Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Requiem For An Electorate...Explaining To Mr. Mason Why So Many Voters Just Don't Get It.

ConsensusIsOnlyBuiltByReal
FollowUpVille


Maybe, just maybe, there will be a coalition that matters (for both the people and the environment) around here.

But, even if Courtenay-Comox does NOT flip on the absentee ballots and turn Mr. Weaver et al's gift of 16 seats to the BCL into our collective four year (and likely much, much longer from a systemic debt and treasure give away point of view) nightmare, no one can dispute the fact that, despite all the corruption, malfeasance and outright, bald-faced lying, Ms. Clark and her Crony Party Party (i.e. the C.P.P.) still won 41% of the popular vote last night.

****

Now.

Those of you all that have been hanging around here for awhile know that I have derided Mr. Mason, he of both Chichester Cathedral and the Globe and (No Longer Empire) Mail, for his laments that go something like this:


Well....

In a nutshell, this is why:



OK?


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Having said all that, if things hold I, for one, am thinking that Ms. Furstaneau is the type of principled person who will do her darndest to make sure her party's leader does the right thing by the folks that voted for her.


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35 comments:

Anonymous said...

2013 all over again. just tighter

Anonymous said...

SH:

Anon 9:12…Late last night The Falcon said he heard something in Weaver's speech that sounded like he could compromise, or something like that...

If Weaver baited Green, only to switch to Liberal Lite as many predict, his true-believers will abandon him and move to a re-Greened NDP. Looks like Notley is playing bad cop to Horgan's Kindly Conservation Officer…and that will make the BC NDP stronger next time.

John can win over the "The Hurtlands" tm rossk, by training, and retraining workers for a green, value-added economy. John could woo companies like IKEA to set up manufacturing here…and then heck, maybe we'ed finally get an IKEA in the Southern Interior…

Helena Handcart said...

With the margins so slim it looks as if Christy will need to show up for work every day. Not much chance of that, so expect to be at the polls again pretty soon. Perhaps they'll just forgo the legislative sittings and use Twitter instead. That'll solve that problem. I just hope to heaven that we get a proper Speaker of the House this time. I don't think that it is possible to do worse than Mrs. Reid.

John's Aghast said...

Well said Helena! What a travesty that she was able to retain her seat! To think there's another riding with as many empty headers as
west Kelowna.

Anonymous said...

If the electorate wanted corruption and malfeasance in governance...they have their wish. If the population does not understand the massive debt, and increasing number of fees they are paying, they are not getting it. When will BC Hydro declare bankruptcy and be sold off, why bother with ICBC period, how many more Advantage BC's are out there, ripping us off? How many more scandals, buy outs, cover ups and a host of other corrupt practices will continue?

The people of this province have to understand that it is their money that's being used and abused, not the political parties. Donations and pay to play will continue, projects like site C and the pipelines as well as LNG will continue. Massive debt and eventual bankruptcy as a province.

You simply will not make enough to pay the taxes and the fees in this province, to live. Unless of course you like living in poverty.

No daycare, no new electoral reform, no proper regulatory oversight.

This is truly an appalling mess. Weaver? I don't think he will last long. Maybe under the NDP coalition, but certainly not with Clark and the Kleptocrats...

Ray Blessin said...

Andrew Weaver is Christy Clark's bitch!

Deacon Jester said...

Well, I'll certainly be relieved if the BC Greens hold the balance of power as that will undoubtedly save the biosphere.

Everyone settle down and have a nice glass of phlegm and tears - nothing at all has changed.

We're still doomed.

e. a. f. said...

the media is talking about Weaver "holding the key" a king or queen maker, etc. Weaver is so full of himself he is actually giddy thinking he has some sot of power. He needs to understand the two other people who were elected Green MLAs may not share his opinion of Christy Clark and may not be interested in his supporting the b.c. LIEBERALS. Certainly the MLA for Cowichan has experienced the lack of interest Christy Clark has in the environment and the lack of assistance in ensuring their drinking water remains consumable.

Once the final count is done we then have to wait until Christy decides to call the leg. into session. that could be a very long time. Previously the leg. only sat for a few months each year. it will be hard to cause the B.C. Lieberals to call another election, if the leg. isn't called to sit so there can be a non confidence vote.

