First I would like to congratulate Doug Donaldson on his third term. But after reading his comments in regards to the province overwhelmingly voting for change I feel the need to look at the math.
Doug isn’t the only person to say this; it seems to be a common phrase among non BC Liberal supporters that doesn’t add up to the facts. This last election BC Liberals had 40.36 per cent of popular vote, NDP 40.28 per cent, Green 16.84 per cent and the rest 2.52 per cent. I don’t see an overwhelming vote for change in these numbers.
In fact, the last time the province saw an overwhelming vote for change was in 2001: BC Liberals 57.3 percent, NDP 21.5 per cent, Green 12.3 per cent and the rest 8.9 per cent. This was a vote for change in the province; 2017 was a close election not a blow out like 2001 was. In the elections in between the percentages for the BC Liberals declined or stayed relatively flat.
As with any party that governed as long as the BC Liberal’s did over that time they will lose support. The party in power is the party held accountable by the voters, not the opposition party. So for those to say this was an overwhelming vote for change, I say you need to do a little research and some math.
Scott Groves
Smithers