Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Jill Sperling

Pandemic Election

Kamloops politicians face B.C. election unlike any other

Sep 21, 2020 | 5:28 PM

KAMLOOPS — It’s not unusual for a minority government to call an election prior to the end of their term, however, having an election during a pandemic will be a new challenge.

NDP leader John Horgan met with Lt. Governor Janet Austin Monday morning (Sep. 21), asking her to dissolve the legislative assembly. This means B.C. residents will head to the polls on October 24.

Not everyone is pleased with this turn of events.

“It’s pure crass political opportunism, nothing more than that,” said B.C. Liberal incumbent for Kamloops-North Thompson Peter Milobar, “and I think the public is already seeing through that.”

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Milobar says he and his incumbent colleague in Kamloops-South Thompson, Todd Stone, are prepared for the campaign period ahead. “We fully intend to hit the ground running and speak to the people, reconnect with those voters out there. It will obviously be different and a little bit more difficult under COVID, but we feel we have a lot of initiatives and commitments that we see that the NDP has ignored in this area for the last three and a half years that we’ll be trying to advance.”

Meanwhile, the BC Greens and NDP within the Kamloops ridings have yet to announce their candidates.

“We’re hoping to have all those pieces all in place, including a candidate, we hope to have that all in place around the end of the week or early next week,” said Rick Turner, president of the Kamloops-North Thompson NDP Riding Association.

Turner has every confidence Horgan will once again be premier following the October 24th election.

“Mr. Horgan is going to get a majority,” Turner said, “he is going to be the governing party for the province, and it would be a real plus for the NDP candidate from Kamloops-North Thompson to be an NDP MLA and be part of that Horgan team.”

Thompson Rivers University political science professor Dr. Robert Hanlon says there is the potential that the pandemic could impact voter turnout.

“I have full confidence in Elections BC to run an election, but we do know from other elections in the country and around the world that people do still turn out to vote. So, it might impact somewhat, but generally I think in a democracy, the voters in B.C. are quite sophisticated and they’re going to understand that this election is a serious issue.”

The pandemic will be a major topic in the fall election, but there will be many more to address.

“At some point the criticism around calling the election early is going to have to move into more of a substantive discussion around party policies,” Hanlon said.