policies and people are going to vote for us whether we call ourselves the moon party."
