After the whirlwind political drama that recently unfolded, this week, the NDP gets to crack open the province’s books and get ready for governing.
After 16 years in the political wilderness, the party will have its work cut out for them.
Campaign finance reform looks to be an early priority and a “quick win” for the new government.
Issues of softwood lumber and the fentanyl crisis, also priorities, will be more resistant to easy solutions.
The NDP now has the burden of expectation – from labour groups, from environmentalists, from a squeezed middle class and a business community keen to ensure British Columbia’s credit rating and rosy financial outlook remain intact.
The NDP also must maintain the blessing of the Green caucus. All with a one-seat edge. That’s no easy task.
Many on the NDP bench are relative newcomers to politics. Compare that to the experienced Liberal ranks, who have the advantage of knowing where potential landmines lurk.
The bureaucracy – which has essentially been running the province for the past three months – will also take time to shed received wisdom from their previous political masters that shows up in how politics get interpreted on the ground.
And after years of crying “not enough funding,” it’s now on the NDP to put up.
As John Horgan and his team get set to bring in a fall budget – which will show us where the real priorities lie – we’ll be watching carefully.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
– Guest editorial from the North Shore News
