BC Liberals in horserace with NDP

[Boges]

1 hour ago, Hal 9000 said:

I'll preface by saying that I did vote Liberal.  However, coalition governments are a bad idea.  The Green people voted Green because they didn't want the NDP, and most that I saw speaking up were very adamant that they were not NDP, that they were Green.  Even when asked to flip their votes for strategic purposes, they were offended at the notion.  I also realize that the idea of Green voters being closer to NDP ideals is out there, but even I was surprised at the numbers of Greens who would otherwise had voted for Liberal. 

I know the other side is gonna argue that more people voted against the Liberals than for the Liberals, so therefore it's all OK, but I gotta think there are many Greens who are very disappointed with this outcome. 

Well they get a shot some semblance of governing. 

I think Federal NDP voters were ecstatic at the prospect of having a say in government in 2008/9 during that filthy coupe attempt. When the Liberals backed down, it was Jack Layton that was PO'd.

Edited May 30, 2017 by Boges

[eyeball]

I would have been okay with a Liberal-NDP coalition.

This would be about as close as we'd get to putting politicians into the same room, locking the door and one by one cutting off their necessities of life to force a compromise.

Edited May 30, 2017 by eyeball

[blackbird]

The B.C. NDP (41 MLAs) and Green (3 MLAs) have joined together to form a majority to be able to govern.  Premier Clark has decided after much legal and constitutional advice to not resign, which she doesn't have to, as she is already the Premier and has 43 seats.   She said she will call the legislature and have the throne speech presented.  She expect the NDP/Green coalition to move a non-confidence motion which would bring the government down.  At this point it is expected the lieutenant governor will give authority to the NDP/Green parties to form a government.  Mz. Clark will assume the position of opposition leader. 

The agenda of the NDP/Green includes a plan to immediately block the Trans Mountain Pipeline (Kinder Morgan).  If successful this will eliminate the chance to create thousands of jobs during construction and prevent the province of Alberta from having greatly increased capacity to ship it's oil to world markets.  This will prevent the re-hiring of possibly thousands of people in the oil industry in Alberta and cut off a source of taxation and royalty revenue for Alberta and Canada and to a lesser extent, B.C.

Trudeau has stated this pipeline project has already been approved.  The federal government said today they will wait and see what action the (new) government in B.C. takes.  Presumably the federal government does have certain powers, which if they decide to exercise them, could overrule the B.C. government and allow the pipeline project to proceed.  Apparently there have been other times in the history of Canada in which the federal government has stepped in and over-ruled provincial laws or action.  We will see if Trudeau has what it takes to do this. 

I am hopeful Trudeau will act, but understand he must wait until the new B.C. government makes it's move.  That is why we have a federal government.  It must be able to act in the national interest when matters of national importance are threatened by provincial or local politics.  This same scenario could develop with respect to the Energy East pipeline project and Quebec, or at least certain cities in Quebec such as Montreal.

Edited May 31, 2017 by blackbird