Times Colonist

The outspoken Opposition MLA who broke ranks by announcing last week he would support a controversial Liberal pay-raise bill, resigned Tuesday as deputy caucus chairman of the NDP. 

Harry Lali (Yale-Lillooet) remains a member of the NDP caucus, said party house leader Mike Farnworth. But Lali's resignation as deputy chairman was accepted by caucus members during a noon-hour meeting.

"He's a member of caucus, he's just not the caucus vice-chair,'' Farnworth said yesterday afternoon.

Lali's resignation from the position came just a day after NDP Leader Carole James stripped him of his portfolio as critic for citizens' services.

James made that move after Lali told a Kamloops radio station last week he would support a Liberal bill proposing a 29 per cent pay hike and a beefed-up pension plan for MLAs. His comments came despite the fact James had earlier announced a "caucus consensus,'' saying NDP members would reject the bill.

In a brief interview yesterday, Lali did not comment on his resignation as deputy caucus chairman. Neither would he comment on the discussions in caucus caused by his actions.

"What goes on in caucus is confidential and not for public consumption,'' Lali said.

When asked how he felt about having his critic's role removed -- making him the lone NDP MLA without such a role -- Lali said: "At the end of the day, it's the leader's prerogative to hand out critic areas and I don't have a problem with that. But at the end of the day also, one does not have to be an official critic to criticize the Liberal government for all of the mess that they have created in the social and economic justice areas in this province.''

Despite a written apology to fellow caucus members and James last week, Lali has not said that he has changed his mind about supporting the bill.

"I don't think I should comment on that,'' he said when asked that specifically yesterday.

Farnworth said Lali is "a member of caucus and we have a caucus position -- that is we're opposed to the recommendations but we're going to wait and see exactly what the government brings in the way of a bill. And as a member of caucus he will be abiding by that position.''

The NDP will hold an election soon to select a new deputy chair, Farnworth said.