It is doubtful Weaver will do anything to support the NDP. he said as much in his interview with Baldrey and any comments he makes now are just self serving. Horgan will expect him to be a team player and that is one thing Weaver is not. He is too full of himself. Unfortunately Weaver thinks he's smarter than others because he has a PhD. Unfortunately politics requires another type of smarts.

Minority governments usually don't last long and when they go to the polls again, the smaller party usually winds up paying the price by loosing some of its base. They stay home and won't vote.

Anonymous said...

It's an interesting situation because it kind of forces Weaver and the Elected Greens to put up or shut up. If they support the Liberals they are bound to disappoint those who voted for them based on the big ticket items like election reform, big money out of politics, etc. So I don't really buy the media spin on Weaver suddenly being a "king- or queen-maker". In one sense it's true, but it also forces the Greens to show their true colour(s). And voters will remember whatever they do next time around.

Should be interesting.

Anonymous said...

Word of advice to Weaver, stay true to your principles, your vision of integrity, the basic premise of your party. Do not be seduced by the " illusion of power". Clark and Co. will say or do anything to remain in power. Just mention the possibility of a corruption enquiry to the BC Liberals and watch what happens. Commonality of principles, seems to be the way to go here. My guess is you will have a much better alliance with the NDP. You and Horgan will both win, and ensure your position as a political force next time around.

It's your call, yes. Make the right choice and you will win a far greater prize down the road.

Anonymous said...

Will be very interesting to see if Weaver plays a long game (working with the NDP for the good of the province including stopping Site C and getting proportional representation to elect more Greens) or a short game (his ego and a Cabinet position to prop up a Christy Clark government).

Anyways the Liberals will do nothing real until the vote is finalized. They must be praying to flip Comox. Although in 2013 the absentee vote in Comox went NDP . . . .


Anonymous said...

oops! that last comment was from me, otr!

Crankypants said...

Absentee voting has sure spiked in the last couple of elections. Here is a list of ballots cast in the last 6 elections in this manner:

1996-51,044
2001-71,511
2005-79,331
2009-84,259
2013-159,442
2017-176,000(est)

Is there a story here or just the way our voting has evolved?

RossK said...

I actually find it interesting, given what happened in Shawnigan Lake, that no one from the Greens has raised the spectre of a corruption inquiry being a potential condition.

But, then again....I guess that would be an actual 'signal'.

And, from a raw politics point of view, I can see why anyone in Mr. Weaver's position wouldn't want to tip his hand so that he keeps leverage in his negotiations, regardless.

.

Anonymous said...

Civil servants were told today a new government has been elected, the BC Liberals and the transition to this government has begun.

The period called interregnum (i.e. the time between elected governments) is "over".

The LG and the BC Liberals are not waiting for final election results, expected around the beginning of June.

Obviously this is a play straight out of Stephen Harper's handbook of skullduggery and dirty tricks. It is not democracy in any way, shape or form. The BC Liberals with 43 seats do not have enough to form government unless one more seat comes their way.

However civil servants were told that the Cabinet is still the Cabinet (including Ministers who lost their seats: Anton, Virk and Fassbender).

Premier Christy Clark can also swear in a new Cabinet at any point. Again, no need to wait for final election results.

The Liberal Chiefs of Staff are back on duty and civil servants have been told to respond to Ministers and Ministers' offices as usual.

Apparently decisions are being made today, in consultation with Premier Christy Clark's office, under the government's "care taker" role.

Ministers should only take "routine actions". However civil servants should assist government to fulfill the mandate in any areas that don't require legislation (presumably because the legislature would need to sit and the BC Liberals could lose the confidence of the House)

Further more there is no need for this new Liberal government to call the legislature back until September when a new budget must be passed.

This means the Christy Clark Liberals once again have complete access to all of the provincial government's resources, staff, documents and information and all of government's advertising and public relations staff and resources.

There will be lots of confusion in the public service around what is a caretaker role, what is routine and what it means to fully carry out the Liberal government's mandate.

So how much fundraising are the BC Liberals going to do between now and September?

Will the BC Liberals be able to force another election and try and foster a split between the Greens and NDPs (who are natural allies)?

Will the $12 billion Massey Bridge boondoggle go ahead?

Will Site C dam construction go into overdrive?

