BC Election: The Race Is Run... What Will The Winners Actually Do Now?

AroundTheOldOak
TreeVille

 

All of today's pro-media coverage is about how Mr. Eby lost the race before it even got to the clubhouse turn.

Some, like the estimable Mr. Palmer, from the safety of Postmedia's innermost of harbours, reckon it was lost before the horses even got to the gate. Although, to be fair, the Dean of the Legislative Press Gallery, did use a different metaphor.

But nevermind all that.

Because I've been looking for an analysis of what the BC Conservatives will actually do in government.

You know, the stuff that actually matters to how lives here in British Columbia will be lived for the next four years or so.

Of course, there has been very little of that in the public prints.

But, luckily for us, Norm Farrell has been paying very close attention.

Here is Norm's recent analysis:

Housing: Cut construction taxes and charges, accelerate approvals, and reduce energy-efficiency requirements. End provincial density requirements. Support infrastructure needed by growth. Provide tax credits for creating self-contained accommodation for senior relatives.

Education:Accelerate pathways into trades. Further restrict phones, and enable school police liaison programs.

Environment/Climate: Repeal CleanBC, expand fossil fuel production, and support pipelines.

Healthcare: Fund treatment by private practictioners. Recruit and train more staff.

Reconciliation: Repeal DRIPA. Seek constitutional changes to eliminate Indigenous rights.

In my opinion there is some very scary reactionary stuff in there, even if the regressive 'open for business' approaches actually give a short term boost to the economy. 

But my opinion isn't worth a hill of beans to the 48% of the British Columbia electorate who wanted either one of those two things, or both

But here's something to consider.

Aren't both of those things what a similar percentage of our neighbours to the South got bamboozled into voting for a couple of years ago?
 

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Image at the top of the post?...End of the backstretch at the old Sandown Park, circa 1977, in North Saanich.
So..What should provincial progressives do now?...Well, what if, as reader Graham has suggested, we had an actual Orange/Green supergroup that worked together in opposition and even took heed of what the progressive parties in Vancouver did come election time...And yes, I am thinking of making deals about where it makes the most sense for one party or the other to stand down in strategic ridings to ensure that the splitting of votes, like what just lost them Saanich South (Con 39%, Dipper 35%, Green 26%), doesn't happen again in 2030...


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