Canadian by-elections, 2016 (next event: Quebec provincial byelections [Dec 5])

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Jodie Wickens the Executive Director of the B.C Autism Support Network won the NDP nomination in Coquitlam-Burke Mountain.  

http://www.tricitynews.com/news/wickens-wins-bc-ndp-nod-1.2127404

It's interesting the rise from almost nowhere of directors and executive directors of non profit charity or advocacy organizations as NDP candidates and MLAs. Directors and executive directors now make up the largest number of New Democratic MLAs prior occupations in B.C

They include
1.Shane Simpson, Director of Policy and Communications for Smart Growth B.C
2.Adrian Dix, Executive Director Canadian Parents for French (Education), B.C and Yukon branch
3.George Heyman, Executive Director Sierra Club B.C
4.David Eby, Executive Director B.C Civil Liberties Association
5.Selina Robinson,  Director of Development for SHARE Family and Community Services
6.Sue Hