It didn’t take long for contenders to throw their hats in the ring for MP for Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo.
Just weeks after long-time Cathy McLeod announced she would not run again in the next federal election, potential nominees were adding their names to the list of her possible successor. At least four people are seeking the Conservative nomination – with three in Kamloops and one in Barriere. Not to be outdone, another potential nominee has also put his name forward for the NDP.
Change is obviously in the wind.
If we go by the schedule, McLeod isn’t even due to leave political office until at least 2023, a good two years away. Yet given the impending nomination race for her successor – and those in rival political parties – it seems we could be in for an earlier-than-planned federal election, perhaps as some have indicated, this spring.
Those seeking a nomination all say despite the fact a writ hasn’t been dropped, it’s important to be prepared for when that does happen, noting there is always a chance of a snap election – even in the middle of a pandemic. This is especially true when the country is run by a minority government, which is typically in a rather vulnerable position, barely lasting two years before the opposition party or the ruling party itself pulls the trigger on an election in a bid to gain more control.
Indeed, there have been rumblings lately that either the Conservatives, or more likely the Liberals, are looking to call an election this year.
It has been done before. B.C. Premier John Horgan last year successfully pulled off a snap election win and kicked out the coalition. He bet on the fact that B.C.’s competent pandemic response and comparatively low case numbers had garnered enough goodwill to see the NDP retain its power. While it was a potentially dangerous move for public health, for him it worked out well.
It’s possible Justin Trudeau is hoping for a similar outcome for his Liberal Government, despite picking up more than a few bruises over SNC Lavalin Affair and the black face debacle. With cases starting to decline in Canada and vaccines being ordered, even with production and distribution delays, this might well be a good time to put his best foot forward. Recent polls suggest, for once, Canadians trust the Liberals more than the Conservatives to be in charge of Canada’s budget.
Although it would seem a bit crazy to hold an election now, when people are frustrated, fatigued and ready to call it quits over the pandemic, weirder things have happened.
No matter what happens, it looks like it’s shaping up to be an exciting race in the Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo Region.
