Testing twice for STV

In case you have forgotten, the referendum on our electoral system will be occurring alongside the provincial election. For those who need more information, here are the YES and NO campaigns.

No one is missing the plaid and guitar days

As the days tick down to the provincial campaign, and the expected third term of Gordon Campbell, the BC Liberal machine is taking steps to engage its activists. As busloads were shipped in from across the Lower Mainland tonight, the Liberals orchestrated the pre-writ period launch with the nomination of their Vancouver-Point Grey candidate and leader.

If the Liberals can draw a good fraction of these supporters out on a regular basis over the next six weeks to help the party out, Carole James and the NDP will continue to look across the aisle at the government for the coming four years. The Burnaby Liberal candidates are also in a decent position, particularly John Nuraney who managed to find himself front and centre on stage.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel for the BC Liberals. Unless that light happens to the BC Rail issue seizing the imagination of the media and voters, there appears to be nothing standing in the way of Gordon Campbell becoming the first Premier since Bill Bennett to claim three consecutive terms in office.

Iggy and the mayors

As Michael Ignatieff continues to work on rehabilitating the badly bruised Liberal brand he finds himself in Burnaby tomorrow. Instead of meeting with area Liberals, however he is focusing his attention on Lower Mainland mayors. Several municipal leaders are expected to join Ignatieff at the Hilton at Metrotown midday tomorrow.

Ignatieff will likely be getting an earful on crime issues as he tries to build a platform for B.C. If all goes according to plan, this strategy may help the Liberals find a potential future candidate or two.

Ignatieff is in the province for a big dollar Liberal fundraiser tonight in downtown Vancouver.

Stay of execution

The decision about the controversial remand centre has been delayed by the province and has been farmed out to regional mayors.

After numerous public complaints, letters to the editor, and at least two major town hall meetings, the provincial government got the hint. Farming out bad decisions and delaying them until after the provincial election make for good politics and buck passing. Actions like these should help keep ridings such as Burnaby-Deer Lake in the Liberal column come the morning of May 13.

Seven by seven

With seven weeks to go to election day, the BC Liberals have an 11-point lead in the polls, Gordon Campbell is on the Rick Mercer Report, and Carole James has a candidate who hates "Zionists."

All signs are pointing to the re-election of the Campbell government, but will that include zero, one, two, three or four Burnaby Liberal MLAs?

50 to go

Lee Rankin is going to face off with NDP MLA Raj Chouhan.

Rankin will be nominated by acclaimation tomorrow night at the Nikkei Centre at 7:00pm.

Recycled Greens

As reported earlier Bruce Friesen will be running for the BC Greens in Burnaby-Deer Lake, but elsewhere in Burnaby the party will be practicing the green idea of recycling. Carrie McLaren in Burnaby-Edmonds and Doug Perry in Burnaby North both recently ran in the Burnaby ridings federally.

McLaren and Perry are not the only former federal candidates with Burnaby connections running for the BC Greens. Rev Warkentin, running in Vancouver-Kingsway, was the federal Green candidate in 2004 in Burnaby-New Westminster. At the time of the 2004 campaign she was on the ballot as Revel Kunz. Also running is Matthew Laird, who is contesting New Westminster. Laird ran for DRBC in Burnaby North in the last provincial election.

All the Raj in Edmonds

They're not quite to the point of searching on Craigslist like the Refederation Party, but the BC Liberals are seeking a candidate to stand against NDP MLA Raj Chouhan in the fast-approaching election.

Word in the community is, despite a hard sell on the part of the Gordon Campbell organizers, no one has said yes to stand for the government in the left-leaning stronghold. The seat known as Burnaby-Edmonds has gone NDP eight of the past ten times since 1969.

We all await the first reference to the Majority Group or Resort Development.

A Black mark

NDP MP Dawn Black, formerly an MP for Burnaby from 1988 through 1993, has announced she is giving up Ottawa for Victoria on May 12. Black was elected to the current term five months ago.

Black will be running for the NDP in New Westminster. Her acclaimation as a candidate is expected at the end of this month and after that the token Liberal opponent will be dispatched with great ease by Black and the labour unions. If the NDP manages to pull out a win, Black will be going to the cabinet likely at health or children and family development. In addition to being and MLA and possibly a cabinet minister, Black is eligible to collect a federal pension.

Another ex-Burnaby MP wants the job Black is giving up. Paul Forseth, who was expected to take a run to run in Burnaby-New Westminster, is out in the community looking for support for a potential candidacy in New Westminster-Coquitlam. Forseth represented communities in Burnaby, New Westminster and the Tri-Cities between his 1993 defeat of Black and his 2006 loss to Black. Forseth did not run last year in the federal election.

Zero Giro

The Giro di Burnaby will not occur in 2009 due to economic circumstances.

The Gastown cycling race will also take the year off. Races will take place in Delta and White Rock during B.C.'s big cycling race week.

Jaynie, Don't Take Your Love to Lougheed?

Jaynie Clark will be taking on Harry Bloy in the provincial election in Burnaby-Lougheed.

NDPer Clark failed to win the Burnaby North nomination in the last election. Deputy speaker Harry Bloy of the BC Liberals is seeking his third term in Victoria.