2024 BC Election

[Brad Sallows]

Yep. As much as I don’t like Eby, at least he realized that some of his signature policies are blowing up in his face and he’s had to rethink things. The Greens would probably force him to double down on those policies, and implement PR without a referendum to boot.

Glen Clark won a close election once, and the NDP governed as left as ever. A win is a "mandate". Don't expect moderation; if they get a majority, they're going to govern to squeeze as much into the term as possible knowing that the next election is likely end of the line for a while.

 

[Brad Sallows]

Plus, it gives the BCCP time to professionalize.

Better to spend four years in government "professionalizing" than four years on the sidelines. Parties don't develop governance chops while in opposition.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

Glen Clark won a close election once, and the NDP governed as left as ever. A win is a "mandate". Don't expect moderation; if they get a majority, they're going to govern to squeeze as much into the term as possible knowing that the next election is likely end of the line for a while.

I don’t discount what you are saying, but if you think you are going to get more moderation from a 46 seat NDP, beholden to the Greens who will insist that their demands be met…

 

[brihard]

Better to spend four years in government "professionalizing" than four years on the sidelines. Parties don't develop governance chops while in opposition.

A party that narrowly misses on a victory because they entered the election with a partial slate of wingnuts, and with poor messaging discipline, will be quite motivated to get their poop in a group for the next one.

 

[Brad Sallows]

The LPC in Canada and Democratic Party in the US figured out long ago that winning is everything. If you don't win, you don't control the government. Every year you don't control the government is a year some other people spend doing their things and tearing down some of yours, while you get to do nothing. It's why some of their supporters go apesh!t even over "do nothing" conservative governments (ie. criticizing "underproductive" legislation sessions).

 

[brihard]

The LPC in Canada and Democratic Party in the US figured out long ago that winning is everything. If you don't win, you don't control the government. Every year you don't control the government is a year some other people spend doing their things and tearing down some of yours, while you get to do nothing. It's why some of their supporters go apesh!t even over "do nothing" conservative governments (ie. criticizing "underproductive" legislation sessions).

It’s better for Canada and BC if the new, viable, right of centre party should have to get its act together before taking power. They’re far from the necessary maturity needed to govern- and it appears voters have told them that. If they can professionalize and mature, BC will again have a viable conservative option- and one farther right of centre than BCL/BCU were. That should please some people.

But they need to earn it, and they haven’t yet.

 

[Brad Sallows]

It’s better for Canada and BC if the new, viable, right of centre party should have to get its act together before taking power. They’re far from the necessary maturity needed to govern- and it appears voters have told them that. If they can professionalize and mature, BC will again have a viable conservative option- and one farther right of centre than BCL/BCU were. That should please some people.

But they need to earn it, and they haven’t yet.

That's just the decorum/civility myth that people have convinced themselves has to apply to conservatives, largely at the urging of progressives. If any of them are rude, they're not fit to govern, blah, blah, blah. Ideologues blowing out their gaffs with public spending and canceling expensive projects they disagree with are much greater problems for BC and Canada than a handful of past comments from people whose names no-one will recognize in six months.

Most of the nonsense comes from people who will never be more than backbenchers in the highest tier of seats at the back. Actual governance comes from the leader's office and cabinet ministers. It's not hard to find enough people to fill those slots. Every party out of government for a while faces a learning curve that is fixed only by governing.

 

[Cloud Cover]

Starting to feel a little uneasy where the discourse in BC is heading towards “rigged” and “cheating”. The election was always going to be close, it has always been the case there should only be one winner. Bringing in the Greens makes them a very undeserving winner. If the NDP can eke a majority, I hope they ditch Eby and bring in someone who is not a Marxist.

Someone who is willing to work with Rustad when those in the NDP will not support common sense policies. It’s the only way forward. In the next election, there will be a reformed BC Liberal party and things might normalize again.

 

[brihard]

That's just the decorum/civility myth that people have convinced themselves has to apply to conservatives, largely at the urging of progressives. If any of them are rude, they're not fit to govern, blah, blah, blah. Ideologues blowing out their gaffs with public spending and canceling expensive projects they disagree with are much greater problems for BC and Canada than a handful of past comments from people whose names no-one will recognize in six months.

Most of the nonsense comes from people who will never be more than backbenchers in the highest tier of seats at the back. Actual governance comes from the leader's office and cabinet ministers. It's not hard to find enough people to fill those slots. Every party out of government for a while faces a learning curve that is fixed only by governing.

Shrug Looks like enough voters share your position to deliver them a solid second place finish very possibly against a majority government. This was a Conservative election to win had their game and candidates been better.

They’ll have four years to think about how to deliver a more palatable and electable alternative.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Starting to feel a little uneasy where the discourse in BC is heading towards “rigged” and “cheating”. The election was always going to be close, it has always been the case there should only be one winner. Bringing in the Greens makes them a very undeserving winner. If the NDP can eke a majority, I hope they ditch Eby and bring in someone who is not a Marxist.

