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What If BC Has an Election and the News Media Says ‘I Forgot’?

The Tyee won’t let that happen. If you help.

Tyee Staff 21 Nov 2016TheTyee.ca

We know you are probably sick of hearing the word “election” right about now. We know because we are, too. But, we’ve got a big one coming this spring in B.C., and we at The Tyee are already turning our minds to it.

It’s rare that one party has run things for so long — a decade and a half. Their actions have made a huge impact on every British Columbian’s health, education and prospects for a better life.

By now, it’s a very deep file. Fifteen years of sweeping policies, promises, boondoggles and scandals. Old news? That’s what other media will say. They seem to prefer to just… forget.

At The Tyee we are determined, this election, to combat Media Amnesia. That means our election reporting starts today, with the launch of a five-month project:

BC in the Balance: The Voter’s Deep Guide to the 2017 Election

Just how deep we can go has everything to do with how much you can support us with your financial contributions, tips and ideas. We are asking you to help us investigate:

Who are the big winners and losers after 15 years of BC Liberal rule?

Who was helped, who was hurt?

Who are the power insiders and what have they gained?

What promises were kept, what were not?

What does the government’s 15-year record say about:

What do you want us to investigate, as well?

We are asking for your ideas. Your commentary. And, yes, your financial support. So that the BC in the Balance Project truly delivers on being the deepest, most useful voter’s guide to the 2017 election.

Most media will treat the election like a horse race starting in the spring. We say that’s far too late to get started. We want every voter to be as informed as possible before making their choices.

That’s why we refuse to be ruled by the minute-to-minute spin-driven news cycle. Here at The Tyee, we’ve been called Slow News Geeks. And we’re proud to hear it.

We want to get started on this deep research project right away, but we need your help. Our goal? $50,000 in three weeks. If we raise that much, we’ll commit to delivering two key things:

1. An investigation into B.C.’s elite power connections, mapped out in plain view
2. A series of in-depth, long-form pieces on key issues in the upcoming election

What will the pieces focus on? That’s partially up to you. During the three weeks of this fundraising campaign, we’re interested in hearing which topics our readers would like us to dig into. (Have your say here).

At the conclusion of the campaign, people who gave will get to vote on where we should direct our attention. How many issues we dig in to depends on how much we raise.

We exist to explain issues, expose injustices, seek solutions. That takes time, commitment and effort. Help us turn loose our team of award-winning, highly-skilled and experienced diggers:

The funds raised through this campaign will also allow us to pay for some serious additional investigative research and data journalism help.

By the time this five-month project is finished, politicians’ records will be well documented. Voters will have the resource they need to cut through spin and make clear choices. And the rest of the media will have no excuse for their amnesia. They may forget, but we won’t.

Help us help everyone remember.

Please contribute to The Tyee’s ambitious run-up to the decision we all will make this spring.

Please give to BC in the Balance: The Voter’s Deep Guide to the 2017 Election.  [Tyee]

Read more: BC Politics, Media

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