It's that time again, May 14 to be exact, when we will all be putting out "X" on the ballot for the political candidate of our choice.
In the Juan de Fuca, we have three hopefuls; incumbent John Horgan, and two newbies, Kerrie Reay for the Liberals and Carlos Serra for the Greens. At the All Candidates' meeting it became evident how experienced one candidate was and how the exact opposite was true for the other two. To serve as an MLA is no small feat. It takes years to understand the real issues and to have knowledgeable opinions on them. It's a complex business and, while our hats go off to people who choose to serve the public, one was evidently in over their head. The other fresh face was well-spoken and at least had a sense of humour given his entire two-week political career.
The talk about the office is what kind of government we are likely to have after the election. The sense is that we may have a minority Liberal government with a strong showing for the NDP and a sprinkling of seats for the Green Party. A complete overthrow of the present government is still highly likely, but when it comes time for people to actually consider who the Premier will be, they may have second thoughts about where they want to put their "X." People are still more likely to go with the "devil they know." What needs to be considered is the reputation of the leaders of each party. They are still the mouthpieces and they set the tone.
Is it time for a change? Probably, but the answer may not be just about the party, it should also be about the leaders. If the NDP fails to win or the Liberals lose, they will have to regroup.
Good luck to each of the candidates.