Guest Post: Let’s reimagine politics in BC

Posted on by Laila

It’s not often I open up the blog to guest posts. But when I do it’s because 1) I have asked them,they didn’t come to me… and 2) I think it’s something readers need to see, hear or consider.

Long time readers well know that I have always had a dream of more independents in the legislature. To be sure, it wouldn’t take more than a handful of solid, strong, truly independent souls to change the outcome of the votes. So when a few weeks ago I saw this group on twitter I contacted them to find out more. Turns out some of them had read one of my blog posts a while back lamenting the problems of people like me caught in the middle who would rather see more good done than finger pointing. People tired of party politics.

Many people talk in BC about change. Few actually do anything about it. So I offered them the chance to do a guest blog post and here it is. And I look forward to your comments, as I am sure they do as well.

Let’s reimagine politics in BC

 

The BC provincial election this May is quickly approaching. Campaigns are already starting with the same old rhetoric we have heard before. The BC Liberals say that they are “…getting to YES on job creation and growth” while introducing populist policies that hurt the economy and our well-being. The BC NDP seem to have trouble producing coherent policies between their labour and environmental factions and even more trouble running a scandal-free campaign.

The BC Greens are labelled as a one-issue party and will remain perceived as so by undiscerning voters. BC politics has been reduced to a chess game of politics driven by the election cycle fueled by big money. Instead of creating comprehensive visions for BC, political parties resort to announcing firehose policies designed to influence a demographic to capture votes. As New York Times reported, BC politics is the “Wild West” of Canadian politics.

We can do better than this. Politics in BC needs a reset.

As Imagine X, we want to reimagine politics in BC and bring it back to its original intent: elect MLAs that represent you and your community. We are a group of self-motivated and self-funded regular citizens who are frustrated with the current state of politics, but also inspired by the possibilities for political change. We are inspired by exemplary political leaders, such as the two-time independent MLA Vicki Huntington of Delta South, who did not vote-split, but instead defeated the BC Liberal MLA and Attorney General Wally Oppal to initially earn the seat in her riding.

Vicki showed us that it is possible for a politician to be, in her own words, “a true representative of the people, a representative that speaks on behalf of the people.” Unfortunately, due to health reasons, Vicki is retiring this year and will not be seeking re-election. As British Columbians, we need to strive to keep her spirit for true representative democracy alive and well in the BC legislature.

Through Imagine X, we want to change the political narrative in BC by exposing what is broken, inspiring public dialogue, and taking pragmatic action for change in the upcoming provincial election.

What have we done so far?

Late last year, we released the first ever BC MLA Voting Records App to demonstrate how MLAs put party-interests before constituents’ interests.

This month, we asked British Columbians to nominate leaders who would make great independent candidates for the upcoming election through our nomination platform. We want to encourage people to consider running as an independent and voting for an independent.

Going forward, we intend to raise awareness about high potential independent candidates whom we believe would best represent their constituents and uphold principles that are aligned with our core values.

We want to ensure that those independent candidates with integrity and potential like Vicki Huntington have a fair chance of winning a seat in the legislature and an opportunity to earn your vote to represent British Columbians. If enough independent candidates are elected, they could potentially hold the balance of power between the two major parties, leading to a healthier democracy for BC.

We are blessed to live in a peaceful democratic nation where we don’t need to go to war to create political change. Let’s take advantage of this privilege and get independents elected into the BC legislature this May.

The only way BC politics can move forward is if we all believe that we are not stuck with the current options. As Premier W.A.C. Bennett once said “…the time has now arrived in British Columbia when members must be elected to represent constituencies and not to be party rubber stamps and jump through the hoop at the crack of the party whip in Victoria.”

Let’s do it BC. Give it try. Let’s find our next generation of political leaders and give them a chance to earn our votes. Together, we can create change for a better future for our province. Start by checking out what we are doing at www.imagine-x.ca.
Imagine X is a group of passionate citizens starting a political movement to reimagine politics and reimagine BC. We are not affiliated with the BC Liberals, NDPs, Greens, any other existing party or interest group.

42 thoughts on “Guest Post: Let’s reimagine politics in BC”

  2. Brexit and that mutt in the US have shown that people are fed up with todays governance, want change and are willing to gamble for it. If nothing else, folks want to send a message. A loud one, Christy, John.