This is unbelievable contempt for the democratic process and obviously an outcome (the BC Liberals with less than 44 seats) that has been carefully planned for.


e. a. f. said...

A. 7:24 a.m. your advise to weaver is good, however, in my opinion Weaver is a tad short on the principle thing. As to a long gam for Weaver, might be O.K. if he were younger, but he is much closer to the end of the road than the other 2 leaders, so my money says he tries for the short game. of course the other 2 Greens can play the long game, they're younger and the Cowichan MLA I do believe has the percerverance to do the long game. Her work on the water in Shaniwigan lake certainly was long and hard.

North Van's Grumps said...

Anon 5:49

"The Legislative Assembly was dissolved on April 11, 2017. A provincial general election was held on May 9."

https://www.leg.bc.ca/content-committees/pages/current-party-standings.aspx



The Ministers, and Premier, remain as caretakers until the swearing in of all MLAs

RossK said...

Anon-2-Above--

In addition...

There are all kinds of smaller 'contracts' that must be reinstituted ASAP for the good of the people!

The people that are receiving them that is.

You know...

Contracts like, say...

...This.


.

Anonymous said...

Must be a cult of personality.?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xxgRUyzgs0

Willy said...

I expect there's going to be some knives pulled out for Clark as the Falcon seems to be swooping around a bit more now,,,,,

Anonymous said...

I see Global and others are already softening up the public for the next election which will be sooner then 4 years by blubbering about"how expensive the election was" and I can see chrisytys next round of BS already shining through, "The NDP by not passing the bill and having a non confidence vote have made this unnecessary costly election "insert bullshit here"" and then even more bullshit about how christy cares about the taxpayers cash and the usual bullshit about hoe the NDP of the nineties are responsible for most of the planets woes......

Scotty on Denman said...

Consider the difficulties of the reverse situation, the NDP with one more seat than the BC Liberals, or with a one seat majority. Which party would then fare better in an early election then?

The Greens may be celebrating now, but they're actually in a fix.

Remember, the goal is still the same, we're not out of the game, and things might be just as well that the coffin eventually be hammered shut for good.

Okay, Andrew, let's see you live up to your name.

Meanwhile, with two weeks of baloney heading up the menu, I'm going on a diet!

Anonymous said...

SH @ Scotty on Denman

The Biblical rain in the Lower "Hurtlands", set against the dark and unholy spectre of the Undead BC Liberals on a Green IV drip, is a perfect illustration of 'pathetic fallacy".

Willy said...

And just to back up my hunch....

http://vancouversun.com/news/politics/voters-punished-b-c-liberals-for-too-much-politics-not-enough-leadership-says-former-minister

Scotty on Denman said...

SH: that's fo' sho'....

Anonymous said...

Pat K replacing Christy?

RossK said...

Willy--

It looks like you won the first pot.

Time to deal another hand so that we can play five card 'pathetic fallacy'

_____

scotty--

About that diet...

I'm already well into it.

I mean after just two days without a post I've already started to shed my bcpoli blogging-driven bloat.

.

Anonymous said...

PR cover blown..no more showboating,helicoptering or jet setting flybys of riding?

Scotty on Denman said...

Ross: the trouble is keeping those pounds off.

Pickin'n'grinnin' is a good natural way to do it.

Good luck.

RossK said...

Scotty--

Pickin' 'n grinnin', indeed.

Have a new set just about ready for action...Weirdly, a whole lot of stuff in the key of 'E'.


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Lenin's Ghost said...

Healthcare is too expensive.
Education is too expensive.
Now democracy is too expensive.

No surprise from these �� poopheads.

North Van's Grumps said...

hmmmm Throw this into the mix of having enough votes to save a minority government. The Speaker is from the Government side.

The Legislative Assembly also appoints a Deputy Speaker (from Opposition ranks) who presides in the absence of the Speaker.

If the Speaker is not available then the Opposition won't have enough votes to bring down the Government

Anonymous said...

SH:

The NDP should request that the Green Party offer one of their MLA's.

Their refusal, would make clear who they truly support.

Anonymous said...

https://www.desmog.ca/2017/05/12/civil-suit-alleges-b-c-blacklisting-forestry-consultant-who-warned-timber-overcutting-faulty-data

Anonymous said...

http://www.torontosun.com/2016/06/06/tories-suffering-stockholm-syndrome