Can we do away with the numbers game? I know it is unconventional when planning a strategy to find a new promising direction for leading BC into a future that is both sustainable and progressive. We've seen more and more how trying to calculate on hedge bets on ridings and numbers is an exercise in futility and redundancy. How about a strong and well planned platform that rivals the drivel of selling BC to the highest bidder agenda of the "Liberals" acting as state agent at the moment? If I were putting forth a new paradigm - I'd introduce the novel concept of "expert" administrators - i.e. I'd have a collection of people who are "official" experts in the area in which they will contribute to the whole - so the "Finance" minister would actually have an advanced degree in finance/commerce; the Education Minister would have a doctorate in Education; the bloke(s) in charge of administrating the environmental/forestry/fisheries/parks would actually have a strong background in those respective areas and understand what is required for them to be sustained - same goes with health care. The U.S. elections have convinced me that ignorance is the enemy - and the only way good decisions can be made about important issues is by making educated decisions by people who know about the issues. It sent shivers down my spine listening to those forming policies on things such as missile defense, stem cell research, and nuclear energy and not having a clue what the heck they were dealing with it. Ridiculous lack of accountability when the people choose to be led by the blind (or the drunk in the case of BC Liberals).

So why did Mr. Campbell try so hard? Could it be that, rather than be concerned with external perceptions, he was really looking inward. Clearly, the agenda (leaked to Sean Holman) for the upcoming Whistler Wingding suggests that, recent high profile resignations not withstanding, the battle for the Liberal Party's soul is not yet over (ie. there is actually some discord evident there - see Schreck). Gotta wonder how different that agenda might have been if Ms. Polak had stomped on the terra in SP last week and allowed the right-siders on the inside to close ranks completely.

Shirin, thank you. Yes, if we can get our noses out of the entrails of previous events and begin to demand that cabinet ministers have something more than a monetary or political interest in a portfolio. Could you imagine for a moment having Mary Polak as Minister of Education. We certainly have to thank the good people of Surrey-Panaramma for sparing us that scary likelihood. But, just like Halloween, she'll be back.

Shirin, you're asking pertinent questions, but I suggest the reason we don't get cabinet ministers with expertise in their portfolios is that the experts don't run for office.

Cynics will reply that the $$ are not sufficient to entice them away from whatever cushy niche they occupy outside of govt. However I think there's another reason.

The fact is, BC Politicians eat their young, and those not eaten are chewed up and swallowed by the Press Gallery. Why would anyone with expertise in a particular field, either up-and-coming or well-established, want to trade that for a place in the Leg, with the prospect of having one's good name dragged through the mud for political purposes, or having one's words twisted to the point that they're not even recognizable?

Our so-called 'adversarial system', as practiced in Victora, is a cesspool of intellectual dishonesty, on both sides of the house. It's not a very tempting career path for most....

A few good men -- Kennedy Stewart, for instance, stepped up to the plate in the last federal election and tripled the NDP vote in his riding. The sad fact is that few candidates step up to the plate in time for voters to find out who they are and what they represent. At election time there's very little name recognition on the ballot. If the NDP don't start recruiting now for the provincial election, Gordon Campbell and the liberals will win again, this time by default.

Allan and deeby: I don't think it is as near impossible to recruit qualified people as one may think. Imagine a David Suzuki-type (forced into retirement by UBC at 65) running the environmental policies of the country - I think the repulsion of the thought is not by the scientist - but by the industries on whose toes he would step like he was a blind dancer having a ball. "Educated experts" from the two extreme spectrums of their career would likely consider entering a political position: 1) when young and fresh out of grad school - high on ideals and energy - but yet untarnished by experience; and 2) when forced to retire or wanting to use their experience for the betterment of society (like Suzuki and his foundation). But I can tell you as a fact, such individuals are not welcome in the political arena because of thier tendency not to know how to manipulate or lie for the sake of an unsustainable/illogical agenda. They don't always possess such "amicable" idiocity - like George Bush - and come across as self-righteous and snooty highbrows - too depressing or scary to listen to - like your doctor telling you to lose the 15 lbs or have a heartattack. Do you think the Campbell government would welcome an educated and conscientious soul into their midst? The truth is not always easy to swollow - so why elect it?