    The time is finally ripe for a batch of GOOD, SOLID independents in BC.

    Like Laila, I have been thumping the independent drum for some time. A once staunch NDPer, local Union President, BC Fed, NDP convention delegate and campaign worker until the 80s when I became increasingly disappointed, dropped the party hat and for the most part started a very local minded, individual approach.

    I have been a Viki Huntington admirer since she arrived and am very sorry to see her leave. We need more like Viki in Victoria and as much as I like Mr Holman, if a quality independent candidate surfaces in Saanich North and the Islands, I will start planting signs again.

    The alternative would be to toss EVERY incumbent; clean house, regardless of quality or party. That would grab their attention and get them back to working for the people who elected them.

    It’s a tough slog for you independents but, show me what you’ve got, that you are worth my time and I’m with you.

    Good luck.

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  3. The NDP know how to run this province. The last time we had a surplus was when the NDP was in power. Since the BC Liberals came to power, we have had deficits, although Christy Clark has a nice surplus, thanks to all the donations.

    Liked by 1 person

        1. Perhaps you did.
          But see, you make my point; you sound like at least a strong NDP supporter, if not a back-roomer and I never heard of this Astro until it landed here. Not a criticism, just that the NDP obviously isn’t being heard. Or seen for that matter.
          The Tyee, 12 years ago:
          https://thetyee.ca/Views/2005/04/20/CampbellMisledPublic/

          Norm Farrell, 2 years ago:
          https://in-sights.ca/2015/08/01/remembering-the-desperate-nineties-updated/

          NDP, same period:

          Time’s a wastin’.

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  4. First things first: Get rid of Clark and Gang. Dippers are the best bet to get that done. However, while that process is underway, work on the long game. There is no guarantee that a gaggle of independents will make for coherent policy of any kind, let alone the kind of progressive action that seems to be in vogue in these parts. When Ujjal Dosanjh went through the last gasps of the Dipper Dive in 2001, I did much contemplating on the idea of independents running the show, especially when confronted with the scariness that was, and continues to be, Gordon Campbell and his political descendants. Once elected, Independents are as unaccountable as party flacks unless people in the constituency hold some sort of sword of Damocles over them. How does one set up that accountability? It is also the role of any member of any government to educate the electorate, and of the electorate to get educated, including ripple effects and long consequences, without which we will continue to stagger from crisis to crisis and face election cycles that don’t meet the needs of society as we wade through layers of conflicting desires. It’s a conversation for generations and this piece, along with other bits here and elsewhere, make for a good reset and jumping-off point. But for now, turf the Clarkies.

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  5. Well, it is interesting to be sure. I have been promoting independents for over thirty years. But you pretty much HAVE to eliminate big (useless-to-the-voter) parties or else big corporations and big donors will simply blow ’em away.
    There is another way and I think it will work better. It’s a form of work-sharing. If Laila and I ran against the local NDP, Green and (ugh) even Liberal, we would, as a group, form an agreement that whoever won, the 4 or five of us who stepped up to rep our constituents would share the load of the work. Small scale proportional representation. The salary would be split, the offices shared and the staffing pooled. WHY NOT? If you are truly there for your constituents, you END the phony competitiveness and work cooperatively. Of course, the one who got the most votes will cast that vote in the legislature but being first influenced/supported by your own work group of four would make the vote have more integrity.
    Why do we HAVE to have this phony ‘run-off’ every four years that is manufactured by BIG INTERESTS anyway? When, usually, the individual candidates come from truly wanting what is best for their area? For the record: I will run with the Green or for the Greens, Laila and the Comox based NDP’er on that basis. Further, I will invite the Liberal ugh to play nice in the sandbox with us. If we got that – it matters not who wins. Altho, seriously, you could do better than picking me if you chose randomly from a group on a weekend day pass from Okalla. Still…..

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    1. But…but….but what would become of OTG? The promised second book, the blog. Congratulations on your decision. I might consider moving to your riding just so I could vote. Now, what about Laila?

