BC Lags Behind Other Provinces in Life Satisfaction

[direwolf]

I thought all of the recounts, mail-in ballots counting, etc... was supposed to be finished over the weekend, but it turns out they still have about 22,000 absentee ballots to count today and this whole thing should finally be over. As of now it still looks likely that it'll be an NDP minority.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by direwolf

I thought all of the recounts, mail-in ballots counting, etc... was supposed to be finished over the weekend, but it turns out they still have about 22,000 absentee ballots to count today and this whole thing should finally be over. As of now it still looks likely that it'll be an NDP minority.

The Conservatives currently have a nine (9!!) vote lead in Surrey-Guildford with many absentee ballots remaining to be counted. If the NDP flip that seat and hold the others in which they currently have a narrow lead, then they'll have won 47 seats and have a majority...

...Except they'll still need to appoint a Speaker, which would reduce them to 46. At that point, they would either need one of the Green Party MLAs to vote with them or the Speaker to get to 47 or the Speaker will cast the tie-breaking vote in 46-46 scenarios.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

The Conservatives currently have a nine (9!!) vote lead in Surrey-Guildford with many absentee ballots remaining to be counted. If the NDP flip that seat and hold the others in which they currently have a narrow lead, then they'll have won 47 seats and have a majority...

...Except they'll still need to appoint a Speaker, which would reduce them to 46. At that point, they would either need one of the Green Party MLAs to vote with them or the Speaker to get to 47 or the Speaker will cast the tie-breaking vote in 46-46 scenarios.

Could also appoint someone from the opposition as speaker to maintain the full majority in that situation. Not sure if there's anyone highly moderate/respected from either the greens or conservatives that might be a reasonable choice.

[Locke]

Cant they just pull a guy in from the street to be the Speaker for the House? He can set up his tent in the Hallway...I mean...if you want to be progressive lets not half-ass it shall we?

[opendoor]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

Could also appoint someone from the opposition as speaker to maintain the full majority in that situation. Not sure if there's anyone highly moderate/respected from either the greens or conservatives that might be a reasonable choice.

Yeah that's what happened in 2017 where a Liberal MLA became the Speaker for an NDP-minority legislature. Though the Liberals didn't react too well and kicked him out of the party for accepting.

Though finding a moderate among Conservative MLAs is probably a taller order. I think the only real possibilities would be former BC United candidates who ran as Conservatives when United folded. But even then I doubt it. And I'm not sure either of the Green MLAs would want to give up their leverage.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by opendoor

Yeah that's what happened in 2017 where a Liberal MLA became the Speaker for an NDP-minority legislature. Though the Liberals didn't react too well and kicked him out of the party for accepting.

Though finding a moderate among Conservative MLAs is probably a taller order. I think the only real possibilities would be former BC United candidates who ran as Conservatives when United folded. But even then I doubt it. And I'm not sure either of the Green MLAs would want to give up their leverage.

Maybe not. Although I bet the extra $60k per year would be attractive to some folks.

[belsarius]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

The Conservatives currently have a nine (9!!) vote lead in Surrey-Guildford with many absentee ballots remaining to be counted. If the NDP flip that seat and hold the others in which they currently have a narrow lead, then they'll have won 47 seats and have a majority...

...Except they'll still need to appoint a Speaker, which would reduce them to 46. At that point, they would either need one of the Green Party MLAs to vote with them or the Speaker to get to 47 or the Speaker will cast the tie-breaking vote in 46-46 scenarios.

So if the speaker breaks ties it is only an issue if someone no shows for a vote, or someone breaks ranks for a vote?

[Blaster86]

If the NDP are smart, they reach out to a green.

[Winsor_Pilates]

NDP ahead in Surrey Guilford now with absentee ballots being counted.
Looking likely for 47 seats and a majority.

[afc wimbledon]

The chances the Tory caucus doesn't lose an MLA or two to scandal or complete wack doodlery in a few months seems slim to none

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by opendoor

I'd like to say I'm surprised, but some chuds on the right are using the fact that the NDP is significantly outperforming the Conservatives in mail-in votes to sow distrust in the election process and basically start a poor man's "stop the steal" PR campaign in BC.

So far, the party itself isn't doing that to the same degree, but there's lots of "just asking questions" going on among supporters and some right wing media figures. And I don't think it'll take much to tip that right into full blown conspiracy theories about rigged elections if the NDP ends up with a majority.

It's funny, it's basically the exact same thing that happened in 2017 where it took a week or two to sort out the exact seat count and who held the balance of power. But there was little issue then because extremists had a lot less influence on the right than they do now.

