We remember John Horgan, look back at the final judicial recount results and preview an upcoming federal byelection. Plus labour strife for Trudeau, Singh promises to cut the GST on essentials, Liberal & Conservative bickering over housing grants and a cap on oil & gas emissions.

Links

• Former B.C. premier John Horgan dies following battle with cancer | Globalnews.ca
• Surrey-Guildford Judicial Recount Complete | Elections BC
• Kelowna Centre Judicial Recount Complete | Elections BC
• Prince George-Mackenzie Judicial Recount Complete | Elections BC
• Prime Minister announces by-election in Cloverdale—Langley City
• B.C. ports lockout: Union says it will challenge Ottawa’s intervention | Vancouver Sun
• Canada Post workers give 72-hour notice to strike as company warns of financial impact | CBC News
• Canada Post to launch chequing and savings account with Koho – BNN Bloomberg
• Singh’s NDP commits to lower monthly costs by taking the taxes off life’s essentials
• Conservative MPs frustrated after Poilievre bars them from promoting housing fund: sources | CBC News
• Ottawa to require oil, gas companies to cut carbon emissions by one-third – National | Globalnews.ca
• ‘I’m pissed’: Alberta premier, oil and gas industry slam Ottawa’s new emissions cap | Globalnews.ca
• Oil and gas sector greenhouse gas pollution cap – Canada.ca

Image credit: flickr BC Gov Photos

Elections BC is under scrutiny after announcing a missed ballot box and a number of ballots. Not enough to make a difference (as confirmed by the judicial recounts that concluded post-recording). A shakeup in the Premier’s Office. Fundraising shows the Conservatives overtook the NDP in Q3 fundraising.

Federally, Trudeau pivots to address a second Trump presidency and bans TikTok from employing Canadians.

Links

• Statement from the Chief Electoral Officer: Judicial Recount of One Ballot Box in Prince George-Mackenzie, Corrections to Results Reported at Final Count | Elections BC
• Premier pitches all-party election committee after ‘human error’ in B.C. vote count | Globalnews.ca
• Eby, Elections BC promise review after officials nearly left 1,000 ballots uncounted – The Globe and Mail
• Judicial recounts underway in tightly contested B.C. election ridings | CBC News
• Chief of staff to transition out of role, supporting new leadership transition
• Premier’s new cabinet will be sworn in Nov. 18
• 2024 Third Quarter Interim Financial Reports Available | Elections BC
• Prime Minister re-establishes the Cabinet Committee on Canada-U.S. Relations
• As PBO says NATO target plan is off, here’s why it matters to the military – National | Globalnews.ca
• The Fiscal Implications of Meeting the NATO Military Spending Target
• Government of Canada orders the wind up of TikTok Technology Canada, Inc. following a national security review under the Investment Canada Act
• Trudeau government bans TikTok from operating in Canada — but Canadians can still use it | CBC News
• List of 900 alleged Nazi war criminals won’t be released by Ottawa – The Globe and Mail
• Trump is back. It won’t help Trudeau. | Canada’s National Observer

Pending two judicial recounts, the NDP clinched Surrey-Guildford in the closest BC election in recent history. Now all eyes turn to who will be speaker and how functional a one seat majority really is. New Brunswick proves the strength of anti-incumbency vibes, while Saskatchewan proves the polls can still fail. Trudeau fights off an internal coup and dissatisfaction from the Bloc.

Links

• Feds spent nearly $2M to produce podcasts: documents | Toronto Sun
• David Eby and BC NDP set to form majority government in B.C.
• Who will be speaker of the legislature amid razor-thin BC NDP majority government? – BC | Globalnews.ca
• The counting still isn’t done in B.C.’s election. Here’s what happens next | CBC News
• B.C. will keep its commitment to scrap consumer carbon tax, provide involuntary care: Eby | Globalnews.ca
• BC Conservative Leader John Rustad to speak following final election results
• Liberals win majority in N.B., Holt becomes first female premier
• NDP picks up 4 new projected seats, Sask. Party gets 1, after early mail-in vote count | CBC News
• Trudeau hits date set by Liberal MPs to respond to caucus letter – National | Globalnews.ca
• Some Liberal MPs issue a deadline to Trudeau: make up your mind to stay or go by Oct. 28 | CBC News
• Bloc Québécois drops support of minority Liberal government, but NDP quiet on its future plans – The Globe and Mail
• Singh won’t bring down government
• More than half of Canadians unaware of Parliament gridlock: poll – National | Globalnews.ca
• Poilievre pledges to remove GST from purchase of new homes sold for under $1M | CBC News
• Federal government going ahead with high-speed rail between Quebec City and Toronto | CBC News
• How high-speed rail would change Ontario and Quebec — if it actually happens | CBC News
• 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan – Canada.ca

Well, we’re waiting on the results again. Ian and Scott break down what we know so far, what went right and more what went wrong with each campaign.