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      1. Thanks, JA, for the support. That makes two of us – you and me. But, seriously? Do you think the populace will shrug off the sham democracy ‘brainwash’ just like that? NDP’ers and Greens sharing salary and office with Liberals? Four ostensibly sensible people all in the same room working for the good of the constituents and NOT their own wallets and pensions? Are you mad? I PROPOSE that it would be a better and easier-to-implement revolutionary change but I do not believe for a second that logic, reason or real integrity will ever show up in party politics. Contradiction in terms. It would be more likely to have hungry foxes and plump, juicy chickens cooperate than party-loyal politicians.
        Book 2 still a-grinding. Don’t sell and move just yet. List only after the Second Coming confirmed.

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      2. Hey I never said I was running! It’s an honour to be nominated and I sure am curious about who has endorsed me but right now I have my hands full with a little one who has pneumonia so only into the comments here infrequently.

        Will reply to all tonight when everyone is in bed… my quiet time 🙂

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        1. Obviously it was JDC and I seconded it. I think it’s a great idea and a slam dunk – if you leave the (ugh) liberals out of it. There are enough ABC voters out there that you’d be guaranteed success, especially with a slate that he proposed.
          Hope the little one is better and look forward to your response. Between you and me, I’m almost ready to throw in the towel. I shall wait around until May but I’ve been pissing in the wind for almost ten years to no avail. Its almost time to let the cards fall where they may and prepare for my exodus. Much more capable hands than mine have been unable to sway the sheople.

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  7. Maybe down the road ,but it is to important this election to defeat this corrupt self-serving in it for themselves ,party donors and friends ,government we have ever had.Now is not the time for experiments. The best thing for this province for the next 4 years would be for everyone to throw their support behind the only chance we have to eliminate the Christy liberals and that is to elect the NDP,then maybe try changing what we have,weather it be proportional representation or blocks of independents.But now is not the time.My 2 bits.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. “…elect the NDP,then maybe try changing what we have,weather it be proportional representation or blocks of independents.But now is not the time.”

      C’mon George, now is beyond the time.
      Where is change, real change a part of the NDP agenda?
      The NDP is too entrenched in system; a system that isn’t working.

      What harm could a 4 year house cleaning struggle do?

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      1. You can’t always get what you want,But if you try sometimes, well you just might find
        You get what you need.(Rolling Stones).Right now what this province desperately needs, is to rid it of the Christy liberals .Electing a few independents is not going to do that.

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        1. In eight years, and two elections the NDP are up ONE seat.
          A “few” Viki Huntintons could shake ’em up.

          They have to be quality though, not clowns.
          🙂

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        2. That may depend on where the independents are located. Here in the interior we hammer at Christy and we make it hard for her paid hacks to get a word in. Here, the fate of British Columbia can be determined by a strong independent showing. It may (probably will) elect Horgan. I’ve said before, I actually like the man. But really his ideals aren’t mine, well not completely. After Harper and now Trudeau (especially after the Proportional Representation flip-flop) I am a third party advocate. Some tell me I am wasting my vote, but the votes I influence by going after crooked Christy’s shitty record, helps everyone else out and helps me feel that I contribute to democracy. That is why I am a “third party” supporter.

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  8. I like the idea of independents in government, I really like the idea of getting rid of the corrupt, self entitled Liberals. I like the idea of a coalition of all opposition, NDP, Green, Conservative, Independent, and anyone else that stands a chance of beating individual Liberals in what ever riding they are in, Let’s work on providing reason, argument, and emotion that will show voters around BC that we need change.

    A list of donors, a list of receivers, a list of cutbacks, a list of rip-offs, a list of ways that the people of BC have been short changed while Christies friends have gotten wealthy.

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  10. Seriously.
    Lets look at elections everywhere.
    Brexit. “OrangeCrush” in Alberta, Donald Trump as President.
    These, and many other elections have shown that the average voter is LIVID with the electoral status quo.
    Do we blame or cheer social media for that since the main stream media appear to be in the back pocket of the same people controlling elections and politicians.
    Who cares.
    Voters are pissed off and I think the only way we will affect change is to vote for independants.
    Lets not forget Elijah Harper voting against Brian Mulroney’s beloved Meech Lake accord.

    http://www.google.ca/url?url=http://www.ictinc.ca/blog/elijah-harper-the-man-with-a-feather-who-changed-the-course-of-history&rct=j&frm=1&q=&esrc=s&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwj7rtXby97RAhVHx2MKHV1OBUMQFgggMAI&usg=AFQjCNEg0gwAHV79WiiyaEN3SqGXO1VQ6A

    It only takes one person to sway history.

