Groundhog Day and the Liberal leadership all-candidate debate in Prince George occurs back-to-back this week.
It is an ironic juxtaposition of events - one involves crowds attempting to glean the future by paying close attention to varmints, while the other involves a groundhog.
The history of Groundhog Day dates back thousands of years when people in what's now known as Germany believed the badger had the power to predict the coming of spring and when they should plant their crops.
This tradition was brought over to North America, notably to Pennsylvania in the U.S. where Punxsutawney Phil comes out of his burrow at Gobbler's Knob in front of thousands of followers from all over the world to predict the weather.
But we all know that guessing is as good as it gets in both climate and elections.
Since scientific studies have proven the groundhog's predictions are right only 37 per cent of the time, you may as well flip a coin and make your own prediction.
And while recent polls may suggest one candidate or another has the populous support, the polls are not limited to card-carrying members of the Liberal Party - the only individuals who can vote for their favourite on Feb. 26. - so do they really predict anything?
And that's not where the similarities end.
It seems both groundhogs and certain Liberal candidates attract support in at least one similar way - a promise of holidays.
Liberal contender Christy Clark promises to add a statutory holiday in the month of February if elected, and in Alaska, Groundhog Day gained huge popularity when it was officially deemed a holiday.
It was none other than the queen of pandering, Sarah Palin, who signed that particular bill when she was Alaska's governor in 2009.
That's not to say Clark is like Palin - heavens forbid - but creating a holiday to break up the dreariness of the dead of winter is not a bad idea for those wanting to ingratiate themselves to the many workers across the province.
In fact, Kevin Falcon may want to advance the idea to counteract the recent attacks he's been subjected to for attracting nearly all his support from the business sector.
Any Liberal premier worth his salt should not be so afraid of the shadow the business sector casts that they forget the toiling masses and scurry back into their burrow.
A new premier could add a little joy to our winter by giving the 4.5 million B.C. residents the anticipation of a day off work while we are up to our waists in snow.
Seriously though, the comparison between politicians and groundhogs is a little unfair.
Groundhogs, sometimes called whistle pigs, are not known to be the sharpest knives in the drawer. And when nervous, they give off a high-pitched squeal that literally invites their predators to come for dinner.
However, although politicians are occasionally known to whistle (Dixie), most are very sharp and adept at hiding nervousness - they're actually more likely to attack when an opponent's opening presents itself.
Another difference is that in this part of the country, marmots are more likely spotted than groundhogs. But we've been inundated with politicians lately.
So if you spot a political candidate on our streets in the coming days, don't be shy to ask them what tune they're whistling. And don't worry whether they get spooked, it's not like they control the weather.