This may seem ordinary to some, but most conservative candidates retweeted messages from two conservative campaign managers who were taking part in mail vote counting and confirmed the legitimacy of the process.

Now Rustad had tweeted this:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1851088951358210224


Trust in institutions, but especially voting, is what prevents autocracy. I hope all elections in Canada look this way over the next while

[opendoor]

I'm glad the party itself didn't take the bait and accepted the results. If there is going to be a united right in BC, hopefully some more sane people can pull that party back towards the center.

Though I can't say I'm confident that we're not going to see more of that kind of rhetoric going forward with how people seem to love to import US-style politics. And Rustad did already say the NDP had "rigged" the election rules earlier in the campaign in reference to BC's per-vote subsidy that put his upstart party at a financial disadvantage because they weren't a factor in the 2020 election.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Federally or provincially, I am not rewarding any party who swims in conspiracy theories and fear mongering with my vote.

Chances of me voting for any conservative party in the near future are hovering around zero. Be nice if they came back to reality. Glad the NDP won.

[direwolf]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

Federally or provincially, I am not rewarding any party who swims in conspiracy theories and fear mongering with my vote.

Chances of me voting for any conservative party in the near future are hovering around zero. Be nice if they came back to reality. Glad the NDP won.

I’m happy as well. Common sense prevailed in the end, but just barely. I feel like the conservatives’ more extreme elements and conspiracy theory nonsense are what kept them from winning. I’d like to think that they’ll maybe move back to the centre before the next election, but my faith in humanity is currently at an all-time low, so I have doubts that they will.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by direwolf

I’m happy as well. Common sense prevailed in the end, but just barely. I feel like the conservatives’ more extreme elements and conspiracy theory nonsense are what kept them from winning. I’d like to think that they’ll maybe move back to the centre before the next election, but my faith in humanity is currently at an all-time low, so I have doubts that they will.

I think the Rustad interview where he got caught into talking about vaccines and Nuremberg 2.0 did them in.
Felt similar to the O'Toole federal election where he just couldn't help himself but the cozy up to the freedom convoy types at the very end of their campaign.
Ironically, those nuts sabotage their own election hopes by coming out of the shadows and getting too close to the politicians they want to win.

I'm happy with the result personally.
I don't mind Eby, like that he's willing to shift and change course on things and think this will be enough of a wake up call to hear what frustrations British Columbians have.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

I'm happy with the result personally.
I don't mind Eby, like that he's willing to shift and change course on things and think this will be enough of a wake up call to hear what frustrations British Columbians have.

You guys are lucky, here in Ontario Doug Ford continually wet farts all over people's tax dollars and sharts all over Ontario's real needs and the sheeple drink it in with a straw.

[evman150]

Perhaps it's a sad sign of where we're at, but I definitely appreciate Rustad's statement.

That said, if I was the leader of a party that went from 2% to the edge of power, I wouldn't be complaining about the election appartus either.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by direwolf

I’m happy as well. Common sense prevailed in the end, but just barely. I feel like the conservatives’ more extreme elements and conspiracy theory nonsense are what kept them from winning. I’d like to think that they’ll maybe move back to the centre before the next election, but my faith in humanity is currently at an all-time low, so I have doubts that they will.

What are they at their core? A traditional Conservative Party that went too far catering to the extremes, or are they more of a populist, libertarian outfit like the UCP?

[belsarius]

Originally Posted by edslunch

What are they at their core? A traditional Conservative Party that went too far catering to the extremes, or are they more of a populist, libertarian outfit like the UCP?

I’m new to the province but it seems to me it’s more of the latter. He was booted from the centre right party for his anti climate change stances and the whole campaign felt like it was pulled from the UCPs playbook.

I really am starting to feel like traditional conservatism is dead in Canada and this right wing populism has supplanted it fully.

[opendoor]

Yeah, their leadership is all pretty extreme by BC standards. Their voters are largely who supported the BC Liberals in the past, so a lot of moderates in there. But the party itself, its leaders, and most of their candidates are definitely not cut from the same cloth as the BC Liberals were. The latter were a mix of federal Liberals and Conservatives, while this party has more in common with the PPC. A bunch of the candidates (including about 10 now elected MLAs) have long histories of posting conspiracy theory nonsense online (i.e. 2020 election being stolen from Trump, chemtrails, Antifa being behind January 6th, antivax stuff, etc.).

And while much was made of Rustad coming out and saying he accepted the results of the election, the next day it seems like he's trying to toe the line to sound respectable to moderates without offending the crazies in the party:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1851371026816647421