    I’d vote for an independant if they ran in my constituency.

    Im sick and tired of the same old same old tired rhetoric spewed out by the Pro busines or Pro labour political hacks that would “pave paradise and put up a parking lot” if it would garner them an election victory.

    Turn this election on its head and create a minority govt.

    And before people poo poo the idea…. Most balanced budgets and unpopular, tough decisions come out of minority govts since everyone(politicians) shares the blame….

    Rant over

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  11. Would be nice to see top notch independents running in Juan de Fuca, Westside-Kelowna and the bible belt of Fort Langley-Aldergrove. I think I would enjoy seeing that punk get an arse kickin’ more than the May Queen. BTW, did anyone know Coleman when he was a cop? What a scary thought.

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  12. We are not stuck with the current lot. There are three ways I can think of that MLAs are booted as representatives of their respective ridings: by electing an alternative MLA during a general election or a by-election; by convicting the MLA of a crime (which, if not too close to a general election, precipitates a by-election from which the recently-convicted MLA is disqualified); and/or by a successful Recall campaign (28 attempts have so far failed to meet the threshold).

    An MLA may resign, although, even if under political pressure to do so, it is technically not a boot. Likewise the circumstantial possibility the MLA cannot attend the Assembly, misadventure, incapacitation, etc.

    The “reset” Imagine X says it wants is actually the next election in May. Nothing new about that. Neither is frustration or excitement about changing MLAs at election time.

    Indeed Ms Huntington is an exception: no other Independent elected as such (an exception in itself) has won incumbency—at least in BC provincial elections: federally we note that Elizabeth May has won incumbency and, technically, is recognized by the Speaker of the House of Commons as an “Independent,” and she sat as such during the recent Committee for (federal) Electoral Reform. If memory serves me, I think Quebec City re-elected a popular Independent.

    The above missive talks about changing the narrative while repeating a number of existing narratives about representativeness, democracy, parties and whipped votes. It goes on to suggest there is only one way forward: electing Independent candidates.

    There’s a curious implication that Ms Huntington is good not only because she’s independent, but also because she didn’t split the vote. For all that, it should be reminded that all MLAs are independent representatives of their respective ridings (proven when an MLA is booted from caucus remains his or her riding’s MLA), and that it was never in Ms Huntington’s power to split or not split the vote: that was up to the riding’s voters and something of a matter of luck.

    All candidates on a ballot have an equal chance of getting an ‘X’ marked beside their names. I suspect the lament expressed above relates to the superior war chests an organized group can collect compared to the single Independent. That is one of the prime purposes of parties. I concur that campaign financing law in BC needs a major overhaul, but the enactment of a remedial law requires only parliamentary yeas to outnumber nays, irrespective of partisanship. Presumably every party or independent candidate can avail the “wild west” political contribution laws in BC, the problems being whether those monies are used to purchase power for its own sake or to elect a government that works for the public good, whether those monies constitute conflicts of interest or encourage cronyism and, of course, whether they are used for election advertising instead of public money. It seems to me that the BC Liberal government abuses wide open political contribution laws to win elections based on what it can pay instead of on what it has accomplished for the public good—so it has no incentive to change the law by which it and its cronies benefit so much. Thus the BC Liberals need to be defeated and whatever government replaces it needs to change the law. I just don’t see voting for Independents as the surest way to defeat the BC Liberals—certainy not in my riding—and, as I said in the last BC election: too much is at stake to experiment (like the NDP did with its foolish “positive politics” non-campaign that blew a 20-point lead and encouraged the CC-BC Liberals to attempt even more audacious perfidy).

