Premier Christy Clark says B.C.'s Liberals have a big, bold vision of economic greatness that she will take into the spring election campaign.

Premier Christy Clark delivered a speech at the party's convention in Whistler Saturday afternoon aimed at rallying the troops before next May's provincial election.

The speech began with an energetic sports-themed introduction — MLAs and nominated Liberal candidates ran on stage in B.C. Liberal party hockey jerseys as the crowd waved red B.C. Liberals towels.

Once the speech got underway, it continued the rallying theme as Clark highlighted various initiatives and accomplishments from the past year.

"Our goal is a very simple one, and that is nothing less than to make B.C. the number one economic engine that drives this country into the future," Clark said.

Clark told the cheering Liberals they are playing an important role in renewing the party and will help it win the next election.

The speech did not include any new policies or platform promises.

Liberals vote to keep carbon tax

Delegates attending the convention voted overwhelmingly to reject a call to eliminate the tax during a debate that ended in a show of hands vote that appeared to support the tax by a three-to-one margin.

The B.C. carbon tax, introduced four years ago to fight climate change, was hailed as a bold environmental and economic initiative, but many are now concerned the carbon tax puts the province at an economic disadvantage.

Some business groups and Liberals have spoken out against the tax, arguing it's unreasonable that B.C. businesses must pay the levy while their competitors do not.

Others have said that although there was initially a strong belief other jurisdictions would follow with similar taxes, they have not materialized.

The Liberal convention motion called on the government to immediately repeal the carbon tax and dismantle its revenue neutrality mechanism, where the estimated $1.2 billion in revenues cuts costs for families.

"The elimination of the carbon tax would benefit the economy of British Columbia by facilitating equal economic playing fields with other adjoining provinces and States," stated the motion. "This initiative will reduce the costs associated with all products that require the use of fossil fuels that families rely upon such as transportation and heating."

The B.C. carbon tax adds about seven cents to a litre of fuel and includes home heating oil and natural gas.

The convention motion said one negative consequence of eliminating the carbon tax would be the lifting of incentives to reduce fossil fuel use.

Alberta election wizard helps Liberals

The Liberals are also expected to participate in a closed door session with the Alberta election wizard who helped Premier Alison Redford beat back a right-wing challenge and win the provincial election.

Stephen Carter is one of the key speakers at the convention.

Carter helped Redford withstand a strong challenge from the Wildrose Party, which at one point was threatening to win the election.

Carter's address to delegates at the Liberal convention, which numbers about 1,000 people, is closed to the media.

The B.C. Liberals have faced serious challenges to their free enterprise coalition from the B.C. Conservatives, but the Liberals have been expressing more confidence lately as the provincial Tories spend time feuding among themselves.

The B.C. Liberals have faced serious challenges from the B.C. Conservatives, but the Liberals have been expressing more confidence lately as the provincial Tories spend time feuding among themselves.

The Liberals currently trail the New Democrats, and there's the possibility of vote-splitting with the Conservative party.