BC Votes
The BC election kicks off today, making Gordon Campbell's government the first provincial government to be tested during the recession (well...maybe Charest already was).
While I usually line up on the left in a two-party race, I'll be rooting for Campbell in this one. The man showed some boldness with his carbon tax budget last year, and it would be a shame to see the policy claim another political career.
According to the most recent polls, the Grits enter this one with a 6-point lead, so the election is definitely up for grabs:
Lib 43%
NDP 37%
Green 13%
While I usually line up on the left in a two-party race, I'll be rooting for Campbell in this one. The man showed some boldness with his carbon tax budget last year, and it would be a shame to see the policy claim another political career.
According to the most recent polls, the Grits enter this one with a 6-point lead, so the election is definitely up for grabs:
Lib 43%
NDP 37%
Green 13%
Labels: BC Votes
posted by calgarygrit at
8:30 a.m.
16 Comments:
This comment has been removed by the author.
By
susansmith, at 10:01 a.m.
Yes, sure bold as they pollute rivers, and streams, cause untold environmental damage, and kill off fish. And privatize BC rail and BC hydro - sure are environmentalists.
And look at that Patrick Kinsella guy - on the pork for the good old liberal cause.
By
susansmith, at 10:03 a.m.
The BC NDP under Carole James has become a disaster.
James has made so many bad decisions, not least her opposition, for opposition’s sake, to the carbon tax and her failure to support BC-STV. Moreover, eliminating the carbon tax will hurt people in the very lowest income bracket, people who happen to pollute the least because they don't own cars and most can't even afford public transit. Those carbon tax cheques have put food on the table that otherwise wouldn’t have been there.
For progressive British Columbians, particularly those concerned about the environment, there are few choices left. Either vote for an independent or the Green candidate. Mostly definitely NOT the Liberals.
Yes, the Liberals have done some things right - on the carbon tax and the aboriginal file, for example. But so does any party at some time while it is serving in government.
By
Chrystal Ocean, at 10:39 a.m.
The NDP are an absolute disgrace to progressive politics. Once a whore always a whore.
If the Greens were smart they would endorse Campbell and be done with it.
By
progreen, at 11:07 a.m.
They are holding a referendum on the electoral method, and you want to talk about who's going to be premier for the next lousy four years?
Get some perspective. ;)
By
Gauntlet, at 11:18 a.m.
According to Ipsos-Reid in today's Times-Colonist, the standings are
Liberals 46%
NDP 35%
Greens 15%
By
jad, at 11:20 a.m.
I wouldn't vote for the NDP ever again. A party that drives business away. Been there, seen that happen and no more. A party that would bankrupt any country. A party that tells the unions how to vote. This is a free country and we don't need these people anywhere near being in power. Sorry Carole, your party just dosen't cut it.sorry but I have to blog as a anon because it doesn't recognize my pass word.
By
Anonymous, at 11:33 a.m.
I'm not convinced that the Carbon Tax is as great as it seems. As far as I can tell it's merely a gasoline tax, leaving the big polluters off the hook, and passing funds from the middle class to the wealthy through tax cuts.
Of course the NDP doesn't have much of an environmental plan either (beyond "Do what Obama's doing" and clean the rivers).
Luckily I don't have to vote in BC this time (although I wish I could drop that STV ballot).
By
Ian, at 1:00 p.m.
Sorry CG. Have to disagree with you.
The BC Liberals under Gordo Campbell are masters of disinformation. The carbon tax has limited relevance to sustainability. The rural areas are in revolt because the carbon taxes aren't recycled to them (unlike Dion's approach).
Gordo is the front man for corporate interests (like Bush/Cheney). Last year, I listened to a Socred minister (BC Social Credit Party) strongly urge the public to vote for the NDP. Why would a fiscal hard-right veteran (Socred governed BC for 30 years) vote for the NDP?
Because the Gordo administration has no interest in consultation with ordinary citizens. It favours and rewards large corporate interests and high earners. In my mind, Gordo's administration stands out for its 'training wages' ($6/hour). Compared to $8/hour for the BC minimum wage and $8.80 for the Alberta minimum wage.
Surely $6/hour is below the starting wages for third world cities (adjusted for purchasing power parity). For comparison, Taiwan has a price index of 60% of Canada (World Bank – International Comparison Program), and a minimum wage of @C$3.50. Therefore, BC has a starting wage equivalent to Taiwan.
By
JimTan, at 2:25 p.m.
Mustel came out with one putting Gordo ahead by 17 points.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090414.wbcndp0414/BNStory/politics/home
That said you and I have both predicted Campbell would lose at some point, so were all in this together, CG. Go James go.
By
french wedding cat, at 5:59 p.m.
JimTam:
I have a feeling Mr. Cheney would be rather insulted by being compared to Gordo Campbell. That Andrew Weaver is such a corporate hack
Do people who make minimum wage vote? Anyone have tracking data?
By
Bjorn, at 1:08 a.m.
“Do people who make minimum wage vote? Anyone have tracking data?”
Dear Bjorn,
It matters to many people who aren't on minimum wage, and are concerned about the 137% increase in homeless people since Gordo got elected.
By
JimTan, at 12:04 p.m.
I hope BC voters will consider the May 12 referendum on BC-STV as a
distinct issue from party politics.
When the Irish politicians tried to get rid of STV with a referendum, emotions were played on, by trying to get the voters to say, at the same time, yes to their hero De Valera and no to STV.
The Irish voted for De Valera but kept their nerve, knowing what a good thing STV is for voters, and voted yes for STV.
I hope British Columbians will also vote for STV by the required 60% majority, as they almost did in 2005.
There is the prospect of a negative advertising blitz by the BC No to STV campaign. (Their poll testing has already been done,) Especially of concern is any attempt to stampede voters near the close of the campaign before there is time to refute unsupportable claims. All the No campaign has to do is tip the STV support below 60% and they have
"won." (This is an unsupportable claim in itself but may not be
over-turned.)
People should be aware that any claims need to be given a fair chance
to be debated before decisions are made. But more important, people
need to talk to each other, family, friends and strangers, and pass on the news, so that voters are not caught unawares by the referendum issue and taken advantage of.
Richard Lung,
Democracy Science,
http://www.voting.ukscientists.com
By
Anonymous, at 5:35 p.m.
I'm sorry but pretending the BC Liberals have anything but a horrific record on the environment is worse than pure spin. A gas tax isn't some get out of free card. The NDP has been pissing me off with their pandering to the right and their shitty position on the referendum and I think I'll vote Green but Cambell is bad enough to make me think long and hard.
By
Anonymous, at 7:00 p.m.
"Moreover, eliminating the carbon tax will hurt people in the very lowest income bracket, people who happen to pollute the least because they don't own cars and most can't even afford public transit."
1. They will eliminate the jobs in industries (manufacturing, logging, etc.) that are most likely to provide those poor people with a leg up.
2. Secondly, when you tax carbon, a large proportion of the cost of that tax is passed along to the consumer. This impacts all goods, not just gas prices (I'm not sure about Gordo's tax, but Dion's raised diesel and coal - not gas - taxes, which impact heating and shipping costs). Poor people spend a larger proportion of their income than rich people.
3. If you are concerned about poor people losing a particular tax credit, there is no reason that tax credit has to be tied to some sort of green shift.
BC Politics is indeed strange. For me, I would be truly puzzled about who to vote for. I dislike the environment AND programs that help poor people.
By
french wedding cat, at 8:26 p.m.
Quite worthwhile information, lots of thanks for your post.
By
www.empresas3d.com, at 3:13 p.m.
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