[Newsbot]

Title: B.C. Election 2020: Premier John Horgan calls snap election | Vancouver Sun
Category: Provincial Politics
Posted By: Scape
Date: 2020-09-21 13:09:01
Canadian

[Scape]

RIP Greens. He could have waited till october 2021 but it is on now.

[Scape]

Horgan sites Green not siding with NDP on mental health issue as reason for the snap election

[xerxes]

Horgan had better hope calling an election now doesn't piss people off and vote against him.

It's interesting though. From the news I've been reading the last little while, the conventional wisdom in BC is that this won't hurt Horgan.

But federally, it seems to be that if there's a federal election it'll hurt whoever is responsible for calling it.

[Scape]

Amazed the minority lasted this long and it was only because the Greens stuck to the deal and for that they got a knife in the back.

[Strutz]

I figured it would happen. It's really too bad as I think the voter turnout is going to suffer, even with the option of voting by mail.

$1:

From capacity limits to PPE: Here's what voting will look like during a pandemic

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/from-capacity-lim ... -1.5114117

$1:

Those who prefer it can bring their own pen or pencil from home.

Advanced voting will open Oct. 15, and those places will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

A good window for advanced voting and I intend to go early. I had already planned on taking my own pencil.

[Thanos]

"I've got my PENCILLLL, gimme somethin' to write on!" - David Lee Roth, "Hot For Teacher"

[herbie]

They can gather in hundreds if anyone bangs a drum at the beach, but it's too dangerous to go out and vote.
Sort of like my neighbour who just drove a hundred miles there and back to shop at Costco and Walmart. Too dangerous. Goddam Horgan!

[Freakinoldguy]

This has been in the works for awhile. Dr. Henry had all the plans for an election in place and she laid them out on the news tonight which is something you don't have prepared when it's a "snap election".

So, calling it a snap election is a bit of a misnomer. But what's interesting is that this election has the potential of putting Horgan in the same category as Adrian Dix when it comes to making bad decisions based on what they think the voters will do.

But I can understand why the NDP is taking the risk. This election is being done with one goal in mind. Getting rid of the Green Party albatross that's been hanging around the NDP and Horgan's neck for the last 3 years. No Andrew Weaver and a rookie leader from Lake Cowichan who's only real claim to fame was getting a toxic waste site shut down means the Greens are in tough to keep the 3 seats they won in the last Gong Show.

[Scape]

Not worried too much about the risks of Covid at this point TBH. Had it been within the 1st 6 months of the outbreak maybe. The 2nd wave is of concern but if handled correctly, I have no reason to see why elections BC is not up to task, then there really is no issue.

The Election being called was inevitable and I had no faith in Horgan waiting till October 2021 for the opposition to get their houses in order. Will he get a majority is anyone's guess.

[Strutz]

Scape Scape:

Not worried too much about the risks of Covid at this point TBH. Had it been within the 1st 6 months of the outbreak maybe. The 2nd wave is of concern but if handled correctly, I have no reason to see why elections BC is not up to task, then there really is no issue.

I'm not worried either. I deal with the general public 5 days/week and going to vote is really no different from going to the bank or grocery shopping or doing any other errands. Wear a mask. Wash or sanitize your hands. You know, the usual...

Scape Scape:

The Election being called was inevitable and I had no faith in Horgan waiting till October 2021 for the opposition to get their houses in order. Will he get a majority is anyone's guess.

He just might though it depends on how it works out considering all of those who have chosen not to run again and who might step into their shoes in the ridings they represent. Another minority government for the NDP or, perhaps, the Liberals is quite likely IMO.

[herbie]

100% of bleating about calling the election now is coming from people who'd never vote NDP anyway so that issue counts as nothing.
So we've got Greens who propped Horgan up (their only accomplishment) and have yet to come up with a policy other than shut down all the oil pumps, the gas fields and the dams tomorrow morning and then ?????
And we've got the ineffective Opposition Libs who's whole platform of pro pipelines and dams got done in the end anyways..... with a leader most recognize by his cranky old man get off my lawn face instead of his name.

That being said, if in Skeena they force Nathan Cullen to withdraw his nomination because some 'rule' says it has to be handed to the woman candidate without a vote by the constituency.... I'll vote Green.

[Scape]

The NDP got a pass from all the opposition parties for the last 6 months on the fact that this was a crisis and we all needed to be in this together. Thus they got a huge bump in PR and by proxy Dr Bonnie Henry. What concerns me now is in 30 days they are asking for a blank cheque for 4 years based on good faith by ALL parties. Has this been orchestrated? Has Dr Henry position been politicized to promote the NDP over public health policy? You have to note Horgan being in on all the big ticket announcements and no scandals may have been in the works all along.

This is a snap election being called because the NDP said the Greens would not work with them on one mental health policy. Yet the track record shows the Greens went out of their way to prop up the NDP.

[Freakinoldguy]

Scape Scape:

The NDP got a pass from all the opposition parties for the last 6 months on the fact that this was a crisis and we all needed to be in this together. Thus they got a huge bump in PR and by proxy Dr Bonnie Henry. What concerns me now is in 30 days they are asking for a blank cheque for 4 years based on good faith by ALL parties. Has this been orchestrated? Has Dr Henry position been politicized to promote the NDP over public health policy? You have to note Horgan being in on all the big ticket announcements and no scandals may have been in the works all along.

This is a snap election being called because the NDP said the Greens would not work with them on one mental health policy. Yet the track record shows the Greens went out of their way to prop up the NDP.

Despite Horgan's claims that this election is to garner a stable gov't, the real reason this election is being called is because Horgan sees it as the best and possibly only chance to garner a majority based on his popularity because of his actions so far during the pandemic.

Unfortunately for him the people I've talked to aren't going to buy his claims of needing a stable gov't because it's like you said, he had the backing of both opposition parties to continue to govern in a sane manner.

So, in my sage opinion the man is ducking his responsibilities to the people of BC which should have remained battling the virus and not posturing political for personal gain. And, all the telling us to "wash our hands, and keep a safe distance" won't change that. But by calling this "snap election" it shows that they'd rather put their political interests ahead of the people of BC. Something no gov't should ever do no matter the circumstances.

So here's hoping they get burned for their less than ethical actions.

[Scape]

All the good faith PR he gained will take a hit from this move. Will it be enough to stop him? I doubt it. The liberals are in no position to capitalize on this and the Greens will likely implode anyway.