BC Liberal Minority! Predictions for the Future:

[BeingHuman]

British Columbians are waking up to the first minority government in BC since 1952. What are your predictions for political leadership in BC going forward?

For me there are two certainties; 1. Corporate and union money will no longer be a part of BC's political party funding landscape; 2. Proportional Representation is a certainty in future elections in British Columbia... why these two certainties? Because both the NDP and the Greens want them, and they will have them!

[kelownman]

While I am not happy the Liberals were not decimated by BC voters, I guess this is the 2nd best result that could happen!

Christy and her *bleep* kissers must be extremely disappointed with the results! Lets hope there is positive changes coming in the next few months, although I wont hold my breath with Clark leading the government! I predict, if she is the Premier, there will be as FEW as possible legislative sessions over the next couple of years.

[fluffy]

British Columbians are waking up to the first minority government in BC since 1952. What are your predictions for political leadership in BC going forward?

For me there are two certainties; 1. Corporate and union money will no longer be a party of BC's political party funding landscape; 2. Proportional Representation is a certainty in future elections in British Columbia... why these two certainties? Because both the NDP and the Greens want them, and they will have them!

Should the minority government come to pass it could be a mixed bag for British Columbians. An overhaul of our voting system would sit well with me, as would a ban on corporate and union political contributions. But both the Greens and the NDP are long on increased spending and short on economic stimulus to support that spending. Blocking pending mega-projects would be short-sighted in my mind, especially in a soft economy.

As much as I'd like to think that some good might come of a minority government situation, I can't shake the feeling that the NDP would turn it into a game of political football, blocking Liberal efforts not on the basis of their benefit to British Columbians, but simply because they are Liberal.

[Jflem1983]

Split the province let vancouver and the island vote orange . Give us our own province for the interior .

[ken531a]

another election with in a year and lieberals will have a new leader with a new and improved line of political bull that the bc people will buy. christys best before date has passed and she is starting to smell

[OldIslander]

Three thoughts:

1. Holding onto seats is now of paramount importance. If the Libs lose a seat for any reason, and the NDP pick it up, now we'd have a tie.

2. Watch for floor crossers -- if two Libs colluded with Horgan and crossed the floor (maybe for the promise of cabinet seats...), now the NDP are the government.

3. Watch for an end to set election dates. They will somehow find a way go back to elections at the whim of the premier -- in this case, claiming that the government can't function.

[Urban Cowboy]

As much as I'd like to think that some good might come of a minority government situation, I can't shake the feeling that the NDP would turn it into a game of political football, blocking Liberal efforts not on the basis of their benefit to British Columbians, but simply because they are Liberal.

You have every reason to feel that way.

[BeingHuman]

Now that the BC NDP and Greens have the majority, there will be no more corporate and union donations in BC politics. What will have a more profound impact will be Proportional Representation, the Greens desperately want it, and so do the NDP. The BC Liberals will resist it tooth and nail.

Based on this election's share of the popular vote, the legislature seat allocation would have been as follows under PR; Liberals 35; NDP 35; Greens 15; Other 2. Proportional Representation would guarantee no more majority governments in the foreseeable future, something an all or nothing power hungry BC Liberal Party does NOT want! Will they dissolve government and call another election to avoid proportional representation? Perhaps, but the BC electorate will absolutely punish them for calling another election so soon!

Other things that I predict will happen now that the NDP and Greens hold the balance of power are; the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion project is dead, both the Greens and the NDP are opposed to it, and so are nearly 60% of voters in BC. Site C construction will be halted, and a review of it will be conducted by the BC Utilities Commission, the Commission will of course, for a third time, find the Site C project is not needed, this BC Liberal make work project will die an appropriate death.

My observations of Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver is; I like him, he has a science background and will make decisions based on facts and evidence, NOT POLITICS or IDEOLOGY! BC will now move away from fossil fuels and towards alternative renewable clean energy, and it's long past due that we join the rest of the world in doing so! All in all, I very much like this political situation, cheers!

[Jx3]

You may want to hold off on your excitement on the prospect of a minority government for a bit yet as a Liberal majority government is still a very real possibility with such a tight race (9 votes) in Courtenay-Comox and the absentee ballots yet to be counted.

[rustled]

Split the province let vancouver and the island vote orange . Give us our own province for the interior .

LOL.

Carve off the Kootenay ridings, too, and let them go with Alberta?

ETA: That'd be cruel. Poor little Kootenay-East.

[The Green Barbarian]

Now that the BC NDP and Greens have the majority, there will be no more corporate and union donations in BC politics.

And when the NDP back-track on this issue when they see there is an actual chance of them losing all of that union cheese, what are you going to say then? It was easy for them to say they wanted it when they knew there was no chance of it ever happening. Much different now.

What will have a more profound impact will be Proportional Representation, the Greens desperately want it, and so do the NDP. The BC Liberals will resist it tooth and nail.

What the PR lunatics don't get is that there has to be a referendum. There just was a referendum a few years ago and PR was soundly rejected. You don't just get to change the voting system because a few lunk-heads voted Green. There is a process.

Other things that I predict will happen now that the NDP and Greens hold the balance of power are; the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion project is dead, both the Greens and the NDP are opposed to it, and so are nearly 60% of voters in BC.

While I agree that the NDP and the Greens are stupidly against jobs and investment, I don't agree that 60% of voters are against it. This sounds like a stat made up by economy-hating leftist boobs.

Site C construction will be halted, and a review of it will be conducted by the BC Utilities Commission, the Commission will of course, for a third time, find the Site C project is not needed, this BC Liberal make work project will die an appropriate death.

For the sake of the economy and our grandkids, I hope that you are wrong.

BC will now move away from fossil fuels and towards alternative renewable clean energy,

You mean like Site C? That's what I don't get. If you want "renewable clean energy" then why do you support shutting down Site C? Wind and solar power are disgusting, horrible and just plain wrong. Ontario has shown that to a T. No to any money going to stupid wind or solar. Yes to Site C.

[lasnomadas]

In the comment section of one headline of the many election Castanet headline, I see there are a couple of Christy Fan Club members who are cheering about the BC Liberal 'win'. Did Linda Reid and Christy Clark appear on Global singing a duet?

[lasnomadas]

@GB (regarding PR):
57% of British Columbians voted for proportional representation at the last referendum. If anyone but the Campbell Liberals had initiated the referendum, it would have been democratic. 50% +1 would have decided the outcome.

[Urbane]

We should be patient and wait until all the votes are counted. It's fun to make predictions but don't assume that there will be a minority government. We may end up with one but we could end up with a Liberal majority government. That's certainly a distinct possibility. Andrew Weaver was on the TV earlier and he said that he'd be talking with John Horgan and Christy Clark but that nothing could be decided until all the votes are counted. True enough.

[lasnomadas]

^^We could also end up with an NDP majority government. After the absentee ballots are counted and the recounts of a few ridings are tabulated, it could go either way, or stay the same. There's a good chance construction of the Site C dam will be suspended (and eventually scrapped), the Kinder Morgan Pipeline expansion will be history, and LNG extraction by fracking will also end up on the chopping block.