43rd British Columbia election discussion | October 2024

I'm grateful candidates are only engaging in character assassination. Unlike Mexico! 

Any chance the name of this thread could be changed to "43rd" rather than "43"? The ordinal just works better.

Fresh off another successful poaching foray, Conservative Party of B.C. Leader John Rustad described himself to the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday using the loaded phrase “common sense.”

It’s become politically freighted since federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre started using it to some effect. Rustad wasn’t shy about borrowing it.

His common sense vision for public safety involves a big increase in addiction treatment programs, most of them private and some of them involuntary, meaning during incarceration. He wants indefinite apprehension of permanently brain-damaged habitual offenders now wandering the streets, on mental health grounds. That could involve invoking the notwithstanding clause in the charter of rights to bypass constitutional concerns if need be, he said.

On the economic side, Rustad wants significant income tax cuts — to be detailed later — and eradication of red tape that stifles everything from logging to recruitment of health workers.

He also wants to start a conversation on nuclear power, given that the wholesale electrification to get off oil is going to vastly outstrip generating capacity. If everyone switched to heat pumps, per the NDP’s urging, B.C. would need six more Site C dams to keep up, he said.

Several Conservative candidates accompanied him to the luncheon, most notably Chris Moore, who up until 90 minutes before the speech was the BC United candidate in Powell River-Sunshine Coast.

Moore and most of his key local supporters bolted BC United and signed on with Rustad’s team, citing dissatisfaction with how the party is running the campaign.

The defections of previous BC United MLAs Bruce Banman, Lorne Doerkson and Elenore Sturko have created a feedback loop that makes every subsequent one that much easier.

Apart from all the other problems with the rebranding of the former B.C. Liberals, the new United name is simply not accurate anymore.

Moore said BC United Leader Kevin Falcon took it graciously when he broke the news to him. If so, it’s because he’s getting so used to it.

https://www.timescol...e-henry-9109980

Edited by Victoria Watcher, Yesterday, 11:50 PM.

Rustad said if Conservatives and BC United together get more seats than the NDP, he would reach out to United to join them in bringing down the NDP as soon as possible on a confidence vote. That would lead to a minority government arrangement.

“I hope I don’t offend people, but [Premier David Eby] is a socialist. He believes very strongly in big government. … He’s also an authoritarian who does not respect democracy and local governance.”

https://www.timescol...e-henry-9109980

Looks like a mole. shrug

No one is electing him for his looks, thats for sure.

Edited by lanforod, Today, 10:29 AM.

...No one is electing him for his looks, that's for sure.

Hopefully, the terrible performance of Canada's current PM has taught voters that good looks do not equal good leadership.

Looks like a mole. shrug

No one is electing him for his looks, thats for sure.

Edited by todd, Today, 11:07 AM.

Hopefully, the terrible performance of Canada's current PM has taught voters that good looks do not equal good leadership.

Edited by todd, Today, 11:03 AM.