Tag Archives: Sonia Furstenau

Politics

Emily Lowan sweeps BC Greens leadership, takes aim at NDP

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Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The BC Green Party has a new leader — 25-year-old Emily Lowan. Lowan cast her win as a generational transformation based on energy and optimism that will reshape politics in the province. 

At the announcement event on Wednesday, Lowan described her campaign as a “lightning rod of hope.” The climate advocate and organizer from Victoria won the leadership by a landslide, dominating the first ballot with 3,189 votes, followed by Jonathan Kerr with 1,908, and Adam Bremner-Akins trailing with 128 votes. 

Continue reading Emily Lowan sweeps BC Greens leadership, takes aim at NDP →
Politics

Inside Election Night’s Drama

By Michelle Gamage, The Tyee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

As an atmospheric river settled over much of the Lower Mainland, the lights flickered off at six polling stations in Kamloops, Langley and some Gulf Islands. Water coursed down streets in Deep Cove and West Vancouver, and cars were submerged in Burnaby.

It was a fittingly dramatic end to the strangest and nastiest election in recent B.C. history. The campaign was marked with warnings about extremism, communism and climate change denial, leading to a uniquely polarizing election campaign.

At The Tyee, we braved the rain to head out to the parties’ headquarters and watch the results arrive. This is the first year electronic tabulators were used to count votes, meaning results — like the weather — flooded in.

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Politics

Kindy elected in North Island Riding; Majority still within sight for both NDP and Conservatives

Editor’s Note: According to the Cortes Marketer, 316 Cortes Island residents voted for Michele Babchuk. The Conservative candidate, Anna Kindy, received 102 votes – the highest number of Conservative votes for years. Green party candidate Nic Dedeluk only received 80 votes, most likely because many people who would have normally voted Green decided to vote strategically.

The results of yesterday’s election are still too close to call. As of 4:27 AM this morning, Global News reported that the winner has yet to be declared in 7 ridings. The NDP and Conservatives are still both within sight of forming a majority government.

Continue reading Kindy elected in North Island Riding; Majority still within sight for both NDP and Conservatives →
Education, Health, Housing

‘Tis the season for promises ahead of this weekend’s BC election

By Sidney Coles, Capital Daily, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Come election season, politicians seeking reelection or office for the first time make a lot of promises. Some we know they’ll keep. Others? It depends. Politicians make promises because they will impact voters’ beliefs about the policies they will implement if elected and serve as an indicator of their capabilities to govern. Incumbents have the advantage of the rearview mirror. They can ask voters to look at past performance. Even freshmen candidates for an incumbent  party seeking to prove their mettle to constituents can bank on that party’s record, in part or in whole—but that also means being accountable for the promises it has broken. In all cases, promises are a kind of promissory note in exchange for representation.

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Politics

How the election might have turned out, if it had been on Sunday October 13.

338Canada’s latest projection, taken on Sunday October 13, shows the NDP may be heading towards a majority government. 

The NDP were leading in 49 ridings, but in 6 of these only by a narrow margin.

The Conservative Party of BC was leading in 42 ridings, but in 7 by a nose.

Our own North Island riding is one of the the latter. Conservative candidate Anna Kindy is currently projected as a nose ahead of incumbent Michele Babchuk, 45% to 43%. As the margin of error for these projections is 7%, it is actually too close to call.

Continue reading How the election might have turned out, if it had been on Sunday October 13. →