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Photo by Chad Hipolito / The Canadian Press

“This is not a session about the premier testing legislation, this is about testing the confidence of the House, that’s why we are here, that’s why we should get on with it,” said NDP Leader John Horgan.”If the premier keeps wanting to introducing NDP platform planks, that’s fine. But I think the NDP would be better at doing that. And that’s why we should have a confidence vote.”

But Premier Christy Clark refused to help accelerate her ultimate demise.

“No British Columbians want another election,” she said. “Let’s get on with the business of government, lets make sure the throne speech gains the confidence of this House … and we’ll make sure we can continue with the strongest economy anywhere in Canada.”

No British Columbians want another election

Horgan tabled an amendment of non-confidence in Clark’s throne speech Monday. The NDP called for unanimous support of the legislature to have a snap vote, but the Liberals were opposed.

The earliest confidence vote under legislature rules is now set for Thursday at 5:30 p.m. If the Liberal government falls, Lt.-Gov. Judith Guichon could call upon Horgan to form a new government or call a new election.

In the meantime, the Liberals are set to debate a throne speech they introduced last week, which saw a shift in more than two dozen policy positions that the Liberals hadn’t campaigned on before the May 9 election. New promises included an end to a 10-year freeze on welfare rates, the elimination of Metro Vancouver bridge tolls, a referendum on electoral reform and a Royal Commission on public education. Critics inside and outside the Liberal party questioned the abrupt shift.