The tenor of the 2020 British Columbia election campaign changed on Saturday afternoon when This is VANCOLOUR podcast host Mo Amir published / leaked a damning video in which B.C. Liberal party “leader” Andrew Wilkinson sat mute during a Zoom “roast” of outgoing B.C. Liberal MLA Ralph Sultan that inappropriately and egregiously sought to overtly sexualize a collegial relationship of respect regarding incumbent North Vancouver-Lonsdale NDP candidate Bowinn Ma, and octogenarian Sultan.
I’m not going to editorialize this.
Rather, I’d like to hear from women on how they feel about this clip.
I’m sharing because a woman reached out to me and asked me to do so (her email in below tweet).#bcpoli pic.twitter.com/AiDwFmBT7F
— Mo Amir ? This is VANCOLOUR (@vancolour) October 11, 2020
Prior to the release of the offensive video, Wilkinson’s woebegone B.C. Liberal campaign — with the party a steady 18 points behind in the polls to John Horgan’s New Democratic Party — the right-of-centre British Columbia provincial political party was already in dire trouble, particularly with women and persons of colour, and with a series of ill-conceived “election promises” — ranging from the poor reception to the party’s PST elimination / reduction proposal, that former B.C. premier Gordon Campbell’s long-serving chief of staff Martyn Brown wrote would bankrupt the province, to Mr. Wilkinson’s ill-conceived plan to private ICBC, a notion that Vancouver Point-Grey MLA David Eby — the minister in charge of ICBC — called “ludicrous”, which Mr. Eby said would eliminate the 20% premium insurance discount for drivers due to come into effect in 2021 with a re-elected New Democratic Party government — the B.C. Liberal party was already fighting an uphill battle to gain any degree of credibility with the electorate in 2021.
Chances are that the tale of the British Columbia 2020 provincial election campaign will be told tonight, beginning at 6:30pm, and televised for 90 minutes across the province on Global BC and CBC TV, and broadcast on CBC radio and CKNW-affiliated radio stations across British Columbia.
No doubt, incumbent North Vancouver-Seymour B.C. Liberal candidate Jane Thornthwaite’s “gaffe”, relating to the unfortunate remarks she made in the video above, will become a defining feature of tonight’s BC election debate.
Leger Poll, Oct. 9, 2020 | “BC NDP maintain a commanding lead” | Vancouver Sun
For many, this evening’s B.C. 2020 Election Debate will be the first time voters in our province will become acquainted with both Andrew Wilkinson, and new, and recently-elected B.C. Green Party leader, Sonia Furstenau. As Premier of the province for the past 39 months, John Horgan is already a known quantity. The outcome of the current election hangs in the balance.
Here’s an abridged version of what Vancouver Sun legislative reporter Rob Shaw wrote in a piece published yesterday …
Sonia Furstenau | B.C. Greens
Furstenau enters as the leader with nothing to lose. The Greens are facing the very real prospect of being wiped off the electoral map.
Furstenau is likely to portray the Liberals and NDP as tired old unimaginative parties unwilling to envision a bold, clean, Green economy. As such, she’ll strike out at both leaders on the issues of climate, environmental protection, child care and the Site C dam.
The only risk to her performance is if the NDP and Liberal leaders become so preoccupied with attacking each other, they squeeze her out of the spotlight. Furstenau’s public profile outside of Vancouver Island and Metro Vancouver remains very low.
John Horgan | B.C. NDP
Horgan has, by far, the most to lose in Tuesday’s debate.
The NDP debate strategy is mainly about protecting the Horgan brand developed over 3.5 years in office: The jovial, calm, pragmatic leader, who drops dad jokes and Star Trek references. He’s the most popular Premier in Canada, and the NDP has built its entire re-election campaign around him, personally.
Helping Horgan’s cause is the fact that NDP is the only party to release a full platform before Tuesday. He has ample material from which to make his case to voters, including his platform’s marquee promise of up to $1,000 tax-free cash for families to help with COVID-19 recovery.
Andrew Wilkinson | B.C. Liberals
The leader with the most to gain in the debate is Wilkinson. Theoretically, at least. First, he’ll have to field questions over how he has handled several controversies — including a leaked video that shows a candidate making sexist remarks about NDP MLA Bowinn Ma, and at least two candidates in the Fraser Valley who don’t appear to fully support LGBTQ+ rights.
Wilkinson hasn’t been able to build a public profile, (partly) because COVID-19 restrictions ban the type of mass gatherings and large crowds he’d normally be able to use in an election campaign to meet voters.
Like many opposition leaders before him, Wilkinson faces a difficult line to walk in the debate. He has to appear tough in questioning Horgan, but not arrogant. He has to appear to challenge Horgan on his record, but not bully him. And he has to be critical of the NDP’s accomplishments, while simultaneously offering his own hopeful vision for the province’s future.
If Wilkinson spends too much time on criticism, he’ll look like a miserable grump that nobody wants to have a beer with, let alone vote for. Tuesday’s debate is a huge opportunity to highlight his new ideas to the largest audience he will have in the entire election campaign — many of whom already have their mail-in ballots at home and could be marking their preferences right after the debate ends.
Wilkinson knows he only has one shot at running in an election as party leader. Much of his future comes down to his performance in this debate.
VanRamblings will have more to write on Decision 2020 tomorrow and Thursday, and Monday through Thursday of next week.
