Kerry-Lynne Findlay doesn’t have it.
I actually had hopes for her: I believe the current NDP government has badly damaged BC’s economy, BC’s forest/pulp industry, BC’s health care, BC’s public safety, BC’s private property rights, including a total failure to adequately deal with DRIPA, hurting BC’s investment climate, added to BC’s huge deficit, increasing BC’s skyrocketing debt and … what greater proof of mismanagement … resulted in BC’s falling credit rating.
And yet, in the latest Research Co poll, released last week, David Eby scored better (49%) than Findlay (34%) the brand new BC Conservative Leader; and Decided voters also preferred the NDP 44% to the Conservatives 39%. (You can read full results here: https://researchco.ca/2026/08/18/bcpoli-aug2026/.)
Now, that survey was done before the latest monthly list of NDP debacles was completed: spending $100,000 a month of taxpayers’ money to house ONE indigent in an otherwise empty Granville Street hotel; revelations the government paid $55 Million for the building when its assessed value was $38.6 million; and, so poorly managed the property … allowing its “tenants” to so destroy it, BC Assessment says it’s now worth only $27.5 million.
Last week, the NDP also had to admit the government made a $1.5 Billion (Yes, that’s BILLION) “administrative” error is estimating projected gas royalties in its last Budget. (Details here: https://www.biv.com/news/economy-law-politics/bc-admits-to-15b-budget-error-following-biv-investigation-12715708.)
Yet, Eby and the NDP seem preferred over Findlay/Conservatives!
Why?
Well. the pundits point to the chaos inside the Conservative party and caucus: six Conservative MLAs have left the party in the past two weeks to sit as Independents (so far) and a number of staff in the party office have resigned or been fired.
My own view is the problem is Findlay herself.
I was actually okay with her winning the leadership: she was an experienced politician, having served as an MP, occupying two Cabinet posts and have been the Opposition Whip in Parliament; plus, I found her quite articulate when I had done several stories involving her (and husband Brent … now an MLA) when they and other Musqueam lands tenants were involved in a rent dispute with the band.
What a disappointment as leader!
Findlay does not seem to realize British Columbians are centrist, not far right conservatives; many fiscal centrists lean left on social issues; and the priority for any new party leader should be to get out there, front and center, all over the radio talk shows and TV news programs, getting exposure, displaying knowledge and proposing solutions.
Three months after becoming Leader, I have seen little of that.
The RARE occasion when Findlay has faced the media … and the cameras … I’ve seen NO charisma at all, heard little to inspire and, judging by the recent poll results , neither have most BC voters.
I doubt Findlay has what it takes to become BC Premier … even with all the damage and demonstrated incompetence of Eby and the NDP.
What BC needs NOW is a common sense centrist coalition, uniting fiscally responsible and socially liberal beliefs and values under one banner … with a credible leader.
Egos and individual ambitions must be put aside for the common goals of competent BC government, elimination of DRIPA, support for BC businesses, encouragement of BC investment and respect for working BC taxpayers.
Splintering the vote among BC Conservatives, BC United, Centre BC, One BC and a slew of Independents will ensure yet another term for Eby and the NDP.
Think about that!
Harv Oberfeld
🇨🇦🇨🇦More now than ever … BUY CANADIAN!🇨🇦🇨🇦
(Follow @harveyoberfeld on “X” for FREE First Alerts to new postings on the Blog.)
What ever they called themselves, after the campbell clark gang went out, they haven’t been able to run a party with any success and now you think they’ll get it together? Not so much. They have selected one not so brilliant leader after another. Even if the wingers moved to the center they’re not going to get it right. Just look at who they had previous to the current screw ups. Campbell and Clark. Ya, right lets have more of them. The only one who seems to have any idea of which way is up is Ms. Stoko.
I’d rather have Eby as Premier than any of the list of right wingers we have seen for the past several decades.
