Pamela Martin joins Christy Clark team

Clark told the media former CTV anchor Pamela Martin is backing her Liberal leadership bid.

"Today, I'm delighted to welcome someone who has joined a political party for the first time in her life," Clark said.

"To have someone I admire as much as Pamela Martin to lend her reputation and her name to this campaign to help me become the next premier of British Columbia."

The newly retired anchor now leads Clark's membership drive.

"I think it's time for us to have a woman as the premier of the province," Martin said. "I think she's the right candidate."

Clark also took the opportunity to address what's become a contentious policy question in the lead-up to the party's leadership vote.

She said a policy floated by rival Kevin Falcon to pay teachers based on merit is misguided.

"If you want to talk about the quality of teaching, you need to step back. The first thing is to fix the [B.C. College of Teachers]."

Clark said the regulator for teachers is not working.

If there were more stringent standards in place, she said, teachers who perform poorly would be weeded out, without the need for what she called "controversial proposals."

The Liberal leadership convention, called after Gordon Campbell stepped down in November, will be held on Feb. 26.