Frankly Speaking

  John Horgan is likely to lead the NDP to its biggest win ever in B.C. The party could win more than 50 seats in Saturday's election. The NDP are likely to win a substantial majority government in Saturday’s election. It looks like the party could end up with more than 50 seats. This would be the most seats the party has ever held in the B.C. Legislature, and it is likely to win seats in areas where it has never or hardly ever won before. The final results won’t be in until two weeks after the election, due to more than 700,000 mail-in ballots which are a direct result of holding an election during a pandemic, but it is still quite likely that B.C. residents will find out on Saturday that there will be an NDP majority. Residents will still be waiting for results in close ridings, which will probably number about 15. In the Lower Mainland, the NDP’s second-best stronghold after Vancouver Island, the NDP is likely to win a number of seats the BC Liberals have held since at least 199...

  In Surrey at least, the BC Liberals may have new life after announcing that the policing transition requires a referendum before going any farther. This, of course, will only happen should party leader Andrew Wilkinson gain enough seats to become premier. The policing transition in Surrey has become a major campaign issue in the provincial election, and it has the potential to give the  BC Liberals a big boost. Whether it will be enough for the party to regain power after more than three years in the political wilderness  is another question. The NDP are well ahead in the most recent public opinion polls. The BC Liberal party issued a statement on Sunday that a BC Liberal government would pause the transition process, and give Surrey residents a vote in a referendum on whether to switch to a new Surrey Police force or stick with the RCMP. Mike Farnworth, who as public safety minister gave the transition the green light and specifically said ...

One of these six individuals will be the new BC Liberal party leader, as of Saturday night. From left to right, (top) are Dianne Watts, Andrew Wilkinson and Michael Lee; (bottom) Sam Sullivan, Todd Stone, Mike de Jong. (Montage by CBC) Members of the BC Liberal party are casting their ballots over the next few days to choose a new leader of the opposition. That very phrase must gall many of them, after the party enjoyed 16 straight years in power under premiers Gordon Campbell and Christy Clark. However, that’s where they find themselves right now, and based on the most recent public opinion poll which came out Jan. 19, they could be there after the next election as well. The NDP were well ahead of them in that poll, 40 per cent to 31 per cent (the Green Party came in at 19 per cent) conducted by Insights West. The new Liberal leader will be determined by a ranked ballot, and membership sign-ups actually will play a diminished role in the final selection of the leader. Eac...