Despite enormous efforts by the BC Liberal provincial government to cheat their way to 2 by-elections wins by running expensive, taxpayer financed advertising campaigns, the New Democratic Party has won both seats in Vancouver-Burrard and Vancouver-Fairview tonight.
RESULTS UPDATED 9:30 a.m.
NDP candidate and COPE Park Board Commissioner Spencer Herbert cruised to an easy win in Vancouver-Burrard over former Vancouver Canucks hockey and Grizzlies basketball team owner Arthur Griffiths, with the Elections BC preliminary results showing a 6,516 votes to 4,841 lead or 50% to 37%.
The Green Party finished with just 686 votes or 5.28%, barely ahead of the BC Conservative Party at 604 or 4.65%.
In Vancouver-Fairview, the NDP's Jenn McGinn - a VanCity Credit Union staffer - beat the BC Liberals' Dr. Margaret McDiarmid - a former president of the BC Medical Association, in a closer vote. McGinn led McDiarmid by a count of 5,487 to 4,779 or 46.7% versus 40.6% according to Elections BC.
Green Party Leader Jane Sterk finished with just 856 votes or 7.28% while BC Conservative Party Leader Wilf Hanni had 483 votes or 4.11%.
Turnout in the by-elections appears very low - less than 30% in each - as voters faced ballot fatigue and intentionally poor timing set by BC Premier Gordon Campbell. The votes were scheduled just 15 days after the federal election and barely two weeks ahead of the province-wide municipal elections.
The twin NDP wins may prove to be a boost for NDP leader Carole James hard-line opposition to the BC Liberals' carbon tax, as well as Campbell's TV address and "economic recovery" plan last week.
And Vision Vancouver will undoubtedly be pleased to see the NDP take two key city ridings, one of which was vacated by its mayoralty candidate Gregor Robertson.
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9 comments:
Traditionally the government loses by-elections, but the idea being spread, that the NDP wouldn't win either was shown to be wistful thinking by King Gordo's crew of misfit makers and some media. The media might have been trying to sell their papers. But the Gordo fans were working to make sure they won, and didn't. The spin will start now by the Campbell crew.
It's the municipalities turn to vote next. People should really remember that many things that affect them most directly is at the municipal level. A strong municipal council that doesn't roll over when told by the province is a good thing. Having a "yes sir, right away sir" council gets us nowhere fast. Then everyone gears up for the provincial one.
Bill:
Did you expect that they would not . . . ONLY CHEAT WHEN WE CAN'T WIN ?!
Campbell and before him the Martinites spent every minute doing everything to acquire and hold on to power.
Unfortunately for these "creatures on-the-take" it still doesn't prevent them from Screwing Up.
Obviously to much Young Grit in-breeding over free Beer and Pizza.
The GREAT SATAN
The government spin about "We weren't able to break the 27-year jinx of winning a byelection," is a bit much to take when in 2004 the Liberals put everything and then some during the Surrey Panarama byelection.
Remember Kevin Falcon boasting about how well organized and how they announced the twinning of the Port Mann as the issue for the Surrey byelection?
Come on, someone remind the media how the government was very optimistic and actually thought that they would split the byelections. They thought that they could win Fairview back.
This victory should go a long way for the NDP in boosting the moral of the troops.
Hate to say it, but I told you so.
Huge swaths of Fairview that are traditional Liberal voters stayed home, en masse, not just one or two neighbourhoods.
The NDP should be delighted to hear that Dr. McDiarmid is running again. She's not a good candidate. But Jenn McGinn is uninspiring and could lose this constituency against a really strong candidate. If they run Eleanor Gregory or Paul Faoro, Fairview goes NDP with little effort.
And with the Preem's arrogance on full parade, what kind of quality candidates will they get?
Can't believe Arty ran anywhere. Spencer was a shoo-in. Don't shoot the messenger folks but if you're not gay, running in Burrard is an exercise in futility. The community is mobile and organized and with all the sickening idiocy going on down there with respect to beatings etc., I'm glad to see an advocate from that community who will be able to speak to those issues, with police and govt, etc.
Govt ministers walk in the Pride Parade, but how many of them stood up and denounced the disgrace that we all should feel over the recent beatings and the continual intimidation of gays in the West End?
Hopefully Spencer will be able to change the narrative and work to change the behavior.
Dont expect the raid case of 5 years ago to go to court pre election ;if at all.re bc rail .Corruption/interference of the corruption case.?
Kuods
Dont get uppity
The NDP may still lose the provincial election.
Vaughn Palmer recalls the 1981 by-election that is the exception to the "jinx" AND the lessons learned: link
As Anonymous above said: "Dont get uppity. The NDP may still lose the provincial election." By-elections are phun, but the provincial election is the real deal.
Gordo and his sidekicks have so far been lucky due to the teflon nature of our mass media.
However, the tactical pundits need to remember, it is not like this any longer. Even the name of Gordon Campbell slipping across my tongue leaves such a sour taste, that I avoid saying it. Voters are sick of him and those MLA's that pander to him. Period.
I can hardly wait for the upcoming election, where I can cast my vote to get rid of the useless MLA Murray Coell.
a. g. tsakumis:
"Can't believe Arty ran anywhere. Spencer was a shoo-in. Don't shoot the messenger folks but if you're not gay, running in Burrard is an exercise in futility."
A useful seque into something I have wanted to get off my chest.
During the byelection Herbert gleefully announced that federal Hedy Fry people were coming to him. I found it distasteful. The poor federal Van Centre showing by Michael Byers, partly due to the Georgia Straight and other media, as well as academics, loudly pumping Dion's carbon tax, coupled with Herbert's cheery reminder that "NDP voters" would now be effortlessly returning from the Doanjh-Rae-Fry Liberal fold was an unnecessary annoyance for me.
I mentioned it at work one day to a gay staff person who has been a member of the NDP for over 30 years, originally from the Prairies and well connected to the Saskatchewan NDP at the Cabinet level.
He too had voted for Fry, and has done so without interruption since she first ran. Byers, according to him, was an arrogant academic (unlike the humble academics promoting the Green Shirt) who didn't live in the riding.
I protested that Fry didn't live in the riding either. I was told that in her case that doesn't matter because she's been representing the area for fifteen years and used to have her medical practice downtown.
As for evidence of Byer's arrogance I was offered one example. Are you ready for this? Byers, full of himself for being considered a national star candidate, had actually spoken some words of French at the nomination meeting. That was it. Some French.
To say that it was an interesting insight into the inner world of West End politics would be a polite understatement.
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