BC Election 2013
 

I think we are close enough to the election campaign(and let's face facts, they are already campaigning) to consolidate news reports and discussions.

I'm asking for cooperation on a few matters...let's have a clean discussion. No partisan digs and jabs; "the Liberals/Greens/NDP sucks!!! boo" kind of thing. It's awesome to have an opinion of a party, but back it up with a reason for the opinion.

And item 1: Liberals are buying 30 minutes of TV time on Global to talk to voters directly.

BC Liberals buy 30-minute spot to talk ‘directly’ to voters | Globalnews.ca

#1 reason I will not vote for BCLib: Christy touts BC as a job creating machine. BC loses 15000 jobs in March. Christy's response is to spend $11 million on the Bollywood Film Awards, while the province is still in deficit. Selling off prime real estate is NOT an acceptable stopgap for the budget, Christy!

#2 reason I will not vote for BCLib: Harry Bloy, my MLA. His cuts to Community Living BC are the reason my brother (who has severe, low functioning Autism) got substandard care.

Goodbye, BC Liberals. Don't let the pipeline hit you on the ass on the way out!

Other thoughts:

-When it comes to the NDP, people are focused on a few things: Dix and his crew are part of Glen Clark's old guard, which they percieve as a return to Fast Ferries, memos, casinos and the SkyTrain to nowhere (Millennium Line). I'm willing to give Dix a shot, however. He is very cunning, and less likely to give lofty, far-reaching election promises like the NDP of old.

-The HST referendum was less about VZ hoodwinking the people of BC. It was a message to Gordo that we weren't gonna take his shit anymore. It will be interesting to see how the NDP deals with the fallout. Hell, they might reintroduce it at a lower rate for the sheer sexual thrill.

-I am so glad we don't have voter ID laws like in the US. You also get paid time off to vote if necessary.

Can't really say which one is better since both NDP and Liberals both aren't really good (let's face it which gov actually works for the people anyways).

I do hope BC liberals win since NDP is known to cater to the poor and spend more tax payers money while taxing us middle class and business which doesn't really help us at this point.

Well, Usually I get excited by the election process. I find it a fascinating process.

This time around, I really feel 'americanized' by a 2 party system here in BC. It sucks. Yeah, we have other options, but neither is really ready to go at this point...they are fighting for their first MLA.

This election is beyond horrible. All I know is I can't stand and don't trust the NDP at all. At least with the Liberals you know what you are getting but thats not really a good thing.

Another blow to the BC Liberals:

Poll shows Christy Clark tied for least popular premier in Canada | Globalnews.ca

I think one of the worse things that Clark ever did was delay the election. IIRC, during her run for the Liberal leadership, she said that she would call an election almost immediately. Here we are sitting TWO YEARS later and we finally get an election. I honestly believe that if she had called the election sooner, the party would have had a chance....or at the very least, the NDP would be in a minority gov't position. I have literally felt like her puppet in her politicking in the last 2 years.

Yes, the NDP is not the be-all end-all and Adrian Dix is night riding around on a white horse, but I don't think Clark is the answer for BC anymore and furthermore, I don't think the BC Liberals are. We can look back and see the fast ferry fiasco that hides on the back of the NDP, but I think the HST debacle is worse. This province has been more and more expensive to live in in the last 4-5 years and at the very least, something needs to change....maybe that change is the NDP.

I am interested to see how the BC Liberal Party holds together after the election. Will they fall apart?

The message I'm getting from this thread is that neither NDP nor the Liberals are good candidates. So, how about them BC Conservatives?

The who what?

It's not this election I worry about.

We aren't the only people that think about these things. The NDP fully know where they were, what happened to them, and what it took to get back. They aren't going to risk that in a 'all you can buy spending spree'...in their first term.

I think you'll see that there is no money for them to play with.

My fear is, they will have a 'status quo' first term, with marginal changes to the spending structure. Teachers will probably get a small increase in their next bargaining session-things of that nature. They'll also get a lot of Obama style mileage out of blaming the previous administration. We all know that the budget was bullshit. There was a huge deficit covered with the sale of assets to make it balance. The Liberals then get to say, "we gave you a balanced budget...its up to you that you didn't sell off the shit to make it work"

It's the term that follows that leads to concern. That's when they start really working on their own steam. No ability to go back 4 years for blame, it starts riding on them. That's when they start making their investments.

So, I'm stuck between a rock and a place left of the rock. The Liberals are out of steam, and the momentum seems to be with the NDP. I think the best the Liberals are working for is not to be decimated in the election.

