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Experts say the decision not to resign gives Clark a shot at setting the narrative or even a chance to save her government. But it is not the most dignified move and as political scientist Norman Ruff put it, it could earn her “an unkind footnote in history.”

While Clark saves face by “not just rolling over,” there is an indignity to being defeated on the floor of the house and, because it rarely happens, it will be remembered, said Ruff, an associate professor emeritus of political science at the University of Victoria.

David Moscrop, a political scientist with Simon Fraser University, had a couple of ideas why Clark would not resign even though that would be “the most dignified way to go.”

The most likely reason is that it would force the NDP and Greens to vote down something she could offer British Columbians, he said.

When Clark returns to the house “she can go to the people and say here’s a throne speech, there’s a budget, and here’s all these lovely things we’re going to give to you (from) we, the magnanimous government of B.C.,” Moscrop said.

And as soon as that government is defeated, she can say: “Look at what these guys went and did. They ruined the whole thing for everybody.”

Clark may also be hoping that she can persuade someone to cross the floor or that the agreement between the other parties breaks down, he said.

Andrew Heard, a political science professor at SFU, said he was puzzled by Clark’s characterization of staying on as “a duty.”