Prof. Gerald Baier: Can B.C.’s NDP move past its leadership schism?
Many of Ms. Appadurai’s supporters, who may have held their noses and voted for the NDP in recent elections, despite what they see as a compromised party record on the environment and climate change, will now feel fully disaffected, Prof. Gerald Baier writes for Globe and Mail.
Prof. Gerald Baier on Ken Sim and other mayors failing to deliver on campaign promises: “it’s a caution for new mayors”
“I think mayors will run into the challenge that is governing at the local level, (namely) the limits of one’s jurisdiction as mayor or even as a council to fix some of the problems that we generally think of as local problems,” says Prof. Baier in his interview, also commenting on the effectiveness and repulsiveness of certain election issues.
If the BC NDP bars Appadurai from running it will be a “public relations disaster,” says Prof. Gerald Baier
The B.C. NDP appear worried about new members who joined the party to support leadership candidate Anjali Appadurai, which has led to an aggressive campaign to root out “fraudulent” new members. While attempting to bar Appadurai from running wouldn’t offend party loyalists, Prof. Gerald Baier says it would be a “public relations disaster.”
Prof. Gerald Baier discusses increase of challengers in upcoming Vancouver and Surrey elections
With more and more parties and candidates on the ballots, Prof. Gerald Baier predicts that this should actually favour the incumbent McCallum due to vote-splitting.
BC Premier John Horgan succeeded in branding the NDP as a strong option, says Prof. Gerald Baier
“I think his legacy is just really turning around the fortunes of the NDP … that has a lasting effect,” said Prof. Gerald Baier, who also noted that under Horgan’s leadership, the NDP made strong progress where they historically had not. “This can potentially be a dynasty for the party.”
Prof. Gerald Baier comments on BC Premier John Horgan’s future prospects with politics and the NDP
Prof. Baier examines Premier Horgan’s five-year long leadership of the NDP and the uncertainty of him being a three-term premier: “You could see him feeling that he’s reached maybe not a peak, but certainly he is close to firing on all engines, so to speak, and sort of getting out while he’s ahead.”
Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum’s name recognition stands out despite his legal troubles, says Prof. Gerald Baier
McCallum delivered on his two major promises of the 2018 campaign, Baier said, which is to bring in a municipal police force and push for a Surrey SkyTrain over light trail transit.
Prof. Gerald Baier weighs in on addition of new Okanagan federal election districts
“I wouldn’t call it just an extra riding for the Interior or the Okanagan,” says Professor Gerald Baier. “It’s a big jigsaw puzzle, but it’s not just an additional Conservative seat, as some are suggesting—it doesn’t work that way.”
Prof. Gerald Baier says clarity lacking in Bill promising ‘cooling-off period’ for B.C. home buyers
University of British Columbia political science professor Gerald Baier says it would be hard for the public to understand the intent behind Bill 12 due to the current lack of details.
Prof. Gerald Baier says John Horgan’s outburst in legislature a result of NDP struggles on family doctor crisis
Prof. Gerald Baier said the family doctor crisis was one of the issues the B.C. NDP government is currently struggling with, and that is why Horgan was likely eager to push back on the opposition parties. “It wasn’t just out of the blue,” Baier told CBC News. “It was a back and forth over family physicians and a few issues that the Liberals hope to show the NDP to be vulnerable on.”