Its true the hotels which were purchased and then used as housing, wasn’t brightest idea. Its not so much the money for housing I had a problem with, it was the way those places were run. I don’t know if non profits were involved in running them but you need rules and you don’t put people with issues in a large building and no rules. Smaller buildings with rooms which are more like a studio suite with cleaning crews while you help people re learn how to keep their homes clean. You also don’t place their housing in an area where there a large number of dealers and other people with issues. On the other hand any time some one tries to put a building anywhere the voters are the screaming can be heard two provinces over.
People don’t become addicts because it looks like an attractive life style It is time we had a look at how we raise children. A couple of months ago I read an article which concluded the happiest children in the world lived in the Netherlands. When I look back on my time in school, the kids who became addicts, sex workers, pimps, drug dealers didn’t have happy lives during our school lives. As an adult, the kids I saw growing up who were involved in drugs, suicide, etcre not happy children.
We can pay now or we can pay later, but we will pay and in B.C.’s case we didn’t pay “now” and later we have the problems we see today. Eby may have spent a lot of money with out good results but at least he tried.
The first commenter seemed to have an issue with Indigenous people. Like get a gripe man. They were here first, we deprived them of human rights, stole their land. now its our time to pay. I don’t have a problem with the legislation. I’m getting a good laugh out of the non Indigenous setting their hair on fire.
(Response: I notice Kerr-Lynne Findlay is making herself available a bit more for media interviews, which is good. But all the defections, staff firings, some of her new hirings and even her phrase … “Faith, family, freedom” worry people. (Whose faith? Family…what about singles, gays, lone seniors, single parents … and Freedom (including the right to discriminate, preach hate?). Then there’s Eby, who has driven BC’s deficit and debt to record levels, brought BC’s credit rating down and, many fear, is far too busy giving away massive tracts of lands to First Nations and failing to protect private property rights. That’s why I believe many voters want a party/leader more in the middle. Ho)
the hotel purchases were expensive with out the desired results but lets not forget Campbells fun and games with B. C. Rail, run of the river projects, the “new electricity meters” contract which went to some one who knew him with a one room office. that cost us a lot more than a few hotels.
Clark had her own “fun and games”. Come to think of it she was premier when the drug problems in BC were declared a health emergency. What did Clark do? Nothing, Nada, etc. At least in Alberta the provincial government banned pill presses. Had the problem been dealt with my campbell and clark ///////////
The caller above me says to get a “gripe”. I do have a gripe and that is politicians who fail to represent those who voted for them. And those are the Far Left, voted in by BC residents,.Many of them are homeowners, with their lifesaving sunk into their homes. Yet these NDP politicians turn around and represent the indigenous over their direct constituents.
I’ve always loved the indigenous to our east with their spirituality and their honour. Not so much for these sedentary, classist representatives here.
(Response: I sense many British Columbians feel the Eby/NDP have given far too much far too easily to First Nations and would like to vote them out …but not with what they’ve seen from the BC Conservatives so far! We really do need a fiscally centrist but socially a bit left alternative. Ho)
You are backed up by a lot of politicians Harv –all those former conservatives consider themselves different than the party members who elected Findlay. When we do have an election, we should then have an elected Conservative party that represents those who elected Findlay.
I am wary of Caroline Elliot being BC’s leader as she is has a Phd in aboriginal self government. This means to me, that although she may have the skills to fight UNDRIPA, she may not have the motivation. There is a good chance she chose that field of study, because that is where her loyalties lie.
Another front leader in the convention was Peter Milobar. Seems like a stalwart candidate and leader, but his wife is indigenous. If one of the Conservative goals is to curtail DRIPA, his direction on the issue would be in doubt.
Many of us remember when a very popular figure, Gordon Wilson, won the leadership race of the BC Liberals. It didn’t take long for the backroom boys to run Wilson out of town and replace him with the political insiders’ choice: Gordon Campbell.
We are living in a democracy here, and a bunch of conservative citizens banded together and elected Findlay. Now, it looks like the same political forces who forced our Gordon Wilson into the cold and replaced him with insider, Gordon Campbell, now want to trash another leader elected by the citizenry. The same political forces who gave us the slick Christie Clark now want to throw out folksy looking Findlay.
