Orange Is the new green

Photo: Times-Colonist

The only thing that changes more frequently than the leader of a province who has served multiple terms is a politician's position on a topic.

Such was the case with the most recent election in B.C. where we are likely now faced with an odd and weak coalition of Greens and NDP.

Weak, because the seemingly intense desire to oust a leader has led to a coalition where the Green Party has simply folded into the NDP agenda and, in writing, sworn to unconditionally support the NDP through four years. 

In truth, we are very unlikely to see four years with this minority government. The problem, I think, lies in the weakening of the Green’s stance on their own political agenda.

While three seats in the legislative assembly does not give them a lot of bargaining power, to simply cave on a Green agenda in favour of joining forces with the NDP to oust a competent leader seems, at best, odd.

Green leader Andrew Weaver perhaps delighting in his 200 per cent growth in terms of MLAs elected seems perfectly willing to cash in on the potential to grow in the future.

That growth could come from possible undecided voters or former liberal or conservative voters who were looking for an opportunity to move a green agenda forward.

Now that vote, and potentially votes in future elections, could be construed as meaningless in terms of a commitment to a firm green agenda.

We seem to have an endemic desire to brand a political leader as “washed up” regardless of normal performance indicators, once they have been in office for more than a couple of terms.

Regardless of whether you “liked” Christy Clark or not, the province was actually in good shape. 

We are faced with commitments like moving minimum wage up to $15, which aside from hurting businesses actually hurts the people receiving the $15 an hour wage because the price of all goods will rise accordingly.

Additionally, we will see an increase in carbon tax next year with irrational annual increases being committed to. So far, Canada-wide, there is little to no plan and certainly no evidence as to how our environment is benefitting from Carbon Taxation.

Even a peek further south into the world of Elon Musk shows a very corporate agenda with Mr. Musk pushing for carbon taxation via presidential advisory committees to “incentivize” corporations to turn to alternative energy, which he happens to be banking his financial future on.

The picture is never clear, and certainly for British Columbians, we are looking at unstable political times for a few years.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.