This really happens with every time the economy is in the shits. The previous party takes the hit on it, the new party comes in and inspires confidence in the economy based on the change. In that regard, its all a house of cards. People will only feel confident to spend if they feel that money will be replaced by sound employment. They then pepper in some policy to ease transactions to spur the growth.

Although unpopular, I think Clark would have had a better opportunity with being premier if she had fully blamed Campbell for the HST and other issues, and worked harder to distance herself. That though, would probably rupture the party. She would have gained that boost in confidence. She very much seemed to most people to be a continuation of the Campbell government.

Oh, what the hell. What a wonderful time to post one of my favorite political ads of all time:

Yay I get to work at the elections again!

Is it too late to apply to work for the elections?

nope, go in ASAP meaning today (started accepting apps just today), they are taking in General Applications now for Advanced Polling and Regular Polling. Easy money to make! you'll clear about 1300 if you are selected for all sections!

How do you see 1300? On Elections BC, all the 1 day positions are about 250?

all those 1 day positions, plus if u get voting officer in regular polls, plus training days (training for advanced polling, then another training for regular polling day).


speaking on previous experience, not information on website.

And people wonder why voter turnout is so low.

I do sympathize with people who don't bother coming out to vote because they feel there's no one worth picking. It's very much an us vs them thing with our current political spectrum. I both agree and disagree with various aspects of both major parties but there's nothing standing out that makes me go, "Yes, there is a party I want in charge." Liberals are busy creating attack ads (which I personally despise when parties resort to them) and the NDP hasn't really said anything of note saying what they'd do if they were placed in charge (and that, to me, reads as if they're not sure themselves). Both parties have a bad history which we're all familiar with, though I'm sure both current groups would love nothing more than to distance themselves of those follies.

I don't know. I know there are other parties to vote for (Conservative, Green, Independents, etc), but I feel like I'm doing nothing but throwing away my vote by picking the elusive third party. Apathy by not voting seems to send a stronger message than ballot spoiling or choosing someone who clearly has no chance of winning.

I'm sure I'll vote but it'll likely be one of those things where I cover my eyes and place my pen where ever it decides to land... and the person/party on which it lands will be who I end up voting for.

i vote for npd,

because I want a raise,

liberals give me zero's while cost of living skyrocketted in the last 4 years

And you might see yoru income tax, tax goes up or they might add another "abc tax" in order to give you a raise.

I don't know both parties seems really bad.

dont want another majority government. regardless of whoever comes in power. both lib and ndp are on opposite ends in terms of policy. if is a majority govt. (similar to fed, its easier to pass legislation without much opposition or debate.)

Ideally, I'd like to see an NDP minority gov't.

How am I supposed to take candidates and the parties they represent seriously when they have the maturity level of pre-schoolers? If they took the province as seriously as they took their attack ads, I might review my no voting stance.

It's an insult to ask me to be "mature" and vote, when the people I would be voting for can't stop slandering other candidates like the bully in the playground. Some accusations might be factual, but that's my job to discern, not theirs.

Care, and I will care.

I think it is reasonable to say that there is almost no chance the Liberal can stay in office after the May election. The only unanswered question is how much the NDP is going to win by.

Given the political climate of the province, I really can't see a minority NDP government at all. The provincial Conservative Party is literally in shambles. It is questionable to even think whether the BC Green Party can secure a single MLA seat, although they will probably still get enough popular vote to keep their stipend or deposit or whatever it is. There aren't enough independents to affect the majority / minority outcome either.

Sigh... the BC provincial election is such a pathetic show...

Its tough because Liberals clearly have not been doing a good job with spending, listening to the public, and Christy Clark sure doesn't understand damage control.
NDP:
Adrian Dix. Where do I start. Has anyone listened to this guy in any debates or question periods? He has not answered ONE QUESTION ABOUT ANYTHING. He brushes off any question with completely unrelated responses about "tough decisions need to be made and we will do whats best." He appears to have no opinions, no agendas, no plans, no idea.
What to do? I don't know a ton about the ndp's spending plans, but I do know on a personal level, I think dix is a smarmy motherfucker, and I get absolutely livid watching him speak.
Conservatives? It would be like throwing a vote in the garbage anyways. Who cares or knows what they are doing, as they are irrelevant in the election.
NDP is going to win, but only because the liberals lost it for themselves a long time ago.

Dix is such a slime ball and as said above he's said -nothing- as to his plans for the future

I cannot and will not vote NDP based strictly on past record and the effect they have had in the past on the industry I'm in (construction)

However how can you back Crusty Clark and he continual fuck ups in the public eye? Just when you think she couldn't sink any lower more publicity comes out like the race targeting etc

Uhg..
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We literally have this exact same discussion in our household everyday! lol

The unfortunate thing is that I can't bring myself to vote for Crusty Cunt.