Since the fallout of the BC Liberals, many voters have called for a centrist alternative to be present in the Legislature. These calls are humorous to me because this will not happen. My proof of this, you ask? Many voters were also calling for this back in 1991 with the collapse of the SoCreds. It's a near repeat of the late 1980's.The SoCreds in 1991 were the right-wing vote, while the NDP was the left-wing vote. Those looking for a protest vote went for the then centrist Liberals. The Liberals formed the Opposition and the SoCreds died a painful death, leaving a power vacuum in BC politics. Someone needed to fill the void of a conservative voice in BC, and the BC Liberals were just that party. The election of Gordon Campbell as BC Liberal Party leader solidified their turn to the right. While they were the centrist voice for about two years, the party had to change in order to become the principle opposing force of the governing New Democrats.
Today it's the same story, but the parties are different. Instead of the SoCreds dying, the Liberals themselves are, soon to be replaced by the Conservatives. While I doubt the complete destruction of the Liberals, then slipping into third party status within the next election or two is very plausible. The Conservatives will at first appear to be centrist in comparison to the NDP and Liberals, but they too will turn to the right-wing as their name implies and embrace the shrinking size of the population opposed to NDP leadership.
Centrists don't work in provinces like ours with deep divisions, high turnovers, and plenty of scandalous events. They haven't worked since 1952, and I doubt they will work for the first time in over six decades by 2013. I hope you're listening BC Refederation Party!
Oh we are.
ReplyDeleteWe are offering a mechanism for the CONTROL of politicians.
No promise of 'greater accountability' like the other parties.
We will give you control of politicians which means the accountability which voters seek comes with it.
Mike Summers
Leader, BC Refederation Party
That’s just the problem, citizens shouldn’t have to control their politicians; they should be honest and represent their constituents in a fair and proper manner. We don’t have that now, so we need a change. I see little from the BC Refederation Party that proposes effective change beyond making a constitution outlining the rights of citizens (which we already have). Other than that, free votes could come in, but even then, only a party can ensure that, enforcing that in the Legislature would be near impossible.
ReplyDeleteThere’s a problem in BC. We have arrogant politicians refusing to listen to the people. That doesn’t mean we need to change the entire system to something similar of the consensus government model where leaders lost their ability to govern after often less than twelve months. What it means is that we need a party that offers realistic, social democratic solutions to the problems we face today to solve the challenges of tomorrow.