Former Liberal leader Gordon Wilson is one of the casualties of the new NDP Government's house cleaning after being fired as the provincial advocate for the LNG industry.
Jobs Minister Bruce Ralston says one of the reasons was a lack of written records going back to 2013 of Wilson's work, for which he was paid $150,000 annually for a total $550-thousand.
But speaking on CFAX Wilson says he could have provided an explanation of his role if asked:
"And the Minister could have simply picked up the phone and said I want you to come down to Victoria, or come down to Vancouver, wherever he happens to be. I want you to come in and
I want you to give us some explanation of what the LNG Buy BC program is. I want you to explain exactly how you function, what is the role you've been doing, who have you been meeting with, who are you talking to, and how you have exercised your duties."
Ralston says the post was created for Wilson who is a friend of Christy Clark's, adding taxpayers should know there's no severance under the terms of Wilson's contract.
But Wilson maintains his position wasn't political and he still believes in LNG:
"I was never hired as a political operative. I was hired to build a program that put British Columbia companies and First Nations business front and centre in an industry that potentially could emerge, and I believe it still can if government's interested in doing the tax amendments that are needed, and in putting in place the kind of incentive programs that are required, in order to make it happen here."
The LNG industry, promised by the Liberals, has never taken root. Last week Petronas pulled out of its plan to build a $36 billion LNG facility on the north coast blaming world markets and a glut of supply.
Wilson has had a colourful political history. In 1993 he lost the Liberal leadership after his extramarital affair with Liberal MLA Judi Tyabji came to light. That led to a leadership review in which Gordon Campbell became leader, and shortly afterwards Wilson and Tyabji formed a new party -- the Progressive Democratic Alliance. Three years later he disbanded his party and crossed the floor to join the governing party of NDP Premier Glen Clark. In the 2001 B.C. election he lost his seat. Then, he endorsed Christy Clark and the BC Liberals in the 2013 provincial election.