Get ready ... Get Set ...
That's right folks, the most boring election in BC
provincial history is upon us. In fact 5, count 'em, 5 whole weeks until the
most avid voters among us take their leisurely stroll to their local voting
station, turn to their spouse as they stand in line and ask with a shrug - as
I've observed far too often - “who am I voting for?”.
Yes, we will be putting our well thought out mark beside
the candidate or party that seemed the most familiar at the time.
The problem is, as you have probably just realized, that
many are not aware we are into another election in British Columbia. Sure, in my neighbourhood
a fringe candidate from the Green Party has jumped queue and ironically
littered civic land with signage weeks before the writ officially will drop,
signaling like a referees whistle, that the pleads for your vote will now
commence.
Oh, I'm sure there may be a few energized poli-sci
students and a handful of old political stalwarts who are eagerly awaiting the
phone call from their candidate of choice.
The call will indicate that brochures, and other branding tools, have
arrived at the campaign office. These
individuals will in short order see the inevitable – finding those brochures so
graciously deposited in the bottoms of garbage cans from the Pacific Ocean to
the eastern stretches of the mighty Rocky Mountains.
Yes folks, there is another provincial election upon us
once again. Are you ready to rumble?...
...I said, “Are you ready to rumble!?” * echo *
(Stay with me here folks, I won't bore you much longer.)
The teams and their candidates are all lined up. The
Liberals touting their deep red branding will try to hold title with the
electorate while facing off to the NDP sporting their own brand of solidarity -
with a colour that of which none shall rhyme.
Though the NDP are lined up with benches full, they still
seem as though they are ready to defend their own certain title – nay, a
tradition – yes, a tradition, of their own. This long held tradition of being
the most losingest party the province has ever seen.
The benches may be full, but the bleachers are still empty
and the whistle is about to be blown.
Can you feel the excitement!? No? Me neither.
The truth is, when it comes to politics there are real
game changers out there that we can be talking about; which in their own way
still find ripple effects in BC. M-103, or Trump, or Brexit, for example.
Let's face it. It's not like it was when we were in the lead
up to the last election.
The Liberals were testing out their new leader with a
strong vision of a “Debt Free BC”, the BC Conservatives were poised to be a
real contenders for the first time since WAC Bennett lost his bid for party
leader in 1951, which interestingly signaled the party collapse (somewhat
similar to the BC Conservatives 2012 AGM, but lets discuss this another day).
The NDP in the lead up to the last election were expected
to form government, and the Greens took their first seat in the Legislature.
And how could we forget seeing the re-election of Vicki
Huntington, the lone independent candidate.
That was quite the feat, however she has decided not to run this time.
The 2013 election looked to be gearing up as an exiting
election of uncertainty. It was, too, an
election touting new vision and bold ideas.
Those days have come and gone and I'm left yawning,
wondering, will I ever see that “Debt Free BC” we were promised?
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