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The federal election is underway and pundits are predicting that BC may play a pivotal role on election night. In the event of a neck-and-neck race, results from the Left Coast may decide whether or not Canada gets another minority government.

As the campaign begins it is probably worth reminding ourselves what the current party standings are in the province. Out of 36 seats, the last election, held in 2008, resulted in:
Conservatives 22
New Democrats 9
Liberals 5
Greens 0

I include the Greens because this time around Green Party leader Elizabeth May is running in Saanich-Gulf Islands and appears to have a chance at knocking off the incumbent Conservative, cabinet minister Gary Lunn. If that happened, BC would be the first province to send a Green MP to Parliament, a result that would be truly historic.

Meanwhile, the campaign has begun with Prime Minister Stephen Harper attempting to frighten voters with the spectre of a coalition government. I have said it before in this space, coalition is not a four-letter word. BC was governed by a Liberal-Conservative coalition from 1941 to 1952 and the sky did not fall. And Canada had a national coalition government during World War One.

My own view, highly impartial naturally, is that the PM should find another issue. This dog won't hunt.

Labels: POLITICS

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