Frankly Speaking

NDP leader John Horgan is likely to be the next B.C. premier within a few weeks. I've got a few thoughts about the state of B.C. politics, following today's announcements and accord-signing. First, the NDP-Green accord is ambitious, but is mostly in line with what a majority of voters were looking for. It's safe to say that most wanted a stronger environmental commitment in the form of carbon tax increases and opposition to the Kinder Morgan pipeline twinning; a move towards a new electoral system, and correctly putting that option to the public for a final decision; and referral of the Site C project to the B.C. Utilities Commission. The NDP had their way with removing bridge tolls - a big issue in Surrey, Langley and Maple Ridge. With their 41 seats, they also prevailed on issues like the minimum wage, which they say will rise eventually to $15 per hour. They also will cut MSP premiums in half at first, and look to removing them entirely. The accord calls for the ...

Ousted federal NDP leader Tom Mulcair. The federal NDP, assembled in convention in Edmonton, did an unprecedented thing on Sunday. The delegates removed their party leader by a 52 to 48 per cent margin. The loss of confidence in Tom Mulcair which culminated in the historic vote amounted to what National Post columnist Michael den Tandt calls a "day long execution." That's a pretty apt description. While the federal party has been all but torn in half now, this vote will also have a devastating effect on the B.C. NDP, and on NDP provincial parties across the country. The first to be punished will be the Manitoba NDP, now in the midst of an election campaign. Incumbent Premier Greg Selinger (who barely survived a revolt against his leadership) and the party are down significantly in the polls. The Progressive Conservatives seem posed to win big when the Manitoba vote takes place on April 19. In B.C., the next provincial election takes place in May, 2017. The two main...