Earlier, your humble organ reported one of the supposedly non-partian electoral boundary commissioners announced today by the provincial government appears to have some partisan connections. But how did Louise Burgart get that posting? In an interview with Public Eye, Ms. Burgart explained, "Well, I don't really know other than I know they were looking for someone. The speaker (Bill Barisoff) was speaking to a couple people he knew. I guess he must have mentioned to them they were looking for someone. And did they know of somebody in the province who number one: already didn't already have a full time job and number two: might have some of the skills that it would take to do it. And I was quite surprised when I had the phone call to ask if I would consider it. It's not something I would have even considered until it was put to me. And then I definitely had to think it over."

Mr. Burgart then explained Mr. Barisoff initially phoned her about the appointment on Monday morning. And did she fly down to Victoria then for an interview? No, said Ms. Burgart. "He asked for my resume. I have met Mr. Barisoff in the past. And I sent him my resume. He did some further checking on references. And then I gather the name was put forward. It has to go through some process - whatever processes they use to do their screening in terms of making sure the people whose names are put forward are acceptable. And then he phoned me back and said are you sure you're still interested? And I had to speak it over with my family" before saying yes.

And what are her qualifications for the position, we asked? Said Ms. Burgart: "Number one: I think I work well with people. And I've lived in rural British Columbia. And I've worked as a superintendent of schools across a very large district in northern British Columbia. And I think I certainly have skills. Number one: I think listening. And number two: problem-solving, in terms of hearing many different points of view - many different sides - of an issue. And being able, at the end of it, to come up with some kind of a solution that would reflect what I would hear from the many different points of view that I would hear. Because I'm sure it's more than two different points of view - in terms of how things should proceed. And certainly, when I spoke to the Speaker of the House, that was what he was looking for - in terms of somebody who could represent rural British Columbia, somebody who has some skills in terms of working with people. And, number two, understood the importance of the issue in terms of listening to the people of British Columbia - knowing that (the recommendations of the electoral boundaries commission) would have to be accepted by all members of the house - in terms of going forward."