If we look at what she actually stands for, instead of dismissing it out of hand—calling it Maple Maga, let’s consider the planks in her platform.
SOGI– taking schools out of the gender business and trans men out of female spaces;
DRIPA and Private Property—can we trust this file again to these liberal vestiges’? A lot of this developed under their watch.
Pro Religion—what harm can she do
Western Alienation—federal largess has almost always gone to the East, and we in BC, as good loyal federalists, got nothing. If we had a bit of a western movement here there is a much better chance we would have better federal support for a long term softwood lumber deal.
Maybe in the coming election a new body of real conservatives will fill these legislature seats and other “conservatives” can rejoin the fold, if they wish.
(Response: I have no idea who would be the best leader for a centrist coalition. As for your other comments, I was a bit amused by your suggestion that we look at Finley and what she stands for: you may have outlined her major problem! Youn mentioned SOGI, trans issues, pro-religion etc., but not the most important things I believe most voters care about … affordability, jobs, crime. Maybe that’s her problem … something she could remedy by being out there front and center, giving interviews to every media she can reach and going on the biggest radio talk show in BC … Mike Smyth on CKNW … something she has avoided like the plague! Ho)
I have said this before and I will say it again. I don’t understand why people think a snap election will occur any time before the fixed election date of October 2028. From the government website
“The use of fixed election dates is to ensure that the timing of elections cannot be manipulated for political or partisan reasons, and it is used to let British Columbians know how long a government will be in power and what timeline they have to meet their commitments. This helps to reduce uncertainty and improve a government’s accountability to the public.”
This is how it should be. The NDP have two more years. They won’t call an election if they are think they will lose. Why encourage them to call a snap election so they can win?
If enough moderate NDPers decide to jump ship and the NDP finds itself losing a confidence vote then an election will be held. That isn’t likely to happen so, sorry to say, I guess we are stuck with them for another two years.
And yes I am aware that Horgan called a snap election in 2020 using covid and his minority government as excuses but I was angry then and I will be even more angrier now because Eby has no such excuse to fall back on.
(Response: The problem is the government website cites theory: politicians live by reality. It would be admirable if Eby does not take advantage of the chaos currently enveloping the BC conservative party and the other fledgling parties or Independents. But frankly, I would not blame him if he did take advantage of the situation… unless he does it in the dead of winter! Ho)
I will say you are willing to admit when you were wrong. I admire that. Findlay is a 71 year old steeped in FOX News. It didn’t have to be this way. Red Tory Milobar was my choice. But Elliot was a hard right Conservative who is more tethered to reality. They went with crazy. I’m sure they were popping Champagne in NDP land.
(Response: That is why I love watching politics: a party can be down and out one day and within a week or two it can be on top again because it’s opposition shows it’s also in no great shape. Ho)
What BC needs NOW is a common sense centrist coalition, uniting fiscally responsible and socially liberal beliefs and values under one banner … with a credible leader.
Totally agree with you Harvey, however I don’t see that happening. The people that created and are participating in this gong show are still and will be hovering around looking for their opportunity to get back in the game in whatever form arises. And if K.L. Findlay doesn’t survive as leader, more or less the same people will be voting at some stage for someone else. Doesn’t fill me with any confidence as the recent history of conservative federally and provincially figuring out who to dump, who to lead and hang on to is pretty poor.
They haven’t figured out that their choice of leader after all the intrigue and back room deals doesn’t always jive with the voters, – Andrew Scheer, Polievre, Kevin Falcon, and now Findlay running in a riding that could go either way especially with a vote split on the right, and not able to convince someone to give up their seat in a riding where a fire hydrant would get elected if it ran as a B.C. conservative.
https://vancouversun.com/news/rcmp-meeting-with-former-conservative-who-says-he-was-offered-job-to-quit-as-mla
I agree that we need a center right common sense party, but common sense means different things to different folks. So like many others of us caught in limbo, I won’t be voting for anything that has a conservative label attached to it, at least for 1 election cycle, but don’t want to vote for the NDP under the present administration.
