It was a tough growing season for tomatoes this year, but they look great anyway | George Le Masurier photo
The Week: Do BC Liberals retake the Courtenay-Comox riding from Greens and NDP?
Polling stations for the Oct. 24 BC provincial election in fewer than 100 hours. Election Day is officially this Saturday, but nearly half of the 2017 vote total have already been cast.
Some 800,000 people have voted early — when they were less likely to have social distancing problems — or by mail, which is by far the easiest and most convenient method to vote.
So it’s late, but never too late for a few observations.
— The BC Liberals lost the Courtenay-Comox riding in 2017 because a Conservative candidate siphoned off more than 2,000 votes. Assuming that most of those votes would have gone to the Liberals, they would have won the riding without a whiff of a recount.
The news gets worse for the NDP.
Many loyal NDP voters have grumbled about Premier John Horgan because A) he didn’t kill Site C; B) has embraced LNG; and, C) continues to allow timber companies to mow through old-growth timber.
Based on that, do you really believe the left will split their vote this year more generously between the NDP and the BC Green Party? If so, then the Courtenay-Comox Liberals are probably already chilling their champagne.
— Would a BC Liberal victory in the Courtenay-Comox riding be a good thing or a bad thing?
That feels like a funny question to ponder because the BC Liberal Party has a terrible and genuinely unlikable leader in Andrew Wilkinson, who wants to turn the clock back on social progress in this province. Remember Social Credit?
Plus, who can forget how the BC Liberals destroyed education and social programs when voters last gave them the keys to the provincial budget? Not many educators voting Liberal lately.
And creating a $10 billion-plus hole in the provincial budget by eliminating the PST for a year would give Awful Andrew the perfect excuse to start chopping again.
On the other hand, if your interest is narrow enough to warrant only a comeuppance for Island Health’s shameful handling of several Comox Valley Hospital and health care issues, then BC Liberal candidate Brennan Day might suit your purposes.
When Decafnation asked the Courtenay-Comox candidates how they would address the many issues surrounding Island Health’s reduction of pathologist services on the North Island, Day was the only one who promised to press for an external, independent review. His response was researched and thoughtful.
Our incumbent MLA, Ronna-Rae Leonard, rightly blamed the previous BC Liberal government for fostering an environment of privatization in health care, a sentiment we whole-heartedly endorse.
But that doesn’t excuse Leonard’s deliberate avoidance of her responsibility to represent her constituents on this issue. For the last three years, she’s done nothing, zippo, to rectify the situation. Doctors have met with her. No action. Citizen groups have lobbied and written to her. Nada.
Leonard professes support for returning full pathology services, but the lack of action during her first term in office undermines her credibility.
In her response to Decafnation, Leonard said, “That’s why we’re hiring more people now.” This is untrue, if she’s referring to general pathologists.
Island Health is trying (unsuccessfully) to hire new anatomical pathologists, but only because the two respected and well-liked pathologists serving this area for decades resigned in protest two months ago. There are no pathologists at the Comox Valley Hospital today. The jobs are open.
And then there’s the Green Party. Sadly, by her own admission, the slow decline of health care services on the North Island hasn’t made it onto the radar of Green candidate Gillian Anderson.
So where does that leave us? Voting is complicated this time. The numbers point to a BC Liberal victory in Courtenay-Comox. But, hey, don’t listen to us, we predicted Trump would lose in 2016.
— Were we wrong to raise our eyebrows over this comment?
While discussing how the Comox Valley Regional District might reinvent the Comox Valley Economic Development Society, A Person Who Shall Go Unnamed lamented the time and effort being spent on the topic, and then added, “You know, this is only about a million or so dollars and that’s really just a drop in the bucket of our whole regional budget.”
It’s true, the CVRD annual budget goes north of $130 million, so this person has a point.
But, wait, the regional directors are still discussing $1 million-plus of taxpayer dollars. Imagine what a local non-profit could do with that much money? What could Lush Valley do, or the John Howard Society or a Joint Child Care Committee for the Comox Valley?
Not pocket change for these folks.
Isn’t the enduring question really about what value the whole community enjoys from any public expenditure, no matter how small, and whether our collective social values suggest the money could be put to better use somewhere else?
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The Week: Give us full transparency when paid ‘volunteers’ work with CV students
Faith-based volunteers can contribute positively to the educational experience in our public schools but everyone must be perfectly clear about who they are, what they can and cannot do and school administrators must monitor their activity closely and consistently
What’s dire: the lack of Comox subdivisions or climate change and gradual deforestation?
A Comox Valley developer is suing the Town of Comox because his permits to cut down trees and build more single-family homes haven’t been issued as fast as he’s wanted and because the town wants a wider walking trail through the property
The Week: Ken Grant fined by Elections BC and Parksville confronted by development, water issues
Another Comox Councillor was fined by Elections BC for violating BC elections laws, plus Parksville’s water supply is unable to meet provincial requirements for summer water flow in the Englishman River let alone provide water for a proposed 800-unit development
THE WEEK: As Puntledge River goes lower, Colorado drinking recycled wastewater
A serious fall drought has reduced flows in the Puntledge River, shutting down hydroelectric power generation for the first time in 55 years. Meanwhile, many states eye sending treated wastewater to kitchen taps
THE WEEK: Let the people have a larger voice at Comox Valley council meetings
Making it easier for citizens to speak directly to municipal councils might increase public interest in local government, which in turn might encourage more registered voters to actually cast a ballot
The Week: Comox, Cumberland appointments pass, but no word on Courtenay … yet
Cumberland and Comox municipal councils approve their mayor’s annual appointments, but Courtenay was a no show at its inaugural meeting. Is there conflict behind the scenes?
