By now the entire country knows what happened here in BC…the re-election of the Provincial Liberals (or Con-Lites) …to say that I am depressed is to state the case in an all-too delicate way.
If I can derive any tiny bit of satisfaction from the election, it is that… a) my old home riding, Kitsilano in Vancouver, did not elect Christy Clark as their MLA – and this is Gordon Campbell’s old riding, where we fought long and hard to unseat him (unsuccessfully, I should add)… and b) Vancouver Island, my current home base, stubbornly true to form, went almost all NDP, and even elected our first Green MLA, leaving only one seat left for the Fiberals in, inexplicably, the Comox Valley……
So, here’s my plan for the future..that the Island declare Independence and break away from the rest of the Mainland, becoming their own Province…and why not? We have a very large land base, and grow an increasingly large amount of our own healthy food. We have a thriving tourist industry, beautiful natural places (that we want to maintain and protect) and we are willing to fight hard to protect, and work with, not destroy, our well-appreciated natural resources. We have elected politicians willing to thumb their nose at the status quo and protect children’s health and education, and show some respect for our seniors…
I have a strange sort of feeling that other places might actually wish to join us..the Gulf Islands, Haida Gwaii, etc….(well, Haida Gwaii as a friendly sovereign nation, then)
It will take me a long time to recover from this major defeat of principles and social justice..but, of course, the work continues, because I just know that the Feds will look on this rightwing triumph as a green light for the pipeline push…and that is something that should be fought with everything we have…it’s the only important fight we have left.
Left Over 
We have to face facts. We have a half-century of experience, going back to the creation of the B.C. NDP in 1960, that shows they’re inept and utterly unsuitable to be entrusted to challenge the rightwing establishment in British Columbia. They have won just three out of fifteen elections since their creation. Of those three, not one was re-elected. There’s a lingering and deep-seated distrust of the NDP, much of it undeserved, that people like Clark can drag out of the closet at election time and collapse NDP support.
If the NDP cannot defeat a government as corrupt, scandal-ridden and dishonest as the Clark Liberals, we need a new opposition. The NDP has become an anchor around the necks of progressives in British Columbia. Enough.
I agree…although numerically the NDP came very close (5% separated them from the Libs) in fact rep by pop is not the parliamentary way…
The Greens also took 8% of the vote..enough to give the NDP a majority..again, if rep by pop were in place..
I just read that the total vote percentage was 48%..that’s truly pathetic, and says more about what BCers deserve than the NDP running a decent campaign.
The problem for me is that after experiencing local BC politics first hand, when I lived in Vancouver and volunteered for more than one campaign, I can say that the NDP are just as hidebound and manipulative in campaigns as their opposites..they throw newbies to the wolves in ridings they can’t win..instead of treating new blood with respect and tolerance, the same old self-entitled types are always and forever at the forefront..it’s depressing..
A Progressive party embodying decent principles of social justice and environmental sustainability seems like a pipe dream right about now, but then, the pot laws might change soon, and a pipe dream might make more sense..
Sorry to be flippant, but I am truly unhappy with the people of this province (Vancouver Island excepted) not only those who voted Liberal, but those who couldn’t be bothered voting at all..they make me sick….
And so we have a omnipotent majority government installed at the behest of less than a quarter of the eligible voters. I wish I believed in some deity so I could pray for help.