I though it was smart for Eby at the beginning of the meltdown giving the conservatives the minimum amount of time to get it together for the by-election but even he and the movers and shakers couldn’t have envisioned this degree mayhem. Either way, if K.L. Findlay wins and then in the Leg. it will be the gift that keeps on giving. If the NDP win, another seat for them
With the mind boggling events that are taking place Harvey, if you posted a new post daily you still couldn’t keep up no matter how fast you typed. Resignations, sitting members leaving en masse and drip drip drip to sit as independents, RCMP asking sticky questions, ties to Alberta separatists, the very best of B.C. politics. For the news, political nerds and junkies this is nirvana. Can’t wait for the next half dozen shoes to drop.
(Response: I think it could all come together: there’s lots of time if Eby waits until at least Spring to call an election. Remember, many of those waltaway from Findlay are experienced politicians, already known in their communities and even having been elected by them. And there are so many British Columbians so fearful of another Eby/NDP term, they will give any reasonable centrist alternative a vote of confidence. Especially if, like you and I have both said, they are fiscally centrist but socially liberal. Fingers crossed! Ho)
Eby needs an abacus
Massey
Royalties
Water plant
Oh my, my first would be DRIPA, that will be a vote killer for Eby unless there is a coherent alternative running in the next election.
Massey Tunnel has been plagued by Christy Clark’s back of the envelope cost estimates and planning.
Royalties, again goes back to the BC Liberals.
Water Plant is a metro Vancouver thing.
A sleeper issue is is the BC Ferries ordering the new boats from China, which is getting strange looks from a lot of people across the politcal spectrum.
On the Island is the E&N, which the NDP continue to fumble, plus the BC Rail abandonment which the NDP must address, if they have any hope in the Hurtlands.
The wildfires are also raising eyebrows as the province seemed unprepared.
The next election will be won or lost in the lower mainland and with a now $18 billion invested in extending the SkyTrain light metro system and the $10 billion adding essentially another traffic lane to the #1 from Langley to Chilliwack, with vague promises of an $8 billion subway to UBC and a $15 billion SkyTrain Line to the North Shore, maybe will eke the NDP another win.
From my viewpoint it will be DRIPA, taxes, and civic incompetence with Metro Vancouver (taxes again) and the inability of the NDP to deal with anything, that will be the big issues. Housing and affordability will be mentioned but, as always, nothing will be done but hire more communications peoples and commission more plans (see taxes).
(Response: I think the big issues in the next election, in urban areas, will be DRIPA, affordability, crime and health care. I’m not too sure what the biggest issues in the heartland will be, but I’d bet DRIPA and health care will be quite prominent. Ho)
One keeps coming back to quotes from Allan Fotheringham – “In the Maritimes, politics is a disease; in Quebec, a religion; in Ontario, a business; on the Prairies, a protest; and in British Columbia, an entertainment.”
While entertaining it is not very helpful if you live in one of the ridings impacted by this political theatre. Living in Abbotsford-Mission we are faced with an expensive, cynical byelection call on the part of the NDP, and a byelection in the middle of a municipal election, that no one wants. And what are we are offered – a Conservative candidate who does not live in the community, and who asked a sitting MLA to resign in exchange for a party job what in the least could be called unethical circumstances, and a failed (Mayor & Agriculture Minister) NDP candidate who previously was rejected by the voters, but who in her words “feels our frustration” with the many failed NDP policies.
BC politics was entertaining when the Province was wealthy and residents felt like we had a future. Maybe now the word entertainment should be changed to crisis politics.
(Response: Geez! I feel your pain. I think if I was in that kind of situation, I would vote by party/policies rather than the individual… if none of them impress as individuals. But I’d still vote! Ho)
A general question, which may have some shape with the current leader of the Conservative Party of BC.