Linda couldn't be more right. Early nominations, when they are doable, is a real plus. Yet incredibly the NDP HQ seems determined to DELAY nominations as long as possible and on the thinnest of pre-texts. What their motive is, I have no idea. I do hear rumours that they are "saving" certain ridings for various party worthies who are unable to run in the home consituencies, but these are just rumours.

We must develop new campaign and communications strategies for the upcoming election, or we will find ourselves, like the Kerry Democrats, wondering what happened on E-Day. I'm seeking the NDP nomination in my riding, but I'm in competition with frequent, recurring funding and program announcements by this or that Liberal Minister. After the nausea passes, I wonder how I can compete with their mugs on the front page of the paper or leading the evening news. The problem must be addressed: how do we get our positions clearly articulated when the government has a taxpayer-funded advertising budget. Any ideas?

pseudon-- I think the Kerry demos, and more specifically the 527 and folks at MoveOn etc. don't get enough credit. Hell, just think of how things were in the States, say two years ago before Howard Dean made his run. Don't think you would have found anybody, James Carville included, that would have given a pluggged nickle to any Demo getting even 40% of the popular vote. So....my suggestion, go grass roots and use the Net to raise money, and awareness without any need to use big media, big money or big anything. And don't give me any guff about how it can't be done here because this very publication is evidence that it can.

How do we compete with the millions of dollars spent on government adverstising? Do we need to compete with this? I think that we should remember the disgust that most people feel when they see and hear Gordon Campbell. Campbell lost the election in 1996. Why could this not happen again in May? He has not really changed and now we all know the destructive neoconservative cause that he stands for. Why would a "good news message" work when it is coming from such a disgusting source. Gordon Campbell is devoid of any soul; he has far less apeal than George Bush.

Gordon Campbell should not be wasting millions of our dollars on his pre-election advertising campaign.

Pseudonym: for starters, stop using pseudonyms or else people won't know who to vote for. I have some ideas - 1) get the demographics of your community - are they the elderly, college students, business people, young parents? 2) go where the people are and forget those annoying flyers that waste paper and end up in the recycling bag - and get backing from the local community support systems (the corner grocers, the community centres, schools - go talk to the PTA - ask them what is on their wish list) 3) hold public meetings in a roundtable discussion at the local community centre/library so you get a good feel of the community and what they want in a leader and how they are currently dissatisfied - and then make that your platform 4) get friendly with the press pundits - such as those on this forum and those writing for the courier, the georgia straight, common ground, shared vision magazine (the typical left wing press with wide circulation) - get interviewed and interview others yourself 5) write and make contributions to such publications about issues you feel are important and why 6) make your advertising clever so people want to advertise for you - for example get NDP bike stickers with reflectors distributed at community bikes shop - saying something catchy like "reclaiming BC one pedal at a time". And lastly ask who wants to talk to you and give them contact information for a meeting - the elderly like that as it makes them feel heard when so few listen to their words of wisdom now that they aren't the bread winners. Those are a few ideas from the top of the head - I'm sure there are a hundred others given a few more minutes... hay - this sounds fun - maybe I'll run as soon as I defend my thesis as a little break before jumping into "post-doc" servitude to harden me up.

I have made suggestion after suggestion that the ndp should be taking maximum advantage of its multimillion dollar warchest it's raised, raised LONG before the election on billboards and in newspapers including canwest papers. The ndp needs to puncture the bc neoliberal's lies about the economy long before the election. Trying to do it in six weeks will be a total disaster. Tyee posters should also consider colonizing the "SOUND_OFF" feature in canwest papers, which can be approached anonymously, and go head-to-toe with the rightwing on their lies and distortions, as I have done. The tyee is a valuable resource, but posters here are often, although certainly not always, preaching to the converted. Recent forums include the homeless in victoria, loren mayencourt's proposal for dog kennel like 600 square foot cages for the homeless, ICBC privatization, privacy and the U.S. Patriot Act and numerous other issues on which I have taken on right wing thugs mano-a-mano. You do not need to be a registered subscriber, and it's easy to surf from the colonist to the sun to the province...I suspect some tyee posters have taken my advice already...I'm not suggesting people post here less, a few trenchant comments can do wonders in dispelling lies and rumours, and let's face it: the right simply isn't that bright, it's really not that difficult to both defeat them and also convert and educate the middle ground...

