Please, ruling parties of British Columbia, don’t send us back to the polls again too soon.
The odd (and still uncertain) results of Tuesday’s election – 43 Liberals, 41 NDPers, and three Greens – mean the first minority government in B.C. since 1952.
As things stand now, the Liberals will likely have to work with other parties, either the NDP or the Greens, to get any legislation passed.
Nasty as some of the ads during the election were, this was also a battle that was focused on the issues. Housing, stagnant incomes, job creation, health care, transportation, homelessness – all the parties acknowledged that there are serious problems in this province that need to be addressed through policy and investment.
Each party had different plans. But now there will have to be a middle way.
The Liberals will have to cede some policy ground to the Greens, or to the NDP, to get a budget or any other piece of legislation through in Victoria.
We hope they can do it.
With the exception of pollsters and pundits, no one actually likes having elections every six months. The Liberals or the NDP may, for tactical reasons, decide to trigger one at almost any time over the next four years.
Please, for our sakes, forbear.
The vote in B.C. was very close. Almost as many people endorsed the NDP’s vision as the Liberals, and a sizable chunk picked “neither of the above.” Neither leading party has a mandate from a majority of British Columbians to govern with a free hand.
So please, to govern this weird province, compromise.
– M.C.