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Kamloops News

LETTER: Another B.C. election is likely

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June 16, 2017 - 12:00 PM

 


OPINION


Editor,

In an election, one party usually receives the most seats, leaving the others with (in British Columbia’s case) less seats in the legislature. However when none of the parties have the majority, the minority parties can band together through an agreement to form a minority government.

A minority government is, by definition, a government in which the governing party has most seats but still less than half the total, giving them the majority power in the legislature but not the majority of seats, just more than their rivals. Having the majority government is better for the governing party for it doesn’t give the chance to the other parties to band together, forcing a call to legislature but if the remaining parties have band together they could out vote the governing party. This would end in either a re election or, because of the loss of confidence in the legislature, the power of the government would be given to the conjoined parties.

It is possible what was just summarized can happen as a result in B.C.’s recent 2017 election. The votes were tallied in favor of the Liberal party earning 43 seats which won the election but didn’t get the majority of the votes/seats, which as stated earlier gives the remaining parties NDP with 41 votes and the Greens with 3, the chance to combine parties with an agreement on voting “rights.” In this instance the Greens and the NDP may join together with the agreement that the Greens, who are of the smaller size, cannot go against any money bills that are presented by the “greater party,” the NDP. This is beneficial to both parties for if the governing party, the Liberals, try to pass a bill the now conjoined parties will have the majority of the votes, that will more than likely “overrule” or outvote the Liberals.

The likely prognosis of B.C.’s recent election will most likely end in a re-election for a number of reasons. If the coalition between the NDP and the Green parties becomes a reality then in a sense not much will “get done”. The governing Liberals may bring forth a bill of any sorts but unlike a majority government they need the “OK” of the other parties, making it harder for any of the parties to gain any progress. From the standpoint of an environmentalist, the coalition is a marvelous agreement for B.C. For the first time in a number of years the Green party will in a sense have more “power” and because it is not just the Greens who need the NDP to go against the Liberals but also the need of the NDP for the contribution of seats in legislature. Another reason for a push to have a re election is the lack of supporters for the Liberals or more so the increasing amount of opposing votes. Poll readings show that nearly 60 percent of voters voted against the Liberal party and a similar number to that said in a post election survey by Mainstreet Research they would like to not see the Liberals in government at all.

The projected time for a re-election is minimum two years or government is given over to the NDP of whom would have no opposition on any money bills they tried to pass.


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