Nothing else can, or will, save them before defeat in 2013 … even with a Leadership change

Steve Forseth, former BC Liberal
Policy Chair / Riding Secretary
for the Cariboo - Chilcotin

My nephew Steve, has been a blogger for several years now, and has been active in support of the BC Liberal Party – it makes for some interesting discussion on politics for sure. 

The other day I asked if he would be interested in providing a Guest Opinion for the Conservative Thoughts blog, which after consideration, he agreed to do.  Here then, is that guest editorial.

Over the last year or so, much has been made about the so-called vote split for the ‘Conservative’ voter in BC. 

In times past, most conservative voters (small-c, ‘Blue’ and ‘Red’ Tories) provincially have aligned themselves behind the ‘BC Liberal’ brand,  Recently however, small-c conservatives have become rapidly disillusioned with the Christy Clark BC Liberals’, and a fair number of them have decided to back the John Cummins BC Conservatives’. 

It should be noted that the split of small ‘c’ conservatives in Alberta has led to the formation of two conservative political parties in Alberta consisting of the Wildrose Party and the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta

Political history in BC during the 1952, 1972, 1991, and 1996 BC General Elections shows that a split on the centre-right in BC generally elects a NDP government

Much has been made recently of the two by-elections in Port Moody and Chilliwack, including what would have occurred if the centre-right vote had been behind one party. 

Let’s be clear – one conservative party in the Port Moody – Coquitlam by-election would have made no difference, given the strength of the NDP candidate, former Port Moody Mayor Joe Trasolini ... but it could have prevented the election of an NDP MLA in Chilliwack – Hope.

So what does the future of conservatives in BC hold?

Well, it is very clear by statements from John Cummins and Christy Clark that no merger of their respective political parties is forthcoming.  It is also equally clear that disgruntled BC Liberals, who have now joined the BC Conservatives, won’t be going back to their former political home anytime soon.  In addition, there are too many policy differences between the BC Liberals, and BC Conservatives, to allow a meaningful “resurrection” of conservatives behind one banner. 

Equally so, I don’t see any moves internally within the BC Liberals to change their Leader in advance of the 2013 Provincial Election. 

Finally, I don’t see evidence that “listening harder to the public”, as proposed by BC Premier Christy Clark, will change the BC Liberal Party standing in the minds and hearts of the voting public.

It is clear now that one policy position, the bringing of the Harmonizes Sales Tax to British Columbia (and how it was imposed on British Columbian’s), will be the BC Liberals’ undoing. 

Nothing else can, or will, save them before defeat in 2013 … even with a Leadership change within the BC Liberal Party in 2012, in my humble opinion. 

Meanwhile, watch for the BC Conservatives to build on their performance in Port Moody-Coquitlam, and Chilliwack – Hope, as they prepare to battle for BC’s 85 seats in the provincial Legislature next year

Stay tuned as BC Politics gets a lot hotter in preparation for the 2013 Provincial Election.

A BIT ABOUT STEVE:

Steve Forseth is a 33 year old lifelong resident of Williams Lake, a community located in the Cariboo region of the BC Central Interior. 

From 2003 to 2001 Steve served on both the former City of Williams Lake Health Advisory Committee, and the Advisory Planning Commission.  He is presently serving his 4th term as Chair of the Cariboo Regional District Area ‘D’ Advisory Planning Commission. 

Steve is also a member of the BC Liberal Party, and has previously served as Policy Chair, and Riding Secretary, for the Cariboo-Chilcotin.