Listening to the post-game analysis from the BC election and one thing stands out in my mind: the BC Liberal victory — the much vaunted 3-peat — is due to the varying degree of arrogance in all parties.
2009 optimism
Now I am not a party member of the NDP or any other party but I did work on the local NDP candidate’s campaign and it was a great education. Love ’em or hate ’em, this is a party that is, hands down, masters at getting the vote out. Her people worked the phones, the candidate kept putting herself out there on the doorsteps, at local events and shopping/eating in all the local businesses. She made sure she was visible and accessible.
I never got one phone call from the local Green candidate who also, it so happened, is the leader of the party. There was one leaflet in my mailbox from the Greens and it was delivered by Canada Post and I never saw Sterk anywhere in this riding except last week when she was walking through a parking lot complete with a news crew heading for a photo-op.
It was as if the Green Party leader expected to be voted in on the basis of a) being the leader of the party; b) being member of the divinely appointed Green Party and therefore right just because; c) one term as councilor on Esquimalt Municipal Council. It takes much more than personal conviction and evangelical righteousness to overcome the incumbent advantage in any riding let alone an NDP stronghold like Esquimalt-Royal Roads. The fact that the Liberal candidate with virtually no local profile whatsoever came in 2nd speaks volumes about how the greens ran their campaign in this riding.
The arrogance of the Liberals in claiming this victory is an endorsement
happier days...
of their policies and the leader’s personality is also a stark denial of the reality of the popular vote and the slim margins of their candidates’ victories in multiple ridings. This so-called 3-peat was not a victory for the Liberals policy so much as an opportunistic run up the middle in enough ridings to give them a majority in the house.
The NDP arrogance is in once again assuming it’s their turn. Much of the campaigning this time out involved shouting slogans about how the electorate is sick of the Liberals and targeting the personality of the premier. It can’t go that way. Union support is not sufficient; having the best slogans is not sufficient. Go out of your way to reassure small business they will not be targeted. Yes, I know NDP is not an enemy of small business but small business doesn’t know that. Put things in writing and hold them up as contracted promises of protection as well as action.
The Greens keep saying they want to have representation in the house and so put substantial effort into the STV. It is a valid method, I agree, and would be an interesting experiment in democracy but while they do that and insist on fielding a full slate of candidates across the province at the same time, they will not only never get their day on the floor but will continue to prop up the Liberal government at the expense of NDP candidates.
The solution is so very simple. Sit down with the NDP and, for example, in the Vancouver Island ridings, take a look at the four ridings where the obvious split of the vote brought a Liberal into the House. Determine which ridings offer the best opportunity for a Green Candidate and agree to pull their candidates from the other 3. On the mainland, look for 2 more ridings where the Greens have a substantial chance. In those ridings the NDP will offer their machinery and experience on behalf of the Green candidate. In all the other ridings, the Green will throw their support to the NDP. It will be a win-win situation as the Greens will end up with MLA’s in the House and the NDP will have a fighting chance at wrestling the power away from Liberals.
At worst what will happen is a minority Liberal government where, finally, the party in power will be forced to listen to the opposition.