I agree with lewis the fastrunner....colonization for the nation is a good and worthy idea.

Thanks, Jack W. I would like to add that it is especially important to insert the virus memes, or ideas into these threads that: the bc liberals grossly expensive taxpayer funded ads are highly misleading and that bc's economy has in fact grown only half as much on the average as Canada's economy on the whole; the truth about ndp fiscal performance -3 balanced budgets and a billion and a half dollar surplus, with economic growth above 4% more than once; and that any current improvement in bc's economy has everything to do with high natural resource prices and low interest rates fueling housing starts and NOTHING to do with bc liberal fiscal policies.

In the last few weeks I have watched several "Sound-Off!" threads change from being dominated by rightwingers to being either more balanced or dominated by leftwing posters, including threads about ICBC being preferable to private auto insurance, the debate about medical services claims being contracted out to the americans and many others. There is a new sound-off thread begun todayu that is running simultaneously in the sun, the province and the colonist ABOUT GORDON CAMPBELL'S PERFORMANCE-and believe it or not- there are far more anti than pro gordon campbell posts. Online voting in today's online province also shows only 17% support for contracting out medical services to the americans with 83% against. Canwrest papers have tried to insure rightwing domination of these threads but this strategy is now failing badly...

I see the canwest threads as a major vulnetrability in canwest media dopminance. Canwest needs to try to appear as if it's at least trying to keep up with online blogs and online media that does NOT charge for access, so it must continue with it's sound-off! feature. Yes, there is some censorship, but strong comments do get through. Am I comparing it to the tyee for fairness and intellectual puissance? Absolutely not! But they do have to be carefull not to let their bias show too much. They are essentially caught between a rock and a hard place...I repeat, posts can be made anonymously, and very few rightwing posters (virtually none) offer anything but tired, stale, easily rebutted comments.

There was so much negative comment on gordon liar on the thread that was in all three papers, that canwest moved the thread to the vancouver sun "sound-off post only, the most procampbell rreadership -and there is STILL somewhat more negative than positive comment even there. What cowardice!! I repeat, you do not have to be an online subscriber to post and posts are a thousand characters maximum -so it's good practise at being brief and succinct, and should not cut into people's tyee posting to any significant degree. They are running scared!!

good article,i see no one likes gordon liar,we all have to get out next May and have our say at community mla meetings.and tell everyone what a terrible job gordon and his puppets have done in the last 4 years,increased user fee's,closing down schools and hospitals,privatization,tearing up collective agreements,selling bc rail,cutting up bc hydro,terrible fish farm stories covered up by government and the media,the list goes on. i wounder if gordon liar can can top all his other christmas screw up,we'll have to wait and see

The Gordon Campbell Sound OAF was gone from all of those sites. Those sound off pages don't last very long. Another one on 300 square foot "homes" disappeared today. Tyee pages are available for months. Do they ever get deleted?

Indeed, you are right sue, the gordon campbell thread is deleted;however, it was still there this morning and the tide was definitely running against the premier at it's deletion, probably by noon today, even more cowardly than I first presumed. Some of the threads run as long as three weeks, still far, far below the tyee's standards. I did see points well made by you sue, on at least twice on at least one thread, if not more. Posters both right and left use threads ostensibly non-political to some political purpose. I would contend that last time I checked the gordon campbell sides were losing significantly on both the icbc thread, the medical services privatization thread and losing momentum on the mayencourt thread. Which is much better than I would have believed possible a few weeks ago. Still, you do bring up a valid point. i would suggest if people think it worthwhile, as I do, to regard it partly as guerilla postings, slip the meme, or idea about campbell that canwrest least wishes to have heard is one strategy, like misleading good news announcements, etc, as well as critiquiing the rightwing perspective on whatever issue particular to a given thread. Thanks to all who tried or try to win every thread that's worth winning. There's a nurse who posts there called elle, I believe and she has stood off some fierce rightwing opposition from several posters outnumbering her, on several threads dealing with medical issues. Thanks for raising the important points you did, sue.