    Imagine X’s condemnation of the “chess-game” of politics and whipped votes contradicts its excitement about Independents winning the balance of power: no other parliamentary circumstance allows for as much “chess-playing” and vote-whipping. I also wonder about presumptuous definitions of parliamentary representation; naturally almost everybody has as different an idea of representation as he or she does of what should be represented. Although all the politicking and rhetorical grandstanding obscures the fact, the Westminster parliament is designed to pass legislation in a timely fashion, and the rub is always confidence in money-bills (compare the Congressional parliamentary system where any bill can take a very long time to get passed, probably won’t resemble the original draft if it does pass, and might not actually get to a vote at all; in the Westminster parliament, if a money-bill is tabled it must pass else the government falls and a new one resumes the task of timely legislation). Technically what the MLA represents is his or her constituents’ approval or objection to expenditure from the public purse—the budget; the MLAs’ technical purpose is to legitimize the state’s authority to extract money from its citizens through taxes, fees and fines—“no taxation without representation.” And that’s just for passing new legislation: the government’s bureaucracy administers the public weal which is regulated by laws already passed, some very old, some enshrined; it deals with huge value that dwarfs all private wealth combined. Yet that’s not foremost, or even hindmost, on voters’ minds: they want particular “representation,” to abolish the so-called “party system,” or vote for Independents supposed to “represent” their particularist demands better—but that’s not technically what’s meant by “representation.”

    Now, I’m not against Independents per se. Every ballot I’ve ever seen has at least one of them on it. I notice how rarely an Independent born of circumstance (that is, booted out of the party that bankrolled his or her successful campaign) ever wins incumbency. Perhaps that’s because breaking the “deal” to tow the party line is seen by voters as somewhat dishonourable, but I think the more plausible reason is voters prefer parties because they stand a better chance of winning. Lots of citizens proclaim strong political opinions yet almost half don’t vote, and, even among the ones who do, most can’t even name their own MLA. The Independent has to really shine even to get noticed in such a distracted culture. Ms Huntington exemplified the essentials required to get elected once: own a local issue which no other party would address but inspires strong and unified passion from constituents (I think it was objection to high-voltage structures in her riding), and, to get re-elected as an Independent: do an outstanding job representing constituents while dealing with other parties only to that end. I respect Ms Huntington for those attributes, hers, not the “institution” of Independency per se.

    Stop me—I could go on at length about parliamentary procedure, but to spare you all, let me present a riddle: how would the Sovereign (represented here by the Lieutenant Governor) decide which group of MLAs would be recognized as government, and which Official Opposition in a new parliament that consists entirely of Independents? I think it’s an educative brain-teaser.

    Thank you for your patience, and God Save the Independent.

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    1. My eyes are burning…..lol.

      I guess the jist of the whole independant “appeal” is that the Independants are not the status quo and if thats what it takes to get honesty and hard working politicians back into the Legislature and Parliament. for even one term…..so be it.
      Personally I couldnt care one whit about the “agonies” a parlimentarian proceduralist will have to go through if the largest “party” were a bunch of Independants.

      The current political system isnt working anymore.
      People with zero morals and even worse ethics infest every level of every govt and they need to be gone.
      Booting them out for even one term will rattle cages.
      Big money( either business or Union) doesnt like backing losers.

      Where’s the Harmonic Yogic Party when we need them?

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  13. Non con, you said it;
    “Booting them out for even one term will rattle cages.”

    We can’t expect a bevy of independents to all be top quality or even honest, for that matter. What we need, is to send the message that not one of the current members of the sty are safe. Even a lousy independent for one term is an improvement and that can, if needed, be replaced.

    Sure there will be a learning curve and some will embarrass themselves but the career bureaucrats are hands on. Gagged out of fear perhaps, but they do know how to operate the Gestetner.

    Bring ’em on.

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  14. The independents, even in majority, would form alliances to sway votes in the legislature. They would ‘deal’ their support. But each new piece of legislation resets the alliances. “I danced with you but now the song is over. Maybe later?” The end result is just that the legislature would have to work to get legislation passed rather than just by way of an edict from the Premier. WHO would form the opposition or, for that matter, the government? Makes no never mind. The majority still rules. The Premiership may shift from time to time. And procedure as to who gets to talk and all that would simply change to accommodate more debate. Of course these processes would change the nature of the parliamentary procedure but that is what we want. Make the bastards change. The main plus is that the new MLA only has allegiance to the community that voted for them. NO HIDDEN CORPORATE AGENDAS. It goes without saying that to get to the ‘free-the-MLA’ stage, spending limits would have to be imposed. In fact, maybe the government provides small election grants and that is all there is to it? Scotty, think outside the limits that they imposed and think about how ‘new’ might work.