Is it illegal to offer and inducement to a sitting member of the legislature to vacate his/hers seat?
Today’s headline in the local media, Citynews formerly radio 1130: “RCMP asks to meet ex-B.C. Conservative who says he was offered job to quit as MLA”.
“British Columbia legislator Ian Paton says the RCMP has asked to interview him on Wednesday, and expects to be asked about allegedly being offered a job to give up his seat so Conservative Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay could run.”
We are indeed living in interesting times.
(Response: See why I love watching politics! Too bad I’m retired! 😢 LOL! Ho)
Findlay was bad news from the start, including being a very poor MP, who was always too busy for local issues.
She was my MP from 2011 to 2015 in Delta and never once did her office reply (not even a computer generated reply) to any correspondence I sent her way.
A very Conservative friend of mine from South Surrey, told me it was the worst decision the Conservative Party has made to date, due to her antics being MP in South
Surrey, to elect her as party leader and is of the same opinion that BC desperately needs a “Centre Party”.
How utterly daft the Conservative politcal machine is by electing her.
From my perspective, the Maple MAGA’s totally control the Conservative Party both federally and provincially. Do these people actually keep up to date with the news or, like their American brethren, live in an alternative universe?
Eby, will be recorded in history as one of the worst premier’s in BC, which is a record shared by the likes of Gordon Campbell (BC’s pre Trump, Trump) and Christy Clark (BC’s version of J. D. Vance) and it is a race to the bottom, which the provincial NDP seem to relish.
Like Trump and his trained seals in cabinet, Eby is allowed to do whatever he wishes by his sycophant cabinet, yet Findlay makes this lot look good.
And where is the NDP’s MLA’s, hiding behind all sorts of hugely expensive mistakes.
My MLA Ian Paton walked from the Conservatives and even though I do not share his politcal beleifs, I sent a one word Email to his office, “Bravo”, and I got a reply and a personal note – I never got a reply from Findlay, ever, when she was MP.
BC desperately needs a sane centre party, a coalition of Liberal and Conservatives with a sprinkling of lefties like me, to run the show and hopefully a politcal party that its first duty is to do the public’s business and not force politcal diktats onto the voter.
In my book, both Eby and Findlay are unfit for office and that is a feeling shared by many.
(Response: The Conservatives have really blown it! All they had to do with ANY leader is come up with reasonable center of the road policies, a leader out there every day on radio and TV impressing the voters, showing a broad appeal and seeming to be competent and certainly not alienating centrist and even socially left leaning voters! That sure does not seem to be happening! With the chaos we are instead witnessing, Findlay simply does not look ready to govern the province. Ho)
I also had KLF as my MP in the same time.
She was fairly focused on “Ottawa” issues, but did on 2 occasions answer my queries.
Just a counter to DMJ.
What more can one say … you’ve said it HO …. myself I have pulled membership from the Conservatives … and now a member of CentreBC … it is only hope that is out there presently … though some of the people departed from the Conservatives say they will come up with a new party … when … time is running out …
(Response: The only way the NDP will be thrown out of power is by a “coalition” of moderate centrists. Splitting the vote between several parties will only return the NDP for another term… especially if there’s a snap Spring election or they replace Eby with a new less vulnerable leader. Ho)
Eby will be hard to replace. Not because he is irreplaceable, but because he won’t go and the base won’t admit failure.
At this point, I have no inkling where, if anywhere, my vote would go.
We do need another party for sure, and not then I will vote for the Conservatives whatever bumps in the road they may have. Findlay has to go unless she and a few of the selfish ego laden goofs change their ways or go. DRIPA and all the other unfair insane handouts and reckless backroom deals by Ebys people are not going to go away. They will will become worse. Gauranteed. What is there not to get here. If people vote them back in then do people really think that won’t make Eby feel even more emboldened. I’ll take my chances because what I see coming if we don’t try a change we should know by now what’s coming.
