I Get the Byelections Wrong. Yes!!!

This page congratulates BCNDP candidates Spencer Herbert and Jenn McGinn for their victories in yesterday's byelections in Vancouver-Burrard and Vancouver-Fairview.

Although byelections traditionally break against the party of government, this page was not convinced it would be the case in these two ridings, as a result of voter burnout from the federal election (both B.C. ridings are in the hotly-contested federal riding of Vancouver Centre), and the presence of two 'star' candidates for the Liberals, Arthur Griffiths in Burrard and Margaret McDiarmid in Fairview. This page should have known better than to give that much credence to two candidates who have never held public office (the B.C. Medical Association is a private organization, try joining without getting your M.D.) and whose combined residency in both ridings amounted to little over two years (that would be McDiarmid, Griffiths still lives in Point Grey).

For those of you scoring at home, this page met Spencer Herbert on the #9 bus in 2005 when he was preparing to run as a COPE candidate for the Vancouver Parks Board. He was taking part in a 'fare strike' organized by the Bus Riders Union against Translink's perpetual fare increases and creeping privatization. He struck me as bright, personable, and caring about what happens to the least of us in our community. For the voters in Vancouver-Burrard, Herbert is a major trade up from the vicious grandstanding tomfoolery of outgoing Liberal MLA (and failed federal Tory candidate) Lorne Mayencourt.

As for the Liberals...blame the Unions...blah, blah, blah...Fast Ferries...blah, blah, blah...Glen Clark's deck...blah, blah, blah...could it actually be that right-wing revisionist history and vote-buying won't cut it with voters on May 12, 2009?