Recently, I was asked, “do you know more about American politics or Canadian politics?” I really thought about it, and I realized I know way more about what’s going on in American than Canada. American politics effect Canada, but they aren’t as nearly important as Canadian politics (to me who is a Canadian resident.) Theres an election going on right now where I live, and I didn’t even know what it was for, or who was running. But, I could recite to you all the election dates going on in America, and what happening!

That is definitely flawed on my part. I should know whats going on in my own town, city, province, and country! If I’m going to spend any of my energy and brain on politics, It should be on the stuff that effects me, my community and family. So, for this, this week I learned, I’m going to be teaching myself about whats going on in BC right now and why we have an election, as this week we touched on the topic of BC politics. Also… 

1. I am able to vote next year! 

2. Prior to this post and research I was clueless, besides the basics… I didn’t know there was more than one type of election…

3. To be a fully involved Canadian citizen, I should know whats going on in our province and country.

Right now, a Provincial General Election has been called for Saturday, October 24.

John Horgan the current premier of British Columbia, called this election. He has been leader of the British Columbia NDP since 2014. 

The 2017 provincial election resulted in an unprecedented result, with Horgan’s NDP taking 41 seats and the B.C. Liberal Party winning 43 seats. The Green Party won three seats, and entered into an agreement to join a minority NDP government. So NDP and the Green Party have been working together to take care of BC! But, John Horgan seems to now want it to just be NPD, so he’s hosting a provincial election. Both the NDP and Green agreed not to trigger an election until the next scheduled date, which was set for the fall of 2021. So, as you can assume, theres a lot of controversy about this all, as we are in a global pandemic… Ill do my best to explain it all. 

From my POV after reading as many articles as I can, John Horgan seems to be done with sharing the government with Green, and wants it all to the NDP. He must think he’s going to win, as he’s the one who called the election, but why? Where is his confidence coming from? I think he’s confident because of the way COVID-19 was handled. Most BC residents are pretty happy with how COVID-19 was handled, so I think he believes he he has a good chance of winning win because of that. While that may be true, people are confused to why this is so necessary.  Also, COVID cases are way higher compared to in the spring, that may effect him. “The stability that we had over the course of our minority government is not as strong as it was when we began,” Horgan says.

Newly elected Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau says on twitter, “I met with John Horgan on Friday and told him he had a stable government. This election is completely unnecessary. The NDP has chosen the pursuit of power over the health and safely of the British Columbians.” Which, I actually agree with. If I could vote and was a regular NDP voter, id rethink that. While Ive always respected NDP, I think it’s a bit selfish to call an election a year early, during a pandemic. By calling this election, Horgan is breaking a four year confidence and supply agreement with the Green Party. Formed in 2017, and founded on the principal of “good faith and no surprises” the pact assured the Green Party support’s on matters of confidence.

Liberal Party Leader Andrew Wilkinson said Horgan was “putting politics over people.” Which agrees with what I just said. On the health side of it all, Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer was not consulted prior to this election, which I think is very odd. “My role is to provide advice around the health of the population,” she said. “And that is what I will continue to focus on.” She is now focused on how to prepare for an election during a pandemic. An Angus Reid Institute poll found that one in three B.C.ers were uncomfortable heading to the polls in-person given the threat of COVID-19.

I should babble about this for a long time, as theres countless POV’s and statements from the parties. But the question I leave here, that only us after October 24 will know is, will voters punish Horgan for calling an election in a pandemic?