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  15. Ran as an Indie last prov. election. Most people showing up for debates were old, had no current thoughts and just said”oh I always vote %&^*”. Asked them why and they had ZERO info… dazed puppets. What was the best of it was standing up at the mic and pointing to NDP/Libs and said “These are your liars”… here in my riding the general most people are uninformed and politically stupid… but it was very nice to produce FACTS a dnshow the libs as liars. The NDP gut actually READ from a piece of paper and often said, “The NDP Party” wow, loved it but the voters here are blind and deaf

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    1. Well Gary, here’s a little unsolicited advice from a half deaf, one eyed, old, dazed puppet who is not yet politically stupid; lose the attitude and try again.

      I suspect your lack of votes was not about “them.”

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  17. Great in theory, terrible in practice.

    Independent candidates, unless they are very high profile, have no chance of getting elected, and inevitably help the incumbent, by splitting protest votes and drawing away people disgruntled with the ruling party.

    Don’t forget that Huntington was elected as Liberal, and was known as a Liberal until she left over the proposed closure of the Delta Hospital. She had the advantage of the party machine, and had that name recognition in following elections. Splitting with her party’s wishes would have cost her poltically, anyway, so she had almost no opton but to go independent.

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    1. Mosko – your first paragraph is regrettably consistent with my experience…which I will get back to in a minute. Your second paragraph is factually wrong – Vicki Huntington was NOT elected as a Liberal in 2009 and ran successfully in both the 2009 and 2013 elections as an Independent. I can assure you of this because I too ran as an Independent in the 2009 election, along with a third independent candidate named John Shavluk. The fact that there were three of us Independents against three partisan candidates (Lib, NDP, and Green) probably added legitimacy to the option of voting for an “Indie” candidate, even though neither John or I had a change of actually winning the riding (as per your first paragraph) but it was clear to me that Vicki did have a shot at it. Realizing this and concerned with splitting the Indie vote, I decided to withdraw from the election in the 11th hour and throw my support behind Vicki. In the end, she won by 32 votes following the recount (original count had Oppal as the victor by two votes – I still have a copy of the front page of the local paper declaring him the winner)…
      Anyway, I love what I am hearing in this blog – from Imagine X, Laila, and all the related comments. It would be wonderful if we can build on the fact that Vicki not only legitimized the “Independent MLA” but repeatedly challenged her counterparts to raise the bar in terms of their dedication to democracy through legislative reform and serving their constituents first vs being a trained seal for their partisan master. We now have a powerful case study of someone who broke the mold and constituents like me were the better for it all for the eight years that she will have represented us. There is no question in my mind that evolving democracy here in BC is contingent upon more independents in the LA and a minority government (i.e. no party with more than 42 seats) that forces debate on key issues. The Indies can horse trade some of their proxy on secondary issues to push for the most important tenets of democracy that no party with a chance of winning will ever get support let alone initiate. Parties are the most damaging of any special interest group and ideologically in a conflict of interest within a representative democracy. When our MLAs rely on the marketing machine of their party to get them their job they are inevitably obligated to tow the party line. Basic governance and common sense.

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  18. As it sits now, I would say you are right. The average voter thinks in terms of ‘them’ and ‘us’ and the parties in that choice like it that way. Them or us gets employed and pensioned. To go independent (or even a third party, it seems) requires some kind of consciousness shift that the electorate can’t seem to do. I guess they, too, like Chevy over Ford, chocolate over butterscotch or Liberals versus NDP. The real spectrum of choice, however, can be greater than that. It’s really up to us.

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    1. Imagine X flaws?

      1) I know of no other way than this round-about one to contact Imagine X.
      Sure, there is a “Contact Us” link but it wants me to have a Gates account. Forget that.
      Unless keenly interested, people are not inclined to dig for information; a Liberal Gov. is proof of that.
      Your loss.

      2) Put names to the photos of candidates in the gallery so they actually become “someone.”
      While you are in there, get rid of the first grader drawing of “my dad.”

      3) Add either a Provincial Ridings map or at least the riding of each candidate. I might work for a solid independent outside my own riding if I could more easily define the boundaries.

      4) See 3 above. Region?
      Vancouver, Surrey, Tri-Cities, Vancouver Island and South Coast are vague, general geographic areas.
      Candidates should list resident riding and riding of preferred choice.

      None of those issues are costly, will give you a bigger profile and credibility.