Links

• Preliminary Results | Elections BC
• Update on Recounts, Final Count | Elections BC
• Meet the Extreme, Far-Right BC Conservative Candidates Who Are Now Legislators Following BC’s Wild Election
• BC’s Legislature Hits Gender Parity | The Tyee 

and the stuff we didn’t really have time for

• Susan Holt leads Liberals to majority, Blaine Higgs loses seat | CBC News
• Early voting starts in provincial election – SwiftCurrentOnline.com
• Saskatchewan polling
• Mainstreet predictions re Saskatchewan
• Some Liberal MPs issue a deadline to Trudeau: make up your mind to stay or go by Oct. 28 | CBC News
• Voting to topple the government not out of the question, says Liberal MP Ken McDonald | CBC News
• Foreign interference hearing closes with partisan jabs and policy points | CBC News
• Trudeau accuses India of supporting violent crimes in Canada | CBC News
• Trudeau tells inquiry some Conservative parliamentarians are involved in foreign interference | CBC News
• New immigration plan aims to stabilize population growth, housing market: minister | CBC News
• Government of Canada reduces immigration

Record-setting advance voting but who knows what that means for final turnout. The NDP last-ditch lawsuit flops. BC United rises from the dead, the Conservatives have a platform – and so do the Greens. Go vote on Saturday if you haven’t yet.

Links

• Advance vote numbers
• Judge denies NDP hearing to force Conservative Party to use ‘B.C.’ | Vancouver Sun
• BC United hosts a party
• BC Conservative platform
• BC Conservative costing document
• Draft education policy mix up
• Chip Wilson: B.C. NDP is killing ‘incentive’ by giving voters handouts | Vancouver Sun
• David Eby responds to Chip Wilson’s criticisms: John Rustad would ‘side with’ billionaires
•  2024 BC Green Party Platform – Putting People First 
• Karin Kirkpatrick endorsements
• RCMP investigate ‘disturbing’ vandalism of NDP candidate’s sign | CBC News

The big televised debate has come and we break down how it went, who did well (Furstenau) and who did bad (Rustad). Following that, we’ve had another dump of opposition research, almost entirely targeted South Surrey Conservative candidate Brent Chapman. It hasn’t moved the polls yet, but maybe things are shifting (if we squint)? And a roundup of announcements that do not include a costed Conservative platform (just a few more days, they promise).

Links

• Go to Elections BC and find out where to vote!
• Jen St Denis gets shut down by BC Conservatives
• Conservatives censor reporter questions
• Opinion: In the B.C. leaders’ debate, Rustad failed to reverse the NDP’s momentum – The Globe and Mail (Gary Mason)
• Rob Shaw: Rustad’s cadaverous debate performance may be enough to stall surging Conservatives (Rob Shaw) 
• John Rustad failed to deliver in leaders’ debate, faces uphill battle | Vancouver Sun (Vaughan Palmer)
• Rustad changes story on fatal overdose coroner had no record of | CBC News
• Jas Johal oppo dump on Brent Chapman
• Brent Chapman is sorry
• BC Conservative Candidate Called For ‘Boycott’ of Air Canada to Stop Airlifts Rescuing Syrian Refugees
• BC Conservative Candidate’s Campaign Shared Graphic Comparing Public Health Policies to Nazi Holocaust (this one came out after recording
• BC Conservatives Under Fire Over Spokesperson Known for Insults, Slurs and Online Abuse
• Kareem Allam joins the BCNDP
• Mark Marissen on the NDP
• Diamond Isinger votes NDP
• Gordon Campbell: In this election, your vote will make a difference – Victoria Times Colonist
• Mario Canseco: British Columbians rank B.C.’s best and worst premiers – Business in Vancouver
• Second anti-Eby sign defaced outside billionaire Chip Wilson’s mansion | CTV News
• John Rustad throws Chip Wilson under the bus
• Mark Ruffalo praises the Greens
• Hundreds of B.C. ‘where to vote’ cards sent out with wrong address, Elections BC says
• BC NDP trying to get ‘BC’ added to Conservative – Victoria Times Colonist

NDP announcements

• Emphasizing the education plan with mental health counsellors in every school and EAs in every K-3 class
• Public safety announcement

Conservative announcements

• Tech – Announcement /backgrounder
• Ferries – Announcement / Backgrounder
• Overdose and Mental Health – Announcement / Backgrounder 1 / Backgrounder
• Public Safety – Announcement / Backgrounder

Green announcements

• Expanding ‘The Village’ model of transition housing

The leaders faced off on a CKNW radio debate, which reminds everyone how much we all hate debates. The NDP release their platform. The Conservatives released a platform worth of policies. And the Greens also released a platform (but we ran out of time). Something probably happened in Ottawa too but this is an election-focused episode.