I see where the mayencourt thread is in today's province again. The nurse outnumbered by rightwing poster's name is ellie, not elle.

I have just today learned some EXTREMELY disturbing news regarding the health and welfare of the disabled in bc, one that you won't read in a canwest newspaper, at least not yet. Perhaps you will read it on a Canwest "Sound-off," thread, if I am able to get them to print my comments.

The bc liberals, while crowing about the new $70 per month rate for the severely diabled, which of course does not even come CLOSE, to replacing the diet allowance, homem visits, complete medical coverage and all the other things snatched back from the severely disabled, have now begun a new attack on people nearly as disabled, or who, in some case may be even worse off. WHile trumpetting the $70 dollar increase to the PWD category in canwest media, behind the scenes in the last three months, the liberals have GUTTED AND REWRITTEN, the way that people on PPMB status are going to be treated. PPMB stamds for persons with PERMANENT and PERSISTENT BARRIERS to employment. This group can OFTEN includes people with severe disabilities, intimidated by, or unable to pass the new 23 page disability form which has been cited by disabled advocates, disabled people and their families as being responsible for the suicides of severasl disabled people in bc.

Unde the new and completely unreported upon changes by liberal flakes such as lorne mayencourt, or AT ALL in canwest media any person on PPMB undergoing the MANDATORY two year review will now have to get a statement from their doctor that their disabilities do not just make it difficult, painfull, and onerous to look for work (the old criteria till just two months ago) no, this is not enough for the compassionate caring liberals -under the new UNAANNOUNCED CRITERIA, their disabilities MUST be documented by their doctor as being so severe, that they are unable to look for work, period. NOR ARE PERSONS WITH THEIR PPMB COMING UP FOR BEING INFORMED OF THE NEW CRITERIA IN THE LETTERS THEY RECIEVED, THEY HAVE TO GO ON THEIR OWN TO AN ADVOCATE TO FIND OUT. REMEMBER< THERE HAS BEEN A GAG ORDER FOR SOME TIME NOW AGAINST SOCIAL WORKERS SPEAKING TO THE MEDIA ABOUT EMPLOYMENT AND ASSISTANCE CHANGES...IF THEY DO NOT GET A STATEMENT FROM THEIR DOCTOR SAYING AS MUCH, DESPITE HAVING ATTENDED EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS, DESPITE HAVING LOOKED FOR WORK VIGOROUSLY, THEY WILL LOSE THEIR PPMB STATUS AND GO FROM $610 a month to $510, AND BE TOSSED OUT INTO THE STREET IN A FEW MONTHS WITH THE OTHER 92,000 PEOPLE ON REGULAR ASSISTANCE DESPITE THEIR SEVERE AND MEDICALLY DOCUMENTED DISABILITIES, ALL TO HELP PAY FOR THE TAXCUT FOR THE RICH. This is the new, kinder, gentler CENTRIST FACE OF THE BC LIBERALS.

I would like to empathisize that people on PPMB status CAN include people in wheelchairs, people with canes and walkers, people with hepatitus, aids, mental disabilities, addictions, and worse. Word of these new changes are already filtering out to the downtown eastside where there is already a growing anger. THIS IS THE NEW, KINDER, GENTLER FACE OF THE BC LIARS -give half of what you viciously took away for the benefit of the most priveleged and then pay for it by an ASSAULT on a group almost or equally as vulnerable and helpless and hope no one notices until after the election. TYEE EDITOR, DAVID BEERS, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, HAVE PAUL RAMSEY WRITE AN ARTICLE ON THIS -otherwise there is going to be an EXPLOSION of badly disabled people onto the streets, especially if campbell gets relected, and if you think I am exagerating the seriosness and truth of these events talk to the any disabled advocate, or to the bc coalition of persons with disabilities. My claims are no exxageration and the damage caused by this bit of backroom maneuvering has the potential, the PROMISE, to be tragic....

As a long time ndp member and supporter I urge everyone who is opposed to Campbell to send a few bucks to their local ndp office, dont forget it is tax deductible. It costs money and materials to win an election and in this case, the return is great.The alternaqtive to an ndp election cannot be imagined, if we wish to leave someting for our children and grandchildren, Caqmpbell MUST go.