MAY 1st, 2023 | ALLAN RAY

John Rustad's Conservatives Are A Wasted Vote

Only one party offers a path to defeating the disastrous NDP.

The B.C. Provincial election is getting closer, but the province's moderates and centre-right voters will again be outnumbered by one million strong socialist voters in 2024. Refusing to place their bets on Kevin Falcon and B.C. United will keep the province in the clutches of socialists for another four years. Liberal defector, John Rustad's version of the Conservatives have no better chance of winning than the previous versions of the party, specifically in the last election under Trevor Bolin, when the party only won 35,000 votes. A vote for anyone but United will ensure the province's continued descent into progressive madness and fiscal mismanagement.

B.C. United, who I will simply refer to as United, was previously known as the Liberal Party. The old moniker stirred confusion in the rest of Canada and parts of the province, making the name change a welcomed and long overdue refresher. The previous Liberal Party had no affiliation with the federal Liberal Party and is a well-known coalition of both centrist liberals and reasonable conservatives, neither of which can currently identify with Justin Trudeau's far-left version of the federal party and who disassociated themselves from the federal version in 1987. The party has since been known in B.C. for its support of free enterprise and low taxes, making it a centre-right party, similar to Saskatchewan's current ruling party.

The potential of United to match the success of the Saskatchewan Party has never been greater. Over the past few years, I have noticed the turning tides in some of B.C.'s most staunchly socialist areas. Specifically following the pandemic, the sentiments of usual Green and NDP voters has shifted toward skepticism. The NDP has been the typical go-to party for those who oppose conservative ideals and more right-wing agendas, but as the ruling NDP and Greens have supported mandates and begun to tread on the beliefs of many pro-choice socialists, the tides have gradually shifted.

John Horgan's decision to call an election one year early had much to do with banking on low turnout and engagement. It afforded him a chance to shake off the Greens and capitalize on the electoral difficulty posed by restrictions and mandates. The plan worked and the Horgan government won a majority amid the lowest turnout since 2009.

Support for the NDP has begun to wane in recent years. John Horgan knew it, which is why he chose to slam dunk a majority during a time he knew would minimize voter engagement.

In Nelson, support for the NDP has been on a gradual decline. In Nelson-Creston, support for the NDP declined from 58% in 2005 to 42% in 2017 and then 41% in 2020.

In the swing riding of Maple Ridge-Mission, support for the NDP has been on a steady decline since 2013, when the party's candidate scored only 38% of the vote. In 2020, under low turnout, the NDP candidate won an unnaturally larger share of the vote—something that is not likely to repeat in 2024.

The solidly conservative riding of West Vancouver-Sea To Sky has seen support for the socialist NDP decline from its high of 32% in 2013, to 27% in 2017 and 25% in 2020. In North Island, the NDP was on a steady decline until the low turnout election of 2020, down from 52% in 2009, to 50% in 2013 and then 48% in 2017.

In David Eby's riding of Vancouver-Point Grey, NDP support was down in 2020 to 51% from 56% in 2017.

As crime engulfs much of Vancouver, support for the NDP is likely to lose steam in some of B.C.'s most dedicated socialist ridings by 2024. Since the party's legalization of dangerous drugs, crime has risen (contrary to what they expected) and overdoses have reached new highs. As NDP policies continue to backfire in some of the province's most populated and crime-ridden areas, support for the province's beleaguered socialists is sure to plummet by the next election.

Vancouver's latest mayoral election saw the election of a conservative who promised to crack down on crime, drugs and regressive anti-police policies—and then defeated a former NDP incumbent.

Between now and 2024, moderates and conservatives in B.C. will need to stand behind United. Kevin Falcon has a proven track record of fiscal management and his newly labelled party offers the only pathway to defeating the NDP.