I usually try not to write political blog posts. Too boring!
Premier John Horgan (NDP) has called an election for October 24, 2020. I’m in the camp that I’d rather NOT be dealing with an election right now. Going to the polls during a pandemic is not my idea of fun. But it’s a done deal. No turning back. No point in whining about it.
Except BC politicians are notorious whiners. Doesn’t matter what party they’re in. Right now the politicians from parties other than the NDP are whining about the election being self-serving because John Horgan and the NDP are rating very high in the polls right now.
The two highest rated premiers in Canada are John Horgan and Doug Ford (Ontario, Progressive Conservative party). When your approval rating is high, that’s an excellent time to call an election. If a different party was in power right now in BC, that premier would absolutely do it, too.
https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/b-c-premier-s-approval-rating-highest-in-canada-poll-1.5086479
BC residents are dumb schmucks?
New Brunswick is an amazing province with amazing people. I even considered relocating there a few years ago due to the lower cost of living. However, I don’t think I’m tough enough to handle a harsh Maritime winter.
On September 14, 2020, New Brunswick held an election and Premier Blaine Higgs and the Progressive Conservative were re-elected.
Obviously the election was held during a pandemic and the incredible people of New Brunswick got out and voted.
We seem to have a lot of BC politicians who hold a low opinion of the citizens of British Columbia and that us dumb schmuck BCers are unable to get out and vote during a pandemic.
Not everyone can be as amazing as the people in New Brunswick I suppose. In the eyes of some BC politicians.
It really bothers me that politicians are whining about an election and that the residents of BC are dumb schmucks incapable of finding a polling station during the Covid-19 pandemic. When it comes to getting to the polling stations, do these politicians think BC residents don’t come from as hardy stock as the amazing residents of New Brunswick?
Really? Who wants to elect into office a politician who implies the people of BC are dumb schmucks. And also a word that rhymes with schmuck!
Who do I vote for?
You know, I’m kind of open when it comes to voting. I like to hear what’s being said and what the party plans to do for BC and where they stand on certain issues, like the environment.
The last time BC went to the polls in 2017 I voted for the Green party. I consider myself an environmentalist.
The BC Green party just elected a new leader, Sonia Furstenau. With rumors of a possible election dogging the province for all of September, Sonia held a press conference last Friday, after meeting with the premier, and told him she was against holding an election this fall. And then she whined about how that would be a self-serving political move for him and the NDP. Although I don’t disagree with her, she wasted valuable media coverage time where she could have given a rah, rah speech about the Green party and their platform if they’re elected.
Basically, she just did the same self-serving thing. Used the press to try to make a political move herself.
And then she did the same thing again the day the election was called. Whined about an election being called and how it’s a self-serving move on the part of Premier Horgan.
I was very disappointed in her implication that BC voters are a bunch of dumb schmucks. Even though the Greens got my vote the last time, after that whiny speech, she completely let me down. She’s going to have to do much better to get my vote again.
And quit implying that BC voters are a bunch of dumb schmucks who can’t see what’s going on!
The working people’s party
The NDP has done a lot of good things for the people of British Columbia, and are really known for caring about the little guys, the working people, and the disadvantaged.
One of the first things they did was remove the tolls off the bridges that cross the Fraser River – the Port Mann Bridge and the Golden Ears Bridge. Tolls courtesy of the previous government. I turned down a job a few years ago in Port Coquitlam because the only way to get there was to drive across the Port Mann Bridge, at a cost of about $5 per trip. Though I think a monthly pass was also available, it would have still cost me more than $100/month to take that job.
Another good thing the NDP did was remove the premiums from the BC Medical Services Plan. Well, first they dropped it from $72 a month to $37.50, and then in January, 2020 it was removed. So that’s a big financial burden lifted for many of us low income working people.
During the coronavirus pandemic the BC government has been doing a good job of providing medical services to patients and putting emergency procedures in place.
I think there is more they can be doing to help people who have become unemployed and are really struggling.
When it comes to financial assistance, the BC government is relying on the federal government to take care of the residents.
One of the programs the NDP government initiated that helped me out was the rental assistance program. For five months BC Housing paid $300/month of my rent directly to my landlord. That program has ended. I really wish it hadn’t because I could still use that assistance! I guess I should just be glad for what I got.
There was also a one time $1,000 payment made to British Columbians who’d been affected by the coronavirus and I was glad to receive that.
