The Hook

The Vancouver Sun and The Globe and Mail have endorsed B.C. Liberals leader Gordon Campbell.

The Georgia Straight has called for a minority government led by New Democrats, with the Green Party holding the balance of power. The editor of Victoria’s Monday Magazine has published a nod to Green Party leader Jane Sterk.

No major newspaper has endorsed an NDP majority government. Rather, the vast majority of B.C. papers are sitting on the sidelines, with no plans to endorse any party in this provincial election.

“Campbell and the Liberals have earned the right to a third term,” The Vancouver Sun wrote in a lukewarm endorsement.

The ‘Sun criticized the B.C. Liberals for the province’s high health-care costs, a lack of public consultation on “major issues” like the carbon tax and a slow response to gang violence. But the Canwest-owned daily also argued that NDP leader Carole James and her “shadow cabinet” have neither a “credible platform” nor the “leadership capacity” to take the reigns.

“We agree with [Campbell’s] agenda, but would like to see more public consultation, a commitment to responding to genuine concerns about his government’s policies and an approach that stays focused on these key files,” the ‘Sun concluded.

The Globe and Mail endorsement was more enthusiastic, commending the measure of “calm and stability” Campbell’s leadership has brought to the province, adding that despite his rocky start, Campbell has “defied his critics by becoming a pragmatic leader able to reach across ideological divides.”

Though The Globe' calls Campbell’s track record on postsecondary education “underwhelming”, it stresses that during a recession, British Columbians could “make matters considerably worse” by voting for the NDP and risking a return to “erratic governance.”

Most of the province’s smaller papers simply refused to endorse candidates. Of 15 newspapers contacted by The Tyee, 11 said they have no plans to endorse a candidate; the remaining four were unsure.

"I give the voters more credit," said James Miller, managing editor of the Penticton Herald. "I believe we should remains as neutral as possible and allow the voters to decide based on our coverage."

Likewise, Kamloops Daily Press editor, Mel Rothenburger said “very rarely” would his paper ever publicly endorse a candidate. Peace River Block Daily News said they prefer to avoid bias and remain neutral.

Meanwhile, the province’s alternative weeklies are leaning green.

The Georgia Straight's quixotic slate would render an NDP-led minority government, with the Greens holding the balance of power.

“The primary objective in the May 12 election must be to rid the province of Gordon Campbell,” the Vancouver weekly argues, adding that a second objective “should be to drive down the NDP’s share of the popular vote so if it loses the election, the party will quickly dump James...”

Monday Magazine editor, John Threlfall, says the Victoria-based alt weekly will not be endorsing a candidate this election, but his most recent editorial gave a nod to Green leader Jane Sterk.

Amy Juschka reports for Megaphone magazine. Melanie Kuxdorf also contributed to this report.