And so they return
Raj Chouhan and his three BC Liberal Burnaby counterparts are due back in Victoria mid-October to deal with the Tsawwassen Treaty and possibly some other priorities in a fall sitting.
On the positive, a fall sitting continues the government enacting its legislation as the legislative session enters its final year and a half before Election Day 2009. Not so positive, however, is the lack of a voice for BC's third largest municipality. A compromise between the anti-Gateway city hall and the pro-Gateway BC Liberal MLAs is highly unlikely. The resulting media spat between the two opposing factions will distract both sides from doing what they are elected to do - get the best deal for Burnaby's voters.
For the lone NDP MLA things generally look positive. Chouhan's summer promotion to Human Rights, Multiculturalism and Immigration critic should get him a bit more profile which will help his hand when he seeks re-election in the traditional Edmonds territory. Chouhan's strength appears to be social justice issues and so this will allow him a chance to step up as one of the leaders in a caucus that has consistently underperformed time and again after 2005's comeback performance at the polls. Chouhan's biggest problem will be trying to stay out of the James-Dix crossfire that will likely start to claim casualties as MLAs give up in frustration and announce their intentions to pursue other career paths in the lead up to 2009. If he keeps his head down, chances are he will move on up in the NDP ranks. If he gets in the middle of the fight, he should hope he winds up on the winning side.
On the positive, a fall sitting continues the government enacting its legislation as the legislative session enters its final year and a half before Election Day 2009. Not so positive, however, is the lack of a voice for BC's third largest municipality. A compromise between the anti-Gateway city hall and the pro-Gateway BC Liberal MLAs is highly unlikely. The resulting media spat between the two opposing factions will distract both sides from doing what they are elected to do - get the best deal for Burnaby's voters.
For the lone NDP MLA things generally look positive. Chouhan's summer promotion to Human Rights, Multiculturalism and Immigration critic should get him a bit more profile which will help his hand when he seeks re-election in the traditional Edmonds territory. Chouhan's strength appears to be social justice issues and so this will allow him a chance to step up as one of the leaders in a caucus that has consistently underperformed time and again after 2005's comeback performance at the polls. Chouhan's biggest problem will be trying to stay out of the James-Dix crossfire that will likely start to claim casualties as MLAs give up in frustration and announce their intentions to pursue other career paths in the lead up to 2009. If he keeps his head down, chances are he will move on up in the NDP ranks. If he gets in the middle of the fight, he should hope he winds up on the winning side.
posted by Robert Burnaby at 11:46 PM
3 Comments:
If this guy is a poster boy for Social Justice how much influence will he have a on the Gateway project. Outside of the usual whining.
Not much, the Gateway Project is going ahead anyway.
Whining from that guy, and Burnaby BC Liberal hacks and MLAs bouncing up and down with their hands high in the air becuase it's a Gordon Campbell project.
Either way, the Gateway Project will be completed, finished and a done deal.
Be the first on your block to drive eastbound on it from Willingdon and across the new Port Mann Bridge when they opens.
I can confidently say that most of the BCL MLA's will be getting re-elected except probably Nuraney whose likely partisan involvement with the next federal race will hurt his prospect. I look to Gabriel Yiu removing from incumbency shall he decide to campaign with fed liberals against Peter Julian who will also help protect Ran from getting defeated.
I do not foresee any NDP city councilor foregoing civic election nomination to defeat BCL MLA and I think most of them already know their chances are better with the civic race.
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