The rich people’s party
The BC Liberal party, the province’s official opposition, has a reputation for ignoring BC residents. Unless of course, you’re a rich friend of the Liberal party, then they’re all over you.
Where I live in Surrey, the Liberals usually win the ridings in the provincial election. Generally speaking I like our local representatives.
One office assisted me when the incompetent buffoons at the BC Medical Services Plan were harassing me, and convinced those thugs that I had filed my taxes and was eligible for premium assistance. Yeah, that’s pretty bizarre getting an anonymous letter spouting off lies that I haven’t filed my taxes when I have the proof that I did. You’d think Revenue Canada would be more concerned if I really wasn’t filing my taxes instead of some thugs pushing around papers in Victoria.
I’ve chatted with a local Liberal MLA when he was holding down a booth at the Cloverdale Market Days. Cancelled this year because, you guessed it, the coronavirus pandemic.
However, overall, the Liberals do have a reputation for snubbing the residents.
Here’s then premier Christy Clark snubbing a woman and walking off which inspired the #iamlinda movement. https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/sarah-miller2/christy-clark-i-am-linda_b_16335940.html
We are all Linda!
Christy still hasn’t answered my email from November 24, 2015 when I was complaining about the anonymous thug in the BC MSP office. Same goes with another Liberal MLA Terry Lake who was also on the same email.
Maybe they both thought the other guy responded to me LOL! Yeah, right. Unlikely. They both just chose to snub me because I’m not a rich friend of the Liberal party.
I’ve also been ignored by MLAs Todd Stone and Jas Johal.
I’m not interested in electing people and a party who have a reputation for ignoring the residents of British Columbia. It’s just goes along with their attitude that BC voters are dumb schmucks not worthy of their time.
If the Liberals had been in power, I can’t see any financial assistance being offered to the poor people of British Columbia during the pandemic. They’d be too busy screeching about balancing the budget. I bet there would be plenty of hand outs to their rich friends, though. Priorities. Rich friends are higher up on the agenda than residents who are struggling financially..
Getting reelected?
Historically, during times of crisis like a war, or like now during a pandemic, the current political leader and party are reelected.
Get used to another four years of Trump!
Voters are scared of the unknown during a crisis. They’re already used to how their current government and top leader is handling things.
Do they vote for the unknown?
Do you stay with the devil you know or choose the devil you don’t know?
Right now BC voters are hoping the NDP’s Covid-19 recovery plan will work.
On the Covid front, we haven’t seen a plan (yet) from any of the opposing political parties. Their only platform seems to be bitching about an election being called for no other purpose than self-preservation of the current government.
Yeah, well, I think any political party in the same situation would do the same thing and call an election, knowing scared voters won’t want to change things up with a different party in power.
So who gets my vote this time?
My viewpoint is that the government should make it a priority to provide services that are needed by the residents whether or not that means balancing the budget.
Whenever we have elections in BC the Liberal’s platform is usually jobs and balancing the budget.
The Liberals have done piss all for me when it comes to finding a good paying job. I’ve struggled my entire life in British Columbia, during which the Liberals have been in power for the majority of my working years. My golden handshake is that I can’t afford to retire in BC which is why I’m looking at countries with a lower cost of living.
I also don’t care about a party that puts balancing the budget over providing services that the people need.
As for snubbing people? I hate that! I hate being ignored when I’ve taken the time to craft a well thought out letter. Being ignored by elected public servants! Part of winning your seat means you’re allotted a budget for assistants and clerical staff. Hire some and they can answer your emails. You bunch of snobs!
During the last election, a group of homeless people had shown up at a hotel where the party leaders were meeting to ask for help. John Horgan asked the hotel if there was a meeting room they could use and he invited them in to speak with him. That compassion really impressed me. The Liberal candidates snuck out and avoided these poor people.
There’s a big difference between politicians who take the time to speak with residents versus those who snub them.
I still want to hear how each party plans to help the residents of British Columbia, especially during the pandemic
Whiners who imply that BC residents are dumb schmucks, snubbers, promising jobs, promising to balance the budget, and figuring out how to help your rich friends instead of helping the disadvantaged don’t interest me.
Other party candidates whine and bitch about the NDP overspending. Well, it’s not like they’re “overspending” on dining out on the taxpayer’s nickel. Their spending has to do with providing services and programs that residents of British Columbia need! And in the case of the coronavirus pandemic – immediately need.
I’m not a dumb schmuck. I can channel my inner New Brunswicker and go to the polls on voting day.
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