Someone who is willing to work with Rustad when those in the NDP will not support common sense policies. It’s the only way forward. In the next election, there will be a reformed BC Liberal party and things might normalize again.

I am not personally seeing any of that. Most people are already busy cleaning up flood mess or getting ready to celebrate Halloween. Perhaps the people that live for politics, but most average people see it as the process is done, just the details to be finished. I think most people see the BCCP as rough around the edges and are a bit unsympathetic to both sides. It's a win for BCCP no matter what and a slap in the head for the NDP.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

That's just the decorum/civility myth that people have convinced themselves has to apply to conservatives, largely at the urging of progressives. If any of them are rude, they're not fit to govern, blah, blah, blah. Ideologues blowing out their gaffs with public spending and canceling expensive projects they disagree with are much greater problems for BC and Canada than a handful of past comments from people whose names no-one will recognize in six months.

Most of the nonsense comes from people who will never be more than backbenchers in the highest tier of seats at the back. Actual governance comes from the leader's office and cabinet ministers. It's not hard to find enough people to fill those slots. Every party out of government for a while faces a learning curve that is fixed only by governing.

The civil discourse deck may or may not be rigged against conservatives. The BC NDP somewhat got away with some of their members making asinine and potentially anti-Semitic statements concerning Oct 7th events (note- Municipal and Provincial politicians really should stay away from commenting on world events…).

I still stand by my contention that, if Rustad was not going to win a clean >47 Seat Majority, the next best case is a bare NDP Majority. The worst case for all of BC is a NDP Minority, propped up by Greens, who will demand some truly draconian and society changing legislation, without having to suffer any electoral consequence for it.

 

[daftandbarmy]

The civil discourse deck may or may not be rigged against conservatives. The BC NDP somewhat got away with some of their members making asinine and potentially anti-Semitic statements concerning Oct 7th events (note- Municipal and Provincial politicians really should stay away from commenting on world events…).

I still stand by my contention that, if Rustad was not going to win a clean >47 Seat Majority, the next best case is a bare NDP Majority. The worst case for all of BC is a NDP Minority, propped up by Greens, who will demand some truly draconian and society changing legislation, without having to suffer any electoral consequence for it.

The best thing we can hope for is that the NDP 'heard' the voters and will be reigning in some of their crazier ideas.

But, as we all know, hope is not a valid COA

 

[markppcli]

It’s better for Canada and BC if the new, viable, right of centre party should have to get its act together before taking power. They’re far from the necessary maturity needed to govern- and it appears voters have told them that. If they can professionalize and mature, BC will again have a viable conservative option- and one farther right of centre than BCL/BCU were. That should please some people.

But they need to earn it, and they haven’t yet.

It reminds me of when the NDP were elected in Alberta and we had to go through several very awkward news stories about MLA who had no business being in the legislature.

 

[Brad Sallows]

Starting to feel a little uneasy where the discourse in BC is heading towards “rigged” and “cheating”. The election was always going to be close, it has always been the case there should only be one winner.

It only appeared close after BCU collapsed.

If the NDP can eke a majority, I hope they ditch Eby and bring in someone who is not a Marxist.

If they win even a minority under Eby, Eby stays. Parties rarely eject leaders after they win elections.

 

[Brad Sallows]

The worst case for all of BC is a NDP Minority, propped up by Greens, who will demand some truly draconian and society changing legislation, without having to suffer any electoral consequence for it.

Absurd Green demands are not in the cards. Read what political observers are saying about Furstenau's foolishness. She gutted her own bargaining position.

Any party seen to be responsible for sending BC voters back to the polls too soon can expect to be punished by voters. If all the NDP has to do is peel off one BCCP member for each vote and the rest can go through the form of opposing, no-one has to worry about an election.

Maybe in a year the NDP might want to make a formal deal involving real concessions. But just as Trudeau bought Singh cheaply, I expect Eby to buy Furstenau cheaply.

 

[Brad Sallows]

The best thing we can hope for is that the NDP 'heard' the voters and will reigning in some of their crazier ideas.

When has that ever actually happened in Canada?

Win = mandate, and future events will send things in unpredictable directions, so a party might as well govern as it pleases, especially early in a term.

 

[dapaterson]

A party that narrowly misses on a victory because they entered the election with a partial slate of wingnuts, and with poor messaging discipline, will be quite motivated to get their poop in a group for the next one.

So... Like the Republican party between 2020 and 2024 then?

 

[brihard]

We’ll know in roughly two weeks, but I’m not gonna drag this thread down that rabbit hole.

 

[Cloud Cover]

So... Like the Republican party between 2020 and 2024 then?

 

[RangerRay]

They’ve got their sticky fingers in all levels of government here.

Just ask Gordon Campbell and Christy Clark. And depending who you believe, David Eby.