Canadians are as guilty as everybody else in rubbernecking over the car wreck that is the aftermath of the U.S. election while there are plenty of issues on which to focus here at home.
Endless BC Liberal government press releases, attack ads against NDP leader John Horgan and even false accusations that his party had hacked the Libs' website are all signs, like daffodils in spring, of an election campaign that is well underway.
Even a recent funding announcement for a new Minnekhada middle school — long awaited, to be sure — appears to be tied to the BC Liberal party's election agenda.
And while it's understandable to worry about the future of democracy south of the border, we do a disservice to our own electoral process when we ignore or belittle the election battle to come here.
There is much to be concerned about, such as the BC Liberal government's handling of the economy for one. It could take credit for a burgeoning economy and it will, but we wonder whether the growth is too real-estate dependent. Indeed, the property transfer tax has been a major source of revenue for the province, outpacing income from natural gas royalties and forestry.
And what about the surplus? Should it be spent to improve disability payments, as was promised last week, provide cheaper daycare (such as $10-a-day care) or simply be handed back to taxpayers to cover cost increases in MSP, ICBC and BC Hydro charges.
In the meantime, we have heard little from the NDP on its plans, although to be fair the party's members have been waiting for budget numbers and have had few opportunities to hold the government to account because legislative sitting days are so few.
So instead of debate over matters of public interest, we mostly get government press releases and tweets about government successes and failures.
In recent days, however, the NDP, along with the Green Party's Andrew Weaver and independent Vicki Huntington, have hammered the government on the need for political fundraising reform, an issue of import because people are losing faith in a system that seems to benefit insiders, whether corporate or union.
Meanwhile, the state of education is a concern despite the infusion of cash forced by the Supreme Court, deaths in foster care, stingy home care, the Massey Tunnel replacement project are just some of the other programs and projects that need to be debated widely and openly.
Who needs President Donald Trump when there is so much to talk about in the lead-up to the May 9 provincial election here in B.C.?
