Put those ideas forward John ... but be prepared to fully back them up ... because that is what we are asking to see happen!

It has been said that the only political poll that counts is the one that takes place on election day – I agree.  That said however, when two polls come out the same week, showing the political party you support is increasing, well you have to like that.

I recent years the BC Conservative Party has been found lumped in with a group called “Others” -- not so any more!  In the last week or so two polls have come out that show the BC Conservatives gaining in popular support.

In the poll taken by Ipsos Reid they show the party at 10%, while the one by the Mustel Group poll had the BC Conservatives at 18%! These results have to be encouraging for John Cummins who will soon become leader of the party – they show BC voters are responding in a positive way to a message of change, government accountability, and electing a government that puts

folks ahead of the special interests.

The Ipsos Reid poll, which can be found HERE, shows that compared to the May 2009 election, voter support for the BC Liberals is down 5 points from 46% ... and the NDP are down 3 points from 42%.  (NOTE ... both of these polls have of course been conducted since the Liberals and New Democrats elected new leaders.)

Meantime, the BC Conservatives, who will not be electing a leader until this weekend, are now at no less than 10% ... up from 2% in the last election in 2009.  What else does this poll indicate??? Well it also shows that under John Cummins, the party could right at this moment have the support of 24% of voters (10% “very likely” -- 15% “somewhat likely”).

The fact that the party is at up to 24% voter support has to be in part due to another factor the Ipsos Reid poll took into account, and that was one regarding government approval on issues. The Liberals did get a 51% approval on the economy, but it was all downhill after that, to a low of 21% approval when it came to Ethics and Accountability.

With the BC Conservative Party already presenting a message of accountability and honesty through their Contact with British Columbian's, this is going to be one area that John Cummins will need to hit the Liberals hard on --- but expect to hear that message directed at Adrian Dix and the NDP as well. 

Here's a list of the other things the poll took the pulse of voters approval on:

•                     Economy – 51% approve vs. 43% disapprove

•                      Crime/justice – 38% approve vs. 53% disapprove

•                      Environment – 37% approve vs. 53% disapprove

•                      Education – 32% approve vs. 59% disapprove

•                      Taxes – 31% approve vs. 64% disapprove

•                      Health care – 30% approve vs. 65% disapprove

•                      Spending taxpayer money wisely – 29% approve vs. 65% disapprove

•                      Ethics and accountability – 21% approve vs. 70% disapprove

Oh, and back to the Mustell poll.  In a story in the Globe and Mail last Thursday, in speaking of Christy Clark's Liberal Party, they said:

But the scary part, for her B.C. Liberals, is the third number on the charts. A new Mustel Group poll released on Thursday found the B.C. Conservatives have nearly 18 per cent of decided voters, while pollsters at Ipsos Reid on Tuesday put the Conservatives at 10 per cent.

Mr. Cummins was encouraged by the results. “We are on an upward trend,” he said. He is travelling the regions where the party has the most support – in the Interior and the North, and on Vancouver Island – offering an alternative home for centre-right voters who are uncomfortable with the Clark-led Liberals.

He dismissed the opposition from his former colleagues. “One or two people standing at a Liberal convention, basking in the applause of the guilty, is not going to make the guilty any more appealing to the voters.”

What  does John Cummins need to do??  In my opinion he need to look carefully at the poll results around approval ratings on issues --- then look at how those things fit with the BC Conservative Parties “Contract with British Columbian's.”

Word for word they are the things British Columbian's are looking to hear --- AND to see actually come about.  Put those ideas forward John ... but be prepared to fully back them up ... because that is what we are asking to see happen!

On Thursday John Cummins will be making a stop in Kamloops as part of his leadership tour. Kamloops This Week spoke to him and you can read the full story by clicking HERE.  Better yet come out to the meeting Thursday night and ask him why he should have your vote in the next election ... ask him how he plans to bring back accountability to the voters.

I'm Alan Forseth in Kamloops ... and those are the thoughts of one voter ... and the thoughts of one conservative.