      I think you have some good people there, give them fighting chance.

      Liked by 1 person

    2. JDC, I like Mopar over Chey and Ford, Like amaretto vanilla over chocolate or butterscotch and prefer a new option. I don’t dislike the NDP the way I do the Liberals, but I will vote for my preference rather than the lesser of two evils.

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  19. Ok. I know that we are probably going to be looking at an NDP government in 2017….assuming they don’t manage to trip on their own tongues (was going to use cruder imagery). In a way, it is probably the best out of a bad lot. That however is not saying a whole lot. I was at one time backing the BC Conservatives, but was irritated at their slavish devotion to the federal party principles as well as social conservatism. When they kicked out the elected leader Dan Brooks, I walked away. In the interim I have decided to back the Your Political Party of BC bunch and hope that Imagine X and BC First work with them to bring in a new option for us. I am hoping that John Horgan wins. Maybe then the decomposing corpse that is the BC Liberal party can have a shovel full of dirt or two dumped on it’s face and we can finally get the province moving again.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Flip ‘n’ Flop…
      Funny how Dix did a flip on a pipeline, was stripped nekkid, tarred, feathered and crucified while Christina Joan, flopping around real estate and foreign buyers tax like an eel on a frozen lake, gets a big ole pass.

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  20. The thing is, where is the NDP going to pick up seats though? That is the problem. Plus the right is not split like it was the only times they won. NDP also seem to poll higher until people actually get in the ballot box and then they just can not seem to vote for them at the last second.

    The Libs will probably pick up Skeena, they already picked up Delta South, chances are the sheep will elect that Steve Darling…I can’t see any interior seats going from Liberal to NDP, the island there are only Three non NDP seats, I think Weaver is safe, Cowichan will probably go Lib and the Greens could split the votes on the island in some ridings allowing Libs up the middle…Kamloops area, Kelowna area,Peace region, Fraser Valley will never go NDP…

    I know there are a few more seats this time but looking at results from last election https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/… i really can’t see anywhere the NDP are going to pick up enough seats to win. Boundary-Similkameen , Surrey Fleetwood and maybe Delta North and Vancouver Fairview are 4 NDP could pick up. But that is not enough. Even if the NDP could pick up the 3 non NDP ridings on the Island as well still not enough. As they would have 41 and libs 44.

    I would not be surprised if the NDP lost 8 to even 12 seats in May.

    The NDP do not even have their platform or a list of candidates on their web page either…Are they going to sit this election out again? They are so so so frustrating…They should be screaming about foster care system, IPP’s, etc yet nary a word….

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    1. Good question and hopefully the Dipper and Green strategists are working out the most viable ridings to target their efforts against the Lib money machine that can afford a much longer and more vocal campaign battle…keep in mind it is still a couple months before the writ gets dropped though it does seem we are starting things earlier than usual this go round…possibly affected by our neighbours to the south. My hope is for a minority government so some form of democracy can be witnessed in the Ledge. And more Independents…

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  21. The thing is, where is the NDP going to pick up seats though? That is the problem. Plus the right is not split like it was the only times they won. NDP also seem to poll higher until people actually get in the ballot box and then they just can not seem to vote for them at the last second.

    The Libs will probably pick up Skeena, they already picked up Delta South, chances are the sheep will elect that Steve Darling…I can’t see any interior seats going from Liberal to NDP, the island there are only Three non NDP seats, I think Weaver is safe, Cowichan will probably go Lib and the Greens could split the votes on the island in some ridings allowing Libs up the middle…Kamloops area, Kelowna area,Peace region, Fraser Valley will never go NDP…

    I know there are a few more seats this time but looking at results from last election https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/… i really can’t see anywhere the NDP are going to pick up enough seats to win. Boundary-Similkameen , Surrey Fleetwood and maybe Delta North and Vancouver Fairview are 4 NDP could pick up. But that is not enough. Even if the NDP could pick up the 3 non NDP ridings on the Island as well still not enough. As they would have 41 and libs 44.

    I would not be surprised if the NDP lost 8 to even 12 seats in May.

    The NDP do not even have their platform or a list of candidates on their web page either…Are they going to sit this election out again? They are so so so frustrating…They should be screaming about foster care system, IPP’s, etc yet nary a word….

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