“Promises, promises ... that's all I ever get”

I don't know whether to laugh or cry each day as I listen to the candidates seeking the leadership of the BC Liberal Party.  Family Day ... 16 year old voters ... more consultation with voters ... raising the minimum wage ... family friendly policies … and on and on it goes.

I was going to write something on this; however two great editorials have been written and so instead I would like to direct you to what they have already said this week. First of all, from Gary Mason of the Globe and Mail ...

BC Liberal leadership race suffering from vision vacuum

British Columbians are ecstatic these days. The candidates running for the leadership of the governing Liberal Party are vowing to get rid of hated taxes and add more holidays. They’re vowing to bring the public inside cabinet, consult with it like never before.

Pretty soon, BC truly will be “The best place on Earth,” just like its tourism motto says.

If elected, George Abbott will hold “regional caucus meetings,” “telephone town halls” and regular “accountability sessions” with voters. Mike de Jong has vowed a “leadership roundtable” to solicit the views of municipal and regional district leaders. The maxim of Kevin Falcon’s campaign is “listen, learn, lead.”

Christy Clark has promised to hold 12 town-hall meetings with British Columbians in her first year in office and share information with the public as “soon as problems are identified.” (Love that one). Moira Stillwell, meantime, has also promised to bring British Columbians into the decision-making process and add greater transparency to the workings of government.

It all sounds so wonderful, doesn’t it? And sadly predictable and unoriginal ...................

Then from Brian Hutchison at the National Post comes a response to George Abbotts strange campaign slogan of “The People are coming” ... along with a reminder of the many things that have sent the BC Liberal Party reeling in recent months ...

“The people are coming,” declares B.C. Liberal leadership contender George Abbott. That’s his curious campaign slogan, left wide open to interpretation. British Columbians are coming … to negative conclusions about the Liberal party? Coming with pitchforks? Given events of late — the bungled harmonized sales tax sales job, the B.C. Rail political corruption trial and its unsatisfactory conclusion, the broken promises — one could hardly blame them.

Reached on the campaign trail, Mr. Abbott sets the record straight. The expression “is about reconnecting with voters and empowering them,” he says.

That too makes sense. Public re-engagement is right now the greatest opportunity — albeit a tough challenge — in B.C. politics. There’s widespread distrust, even scorn. There’s also apathy, revealed in low voter turnout at elections time and by the absence of legislative activity in Victoria. Lawmakers meet fewer than 70 days of a year in this province....

BUT ... there is a light at the end of the tunnel ... as we read at the end of the article by Mr. Hutchison ...

At long last, a third option may be emerging. On Sunday, the B.C. Conservative Party announced it too will hold a leadership convention, scheduled for May, at a location to be determined later.

Now, don’t expect too much. Provincial Conservatives haven’t been a force in BC politics for 60 years. The party last won a provincial riding in 1975. In 2009, it captured just 2% of the popular vote. But Liberal misfortunes have given it some life. The Conservatives raised eyebrows in September with a series of appointments to its “advisory board.” Former Newfoundland premier Brian Peckford, federal Conservative MP John Cummins and former B.C. premier Rita Johnson were all named as party advisors.

They joined former Reform and Alliance party MPs Randy White, Darrel Stinson, Jim Hart and Reed Elley, all advisory board members, all of whom represented B.C. Federally.....

Now I do admit to have a bias towards the BC Conservative Party – I am a member after all, so I wish he had left out the part about, “Now don’t expect too much” … but hey he’s right … the party hasn’t really been a factor for many years.  But, things have certainly changed in the past year!  What did party president Wayne McGrath just have to say??

“The party can once again have a successful future, because the conditions might be right to strike a positive chord with voters.  When there is a mood for change, the people will speak if there is a party to vote for”.

Yes ... thank goodness … there is a light at the end of the tunnel.