Is an early election coming?

Jul 24, 2020 | 4:04 PM

VICTORIA – When asked during a recent brief, Premier John Horgan was asked if there is any thought to going to the polls earlier than October 2021, given his popularity in the polls and the suggestion he may well form a majority government, the Premier’s response was anything but a definitive “no.”

“We are a minority government. We have been a day away from an election for the past three years. And that’s been my message to my colleagues in the Legislature and that’s been my message to supporters of the NDP. That’s been my message to the public. We’re working hard every day to meet the needs of people. That’s why I got involved in politics,” stated Premier Horgan. “We have a very, very precarious balance here in BC. And I’ve said between now and next fall, we need to have an election. It’s mandated by next October. So, there’s an opportunity this fall. There’s an opportunity next spring. There’s an opportunity next summer.”

It was a response that surprised one local MLA.

“So I think all of us were caught a bit off-guard by the fact that, somehow, the Premier of British Columbia thinks that the middle of a pandemic is an opportunity to go to the polls,” says Shirley Bond, MLA for Prince George-Valemount, who says people are worried about their jobs, the future of their jobs, their health and a myriad of things other than an election.

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But Political Scientist Chris Beach says the NDP has historically struggled to form a majority government and there may not be a better time to call an election.

“In the best conditions, Horgan is still facing an uphill battle to get an NDP majority government in British Columbia. Having said that, history favours the bold. He is very popular right now.”

He says the idea of a majority government would be very appealing to the Premier.

“It would be extremely appealing and it’s not just the Green party. It’s just being able to make those decisions within your own party without having to broker a deal and to make compromises.”

He says the fact remains, though, that the breakdown of the province politically, hasn’t changed with Lower Mainland and Victoria predominantly NDP and the remainder of the province Liberal.

by Cheryl Jahn

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Is an early election coming?

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