Links

B.C. election radio debate: Party leaders spar over housing, crime, climate change and more | Globalnews.ca

An Action Plan for You | BC NDP Platform

final_final_final

BC Cons announcements

• Housing (backgrounder)
• Agriculture (backgrounder)
• Reconciliation (backgrounder)
• Electricity (backgrounder)
• Economy (backgrounder)
• Transportation (backgrounder)
• Childcare (backgrounder)
• Investigate North Vancouver wastewater treatment plant
• End ICBC monopoly
• No tax on tips
• Unban plastic straws

Moosehide Campaign calls on Rustad to stop wearing orange square

2024 BC Green Party Platform – Putting People First

BC Greens – Poverty and childcare plan

BC Greens – Forestry plan

All three parties are kicking off the election campaign with a bevvy of policies. We look at their housing policies and more. Plus the NDP have started dropping their research suggesting how weird John Rustad is, while the Conservatives try to implicate Ravi Kahlon’s sister in influence peddling.

Federally, Trudeau easily survives his first confidence motion but there are more on the horizon, particularly as the Bloc draws its red lines.

Links

B.C. party leaders to clash in sole televised debate on Oct. 8 | Globalnews.ca

Policies

NDP

• Mortgage scheme
• Critical mineral/mining strategy
• Skilled trade apprenticeships
• More doctors and pharmacists

Conservatives

• “Rustad Rebate” housing tax credit
• Mining Mining backgrounder
• Seniors plan Seniors backgrounder
• Northern BC power generation

Greens

• Democratic reform
• Addressing toxic drug crisis
• Mental healthcare
• Carbon tax tweaks

Scandals

• Video shows Rustad saying he regrets getting ‘so-called vaccine’ | CBC News
• Bug-eating remarks from B.C. Conservative leader raise eyebrows
• BC housing minister faces questions about sister’s consulting client
• Jas Johal oppo dumb

Federal news

• Justin Trudeau’s Liberals survive first confidence vote | CTV News
• After 1st failed attempt, Conservatives table another non-confidence motion – National | Globalnews.ca
• Trudeau government survives Tory non-confidence vote as Bloc issues new ultimatum
• Boosting Canadian seniors’ benefits would cost a ‘chunk of change,’ says PBO
• Federal firearm buyback program has cost $67 M since 2020, still hasn’t collected guns

Continuing to play defence, David Eby announces plans for involuntary treatment for people with addictions, more money for cops and a call on the Victoria School District to be nicer to the local police. Meanwhile, former federal cabinet minister Herb Dhaliwal is attempting to launch a New BC Liberal Party, with only elections BC and the old BC Liberal Party standing in the way. That party (BC United) being so broke they had to ask the legislature for money to pay their staff’s severance.

Federally, two byelections test the strength of the party’s election readiness and once again the Liberals failed. But there won’t be an election anytime soon as the Bloc & NDP both pledge to support the government in a coming confidence vote from the Conservatives. This gives the Senate time to pass the Pharamacare Bill and for Trudeau to shuffle his cabinet following Pablo Rodriguez’s resignation to run for Quebec Liberal leader.

Links

• Collapse of Official Opposition Tightens Election in British Columbia – Research Co.
• British Columbia Provincial Polling: Week of September 16 – Leger
• British Columbia Provincial Election Poll, September 15, 2024 – Mainstreet
• Mainstreet Polling numbers
• B.C. to introduce involuntary care for people with concurrent addiction, mental disorders, premier says – The Globe and Mail
• Eby pledges involuntary care for severe addictions in B.C., ahead of October election
• Greater Victoria Board of Education directed to develop school safety plan | BC Gov News 
• New B.C. political party could attract votes: expert
• Former MP Herb Dhaliwal seeks approval to register New Liberal Party of BC before election  
• Public money to help pay severance for BC United employees – Victoria Times Colonist
• Election Night Results – Electoral Districts (note: this link will be out of date once the final counts are certified)
• ‘The Liberals are done’: What will the Montreal byelection loss mean for Trudeau? | Globalnews.ca
• Bloc gains momentum after snatching Montreal riding from Liberals | CBC News
• Conservatives will get 1st chance to try to topple Liberal government next week – National | Globalnews.ca
• Bloc to vote against Conservative non-confidence motion next week, avoiding federal election campaign – The Globe and Mail
• Jagmeet Singh says NDP will back Liberals in non-confidence vote | CBC News
• Health Minister Mark Holland appeals to Senate not to amend pharmacare bill
• B.C. pharmacare deal will cover diabetes meds, hormone therapy | CBC News
• Pharmacare Act does not prescribe universal, public pharmacare | CMAJ
• Pablo Rodriguez to sit as Independent while seeking Quebec Liberal leadership | CBC News

Recent allegations suggest Russia has been funding a network of far right content creators. The Tyee’s Jen St Denis fills in for Scott this week to discuss some of the provincial connections to these bombshells stories. Then we discuss David Eby’s about face on the carbon tax and how the Conservatives seem to be driving the narrative in this election.

Links

• Follow Jen St Denis: Twitter Instagram Threads
• Russian Disinformation, a Langley Right-Wing Influencer and a BC Conservative | The Tyee
• Sorry, BC Conservatives. The Tyee Isn’t the Story
• Eby Says BC Will Cut the Carbon Tax Should Feds Change the Rules | The Tyee