The Week: Valley councils begin new terms, but will Comox ignore voters?
Dr. Jonathan Kerr topped the polls with voters, but will that resonate at the Comox Town Council as it is poised to approve new Mayor Nicole Minions’ appointments and assignments?
THE WEEK: Water supplies are good, fireworks are bad and where Daniel Arbour lives
Despite the long drought this summer, Comox Valley water system supplies have not been threatened; the BC Wildfire Service has banned fireworks this year and clarifying Daniel Arbour’s place of residence
Let’s put one of the craziest Comox Valley elections into the history book, and then close it
It was weird. But when the sun rose on Oct. 16, Comox Valley voters had made it clear they liked the direction charted by our local governments. In the municipalities, they elected all but two incumbents. In most races, the vote was a definite pat on the back for a job well done.
A few random items as the 2022 election comes to a close
Long-time public official Bronco Moncrief dies, Manno Theos hangs out in Greece, and Daniel Arbour reacts to lies about his campaign finances
Interesting reading this a month after the election. You were wrong, George. Your argument looked good on paper but so many other confounding issues gave us the result we got.
You’re right about a number of things. For one, I worked with Ronna-Rae on the housing file in the Valley for some time. I think we could have gotten much more in the way of housing if Ronna-Rae had been a bit more forceful in her position as chair of the Housing Task Force. Now that the NDP is in a majority position it may be time to look at VIHA with a critical eye. It has done some highly questionable things lately with regard to pathology in the province and the P3 is a big problem for the hospitals. It’s hard to get a light bulb changed in the hospital here never mind dealing with the issue of local pathology capacity.
I’m terribly sorry we missed the opportunity in BC for proportional representation. The cooperative minority government we have enjoyed for the last 3 years was a reasonable facsimile of proportional representation. For the most part, they listened to each other and passed legislation for the benefit of British Columbians. I fear for the possibility of majority rule by any single party.
If anyone asks me about my political affiliation, my answer is that I am an Eco-conservative-social-liberal. What I mean by that is I value conservation of the environment. I object to burdening future generations with unsustainable public debt. I support entrepreneurship and innovation, especially in small and medium enterprises and farming. I believe that people should be treated with respect and dignity regardless of their race, religion, sexual orientation or age. I believe in intergenerational equity, that those alive on the planet today have a responsibility to constrain their greed and leave something for future generations. I believe in social justice, meaning that all human beings should have access to education, healthcare, shelter, food and clean water. I believe in ecological equity – that humans must share this planet equitably with our fellow creatures.
There is something to like in each party. I value the environmental values of the Greens. I value the social-justice values of the NDP. And, I value the fiscally conservative values of the liberals. Achieving good government is a delicate balancing act of give and take between the competing values of the elected parties. A majority government is an arrogant government that places its values ahead of the others. We would be best served by either proportional representation or a minority government where all parties are forced to cooperate.
Hi George,
I ‘ m one of the 50 percentor so of British Columbians who vote, voted, already, by mail.
Voting by mail is convenient for many who work or are stuck at home. There is no excuse not to vote in 2020. Stand in line if you want, but vote. Or Don,t as many who whine about life after the vote.
We are so fortunate to have a choice. Thanks elections BC for making it easy!
None of the issues mentioned here is worth a sou while we continue to destroy our life support systems. Horgan’s claim that he and the BC NDP are climate heroes is a bare-faced lie as he actively promotes and subsidizes the LNG (fossil fuel) industry in the province. And his calling an election immediately after the Green leadership race is the kind of cynicism that stops people from voting. We need to be planning for the future of the planet and for our children and theirs.
We are all living in a new world, with COVId and unprecedented Federal Debt. Not sure if any BC
Poltical party has the answers, but there are 3 paths for voters to take in this election.
Canada has not done well in dealing with the Pandemic. The death rate/ million in Quebec is fifth highest of 195 countries in the world. The Federal government was very slow to address travel and borders. Very slow on measures in Airports, air travel and weak on Quarantine follow up. Measures taken in other countries which resulted in very low cases and death rates.
BC ,under the leadership of Bonnie Henry and John Horgen has taken a human approach to lockdowns, unlike other Provinces. A change in Provincial Goverment and Health ministers would not be the best for BC residents at this this time.
Every BC goverment in the past few decades has increased debt. This will continue, regardless of Liberal, NDP or Green Government. Getting the right balance on social programs, the enviroment, the economy and debt is a huge challenge. We do need the best possible people and ideas for the present and future British Columbians.
My view is that I will vote for the candidate who can do the best job for British Columbians and the Comox Valley.
Day, in my experience, has had a rather lacklustre campaign here and that may have the effect of handing the NDP the win again. It is difficult to support a candidate who, after receiving some criticism on his FB page, disabled public comments and didn’t respond to PM’s. Add to that the fact historically, the NDP has far too often elected fence posts with hair in these ridings and there you have it. As for Ms Leonard, she does what Horgan The Horrible tells here to do. The Greens will never be anything but spoilers and ineffective gadflies. Fursteneau’s driving ambition at the moment is that fat pension and nothing else.