The Canuck’s season ending loss, coming on the eve of the provincial elections and dashing dreams of Lord Stanley’s Cup, seems almost Delphic in mature. Victory by either the Liberals or the NDP on the morrow will bring sorrow to the citizens of BC.

The airwaves of BC are full of Gordon Campbell boasting of his and the Liberal party’s prowess on the economic front while ignoring the economic reality that existed worldwide over the Liberals term in office.

By implication the fact that the world economy enjoyed its biggest boom and only a complete idiot would not benefit from the boom had nothing to do with the good economic times. Of course he is quick to lay blame for the economic downturn on the world wide economic downturn even though following his logic on the economic boom should mean that the economic downturn is a result of Liberal economic policy in the same manner as Liberal economic policy was responsible for the boom.

So what else did the Liberals accomplish during the time of economic boom? The wealthy certainly made out like pirates as the Liberals brought about the largest transfer of wealth to the wealthy from working and poor BC Citizens; they managed to increase the number of homeless, poverty, addicts and mentally ill on the streets; increased the numbers of poor and the numbers of working poor; failed to address addiction and mental illness while ignoring effective best practices; ignored the increasing social issues in our society; they refused to consider light rail for the valley even though this was the preferred option of valley residents; they did manage to gloss over that they are less fiscally responsible than they claim as demonstrated by the massive overrun of the convention centre; boldly claimed tax reductions by pretending that fees raised or newly imposed are not taxes; built an unequalled record of questionable ethical behaviours.

Liberal platform, policies, ideology, priorities, record, performance claims and behaviour, taken in concert with the NDP attack ads, drive home the fact that one can give no credence to Liberal claims that they are capable of providing the leadership BC needs at this time. Meaning there is no way one should vote for the Liberals under Gordon Campbell’s leadership.

The NDP remain fiscally irresponsible in not formulating sound fiscal policies or policies reflective of the real world most British Columbians live in; that the first two planks in their election platform have more to do with their two major union supporters and saleability to the public than addressing the truly pressing issues in BC; homelessness, addiction, poverty, the poor and other social issues are not “pretty” but they are major issues facing BC; that they are against the carbon tax (one of the good choices made by Gordon Campbell and Liberals) because as an electorate button pushing issue it is politically convenient, calling into question their commitment to the environment if it is politically inconvenient; they attack the Liberals on issues such as John Van Dongen’s tickets but make excuses for why these standards should not apply when it comes to light their candidates suffer similar lapses; ignore the reality that throwing money at healthcare and education will accomplish nothing until the education and healthcare systems are reformed so new monies invested do not get spent mainly on administration and not providing services.

The NDP platform, policies, ideology, priorities, record, political expediency and behaviour, taken in concert with the Liberal attack ads, drive home the fact that I can give no credence to NDP claims that they are capable of providing the leadership BC needs at this time. Which means there is no way I would vote for the NDP under Carole James’s leadership.

Of course the fact that I sent a question to Carole James at the start of the campaign did not help any. It wasn’t that I did not get a reply that was so aggravating, rather it was that after sending the inquiry I was spammed by the NDP wanting money, money and more money.

When I have expressed my deep regret that there is not a “None of the Above” option to choose people have suggested not voting but not voting is not an option to me. Not voting simply favours and encourages our current politicians in their current slipshod and undesirable behaviours.

Besides I have to go and cast my NO to the Single Transferable Vote (STV) proposition because I feel strongly that STV is not a good or wise change.

An electoral system needs to clear and understandable on how the vote (or votes) a voter is casting will affect the outcome of the vote – as they are casting their ballot. A complicated mathematical system does not meet this most basic requirement, no matter what claims for clarity or the understand-ability by the boosters of STV.

Any system that results in the outcome (who is elected) of the ballot a voter casts being, in the view of the voters, indeterminate or a mystery is not a system that should be used. If the desired goal is to ensure minority parties such as the Greens have representation in the legislature there are better, more direct and simple, reforms that would achieve this.

If the purpose of the reform is to ensure that the legislature reflects the province wide vote totals and percentages I must disagree with this goal. The Province of BC is to diverse not to ensure that ridings are represented as they choose even if it results in a difference between the province wide vote totals and the results on a riding to riding basis.

In our diverse society we should not be applying the bell curve to election results to massage the results into being homogeneous.
My preferred option is not open to me as unfortunately I live in Abbotsford West not Abbotsford South and so cannot cast a ballot for Tim Felger. Yes I know … but can you think of a better way to express and drive home voters dissatisfaction with provincial politicians than to send Mr. Felger to Victoria with them?

With out the Felger option I am left to decide between spoiling my candidate’s ballot or voting Green.

The concept of voters who find themselves disenfranchised by our current electoral system getting out and spoiling their ballots by marking them for all the candidates or none of the candidates holds the possibility of sending a powerful message.

With so many Canadians feeling disenfranchised, feeling they have to choose the least objectionable choice when casting their ballot, Canadians who have stopped voting because “it makes no difference who you vote for” and the pool of voters who are unmotivated to vote there is the potential in all ridings to have more spoiled ballots cast than are cast for the “winning candidate”. This type of result would send a very powerful and clear expression of citizen’s thoughts and the need for reform.

Indeed with the turnout for elections in Canada it could turn out that more spoiled ballots would be cast than ballots for candidates or their parties. Now that would be a message.

To be effective as a message would require a large number of ballots be spoiled which would or perhaps that should be will require time to get the idea out into the public and make it part of the debate about voting options at the next federal or provincial election.

I also am considering the option of voting Green as a way to say that I don’t want either the Liberals or NDP to have a minority government, but prefer a minority government with the Green Party holding the balance of power.

People voted for a minority federal government, many BC citizens would prefer a minority government over having either the Liberals or NDP form a majority government. What does this say about the state of politics and Government and/or the lack of real leadership in BC and Canada?