(Response: No doubt under Findlay the Conservatives will still garner votes of disenchanted British Columbians. The problem arises, however, if one or two or even three other parties also run candidates: that would e a gift to Ebby/NDP. Ho)
That’s true it could cause a split issue that would benefit Eby. The best thing to do then is to just vote for the Cons and overlook their internal issues, and hope for a better grounded leader. Another rising party or party’s should be given a long space for awhile anyways to see where they land. Strictly voting for the Conservatives would the only way to get rid of Eby and the NDP and there outrageous pandering and stop the criminal backroom deals that are taking away hundreds of millions from the revenue pool, power and authority and say and handing it over to the few. It’s the only way out of this and I can’t repeat enough times that these things will become worse with an emboldened Eby and NDP if they get a strong mandate. If we’re not learning from this then anything of British Columbians could be up for grabs.
(Response: The Conservative chaos continues: another MLA has quit to sit as an Independent (at least for now). Meanwhile word is that Milobar is working to form another new party. So the centre right will have the Conservatives, the CentreBC, and a third (maybe called by my suggestion “Common Sense Centre Party” 😁?)… giving Eby an early Christmas gift.The centre MUST come together in a coalition. Ho)
A strong coalition could very well work. There’s still time. Hey did anyone ever read or hear the Tyees podcast piece, Why we all win with the Cowichan Decision. It’s really something. Kind of a stomach turner that makes everything sound as if everything should be just fine for the land and property owner title issues. Uhhh, I don’t think so. Nothings going away. Eby is a disgrace and he and his trouble making NDP activist ideologues and radical hair brains need to be taken to the cleaners for the troubles they have caused for this province. Here’s to hoping.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out and in any event it seems the middle will be watered down and muddied.
I wonder at the Conservative’s constitution and bylaws and if Caroline Elliott can be a quick swap, if she even wanted it now. Seems like a purge of members is warranted.
(Response: I don’t know what their Constitution says, but I expect there are members who are studying it right now. The Conservatives were supposed to hold a caucus meeting today, followed by a Findlay press conference .. but that was cancelled, supposedly because Findlay needs to work on her by-election campaign. I suspect there’s more involved … possibly even more defections. Ho)
If NDP BC didn’t shut down AGLG in 2021 muni auditor maybe n Van water and Massey tunnel sky high cost overruns might not have happened.?
1.5 b royalty loss fiasco
Bloated burocracy?
Not vitamin d3 but double debt downgrade for BC credit rating due to wreckless abandonment of fiduciary duty?
https://www.castanet.net/news/Poll/606864/Should-B-C-suspend-the-Declaration-on-the-Rights-of-Indigenous-Peoples-Act-for-three-years-
1B BC ferry offshore purchase
Medical waiting times
Lawless homeless with burocratic entities not making best decisions?
How much in lawyers fees spent in last decades?
(Response: I have been wondering why Eby has nor called a snap election to take advantage of the Conservative chaos: your list of fiascos, plus many more that I and others have written/talked about maybe explains why Eby has not done so ..yet! Ho)
My Spidy senses tell me that a BC snap election will happen this fall.
Several transit issues, the mainstream media wish to ignore, including the burgeoning cost of the 21 km extensions to the Expo and millennium Lines (now rumoured to be near $18 billion (the current cost estimates are from 2024 and are only for the guideway which the federal government is paying 40%. The estimates do not include signalling or the much needed electrical rehab, cars and the switch replacement program for the Expo Line, station rehabs, cars and the OMC#5, which is needed for the new MK.5 cars)
The E&N folks are gaining traction with provincial politics on the Island, which the NDP are doing their best to ignore ………. and
The former BC Rail Line from 100 mile House to Squamish is being abandoned by the CN and there are active groups wanting a passenger services there. Again, the NDP are nowhere to be seen.
Then, of course, there is DRIPA, which a vote now, when the opposition is weak, to ensure the NDP 5 years to give away as much land to the First nations as they can.
An election now would give Eby a chance to squeak an election win, which with the very bad news coming in 2027 will ensure a NDP defeat, even if the Mango Mussolini himself ran for government.
(Response: I doubt it will happen this Fall, possibly next Spring.First, Eby has to get a deal (since he stubbornly refuses to repeal) DRIPA and then he has to get some better results on revolving door criminal bail rules, progress on the Massey tunnel contracts, improved health care etc. etc. And then, of course, a Budget revision/adjustment shelling out goodies for the voters. (To hell with the burgeoning deficit and debt!) Ho)
Safe not safe drug supply diversion and misdirection by bc to public about it.?
Ongoing drug deaths
Zero port police since 1997 so almost 30 years
2+2=5 gas today –
Van 220 reg a liter
180 abbotsfoerd sumas costco
150 Costco Kelowna and area
(Response: What goes up so quickly comes down so slowly! Ho)
As soon as I saw who the delegates elected as their new leader of the BC Cons I just shook my head.
Charisma?
How about zero curb appeal.
From someone that looks like your busybody neighborhood “Karen”?
How many past debts did she call in to get THAT position?
The Champagne corks must have been popping at NDP Headquarters when she was announce leader.
I have contributed money to the BC Cons over the past 2 years.
As I told the last BC Conservative telephone fund raiser, ” Not one dime until Findlay is gone.”
And then I hung up.
(Response: I agree. First impressions are important, especially in politics. These days elections are largely won on public impression of leaders from what they see on television, or hear on the radio, before they even get to policies and promises.Ask Poilievre! I understand that Mike Smyth on CKNW, the most listened-to radio talk show in BC, has tried several times to get Findlay to come on the air with no success. That is ridiculous! She should be pounding on the door to get in and on the show every time the NDP screw up … ie almost every week! BC needs a more apptochable and centrist alternative to the NDP … and Findlay just isn’t it! Ho)
Given how the last topic played out, this article might be worth reading before we get too far into this one.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/politics-stress-study-9.7323243
Ok, deep breaths. I am an NDP supporter and will likely vote for them again. In 2001 I voted for the BC Liberals thinking our riding needed a voice in the government and the BC Liberals at that time seemed liberal. Well, the Liberal candidate did win like 76 of the other 78 ridings but that voice was pretty silent and the “Liberals” soon looked more like the old Socreds so I won’t make that mistake again. I will vote for a strong opposition voice.
But I have no problem if an actual centrist party wins the next election. The NDP will have had a 10+ year run and most parties start to get stale at that point. But right now, Bernier’s party and whatever party Milobar/Paton form are unknowns and probably need to somehow work together to come up with that centrist platform that will resonate with British Columbians.
Fortunately for them, they have two years to get their act together which is a lot longer than the time it took the Conservatives to implode.
(Response: Judging by that article, I should be a total psychological mess. I start my day watching/speeding through taping of the BBC world news, then Al Jazeera, MSNBC Morning Joe then the live CBC network newscast, before checking out local headlines/stories and my blog Comments. Later in the day, when I have time, I’ll look at US nets, Israel i24 and revisit some of the above for updates, ending with watching parts of tapings of 6 pm Global, CTV and then The National … not to mention all the News alerts I get several times a day from several sources. But I’m a news junkie so I enjoy doing it… and feel fairly well informed, although often frustrated by bad or biased one-sided reporting, which upsets me most.
As I have mentioned on the blog, I have voted for the NDP, the liberals, Conservative even the greens on occasion (when I was younger and naïve). I have often felt that after two terms in office, every government deserves a timeout, because they get too arrogant, often incompetent, catering overwhelmingly to their base and friends and insensitive to the majority of hard working voters. And I truly believe the current NDP government is doing a terrible job … incompetent in so many areas … so I was hoping the Opposition (Conservatives) under Rustad would win… for maybe one term. Now my hopes had turned to Findlay, but she sure does not seem to be a consensus centrist and even arrogant, avoiding interviews etc even before winning a seat! Now I’m hoping a centrist coalition will be formed to give voters a more reasonable alternative, Ho)