Where is the Green Party?

Posted February 23, 2008 by Sacha Peter
Category: BC Greens

Jane Sterk, new leader of the Green Party, should be getting some media spotlight after this budget which had a huge focus on being environmentally correct. The lack of media spotlight on the Greens is a negative indicator for their electoral fortunes as it suggests that the leadership transition has not been as smooth as it seems. Adriane Carr, previous leader of the Green Party, at least managed to get a few soundbites about how the province was headed toward eternal damnation. But the Green Party today? Where are they?

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Last week in the Legislature - February 18-21, 2008

Posted February 23, 2008 by Sacha Peter
Category: Legislature

The Budget Measures Implementation Act, 2008 moved into First reading, along with the Budget speech, which will be implementing the Carbon Tax.

Question Period consisted of the following (first asked) topics:

Definition of revenue-neutral
Education funding and closing of B.C. schools

After the budget:
Status of seniors care facilities
Budget priorities

It still doesn’t look like the NDP has any sharp forms of attacks that will be sticking in the media.

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Reminder: Budget on February 19, 2008

Posted February 18, 2008 by Sacha Peter
Category: News

Carole Taylor is buying “green shoes” in preparation for the budget. It will be interesting to see whether this “green budget” will be as green as much as the previous budget solved housing affordability issues.

The government knows it is treading on risky ground - how far will it push to the left to displace potential NDP and Green voters, while potentially compromising its own support base?

The budget will be a good indication.

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Last week in the Legislature - February 12-14, 2008

Posted February 18, 2008 by Sacha Peter
Category: Legislature

The last week of debate consisted mainly of the throne speech. The first question in question period is a time that gives you a good indication of where the opposition is headed, and we have:

Wednesday: Disclosure of documents in B.C. Rail court case
Thursday: Government action on mental health beds

Certainly the NDP do not have much focus at this moment.

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Electoral Boundaries Commission Final Report released

Posted February 14, 2008 by Sacha Peter
Category: News

A Valentine’s surprise can be found on the EBC’s site.

They have recommended 83 electoral districts, which is an increase from the original 81.

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Throne Speech

Posted February 12, 2008 by Sacha Peter
Category: News

The Throne Speech can be read here.

A rare chance for a press release to be a better source of information than the “real thing” can be found with the following government press release.

The government has chosen to concentrate its efforts on health care and the environment. Health has been an issue that has not been in the spotlight for the past couple years, especially as the environmental portfolio has gained more traction nationally. Debra McPherson, leader of the nurses union, commended the throne speech’s initiatives for training nurses - and she’s hardly a friend of Gordon Campbell.

Of course, the devil are inside the details. The Legislature will debate the throne speech and then government legislation will be introduced over the next few days.

The answer to the “Carbon tax or no carbon tax” will be answered with the BC Budget, due for February 19. Shortly before this, the Electoral Boundaries Commission final report will be available on or before February 15. It will be an exciting week in provincial politics and it remains to be seen what impact this will have electorally for the BC Liberals.

Walter Schultz pointed out that Vaughn Palmer seems to have been a better opposition over the past month than the NDP, but Carole James has performed better in the last legislative session than the prior two. Can the NDP pull it together, and what will they be attacking the BC Liberals on? One obvious answer is over the new Translink structure, but what else can they dig up?

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BC Polling Data

Posted February 3, 2008 by Sacha Peter
Category: Polls

Environics released on January 28, 2008 a poll showing the following support for the various parties in BC:

BC Liberals - 48%
NDP - 28%
Green - 21%
Other - 3%

There was no sample size information, so it is difficult to make inferences from the data. This is the only poll that has the Green party above 20%, and this puts them in range of winning seats in the next election assuming it can carry forward to the next election. History (BC and Federally) has typically shown the Green vote polls better than election results, but this could change in 2009 if sentiment toward the NDP is not positive.

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