Finally, it truly begins.
All this tapdancing is done and now we come to it. The writ drops tomorrow and the election campaign really begins.
By the way, dropping the writ is an old political phrase to describe when the government leader, in this case the premier, goes to the head of state - that would be Queen Elizabeth II or her representative, which in B.C. is Lieutenant-Governor Judith Guichon - to end the current parliament and issue a writ for an election to take place.
Like the candidates, we've been preparing for months at The Citizen for the campaign. Starting today, we're profiling the candidates in all four area ridings - Prince George-Mackenzie, Prince George-Valemount, Cariboo North and Nechako Lakes.
The profiles will continue in tomorrow and Wednesday's paper, with the rest of the profiles to appear in the Monday through Wednesday editions next week.
In tomorrow's paper, the day the race officially kicks off, we'll feature our exclusive interview with NDP leader Adrian Dix, the man all of the opinion polls to date point to as our next premier.
When Premier Christy Clark came to the Citizen last week, we asked her tough questions about First Nations rights, resource development, the Wood Innovation and Design Centre, the future of forestry and how she plans to help cash-strapped municipalities like Prince George that are struggling with infrastructure problems.
When Mr. Dix pays a similar visit with us today, he will receive a similarly polite but pointed discussion with our reporters and editors.
As the campaign goes along, The Citizen will publish a series of stories, featuring the perspectives of the local candidates on a variety of key issues. We'll also profile each individual constituency, looking at its demographic makeup and breaking down where the votes are and what it will take to win those riding.
We'll be at the Prince George Chamber of Commere's all-candidates forum on April 30. We're working on hosting our own all-candidates debate, too. We've got a couple of other surprises in the works to keep the candidates on their toes and local voters well informed heading into the ballot box on May 14. Stay tuned.
There is one thing that both Dix and Clark agree on, and we agree with them, too. This election is critical and the next premier will have a monumental task ahead shaping the province's future. How, when and to what degree B.C. harvests its extensive natural resources, particularly in mining and liquified natural gas, while it continues to rebuild its surprisingly resilient forest sector, is critical to the economic well-being of northern residents in the coming years.
Sadly, there seems to be a shocking level of political apathy among voters. The last three provincial elections saw only about half of eligible voters cast a ballot. Hopefully, that will improve this time around, particularly because voters don't have to settle for a Liberal or NDP candidate. The Conservatives and Greens are putting forward a different vision for B.C., significant departures from both each other and what the Liberals and NDP are proposing. These visions are worthy of careful consideration.
One measure that newspapers measure how engaged they are in their respective markets is voter turnout. Thoughtful and compelling election coverage inspires residents to follow the candidates and follow the issues, right up until voting day. When an informed electorate votes in large numbers, the value of democracy shines bright. Voters may have frequent and deep doubts about the integrity of their political representatives but that doubt is best expressed by voting. Refusing to vote doesn't punish the candidates, it punishes the community. Not voting shows a lack of faith in the power of democracy, a sad and ultimately dangerous mindset.
At The Citizen, we're going to do everything we can in the next month to show you why you should care about this election and to help you head to your polling station next month with the knowledge you need to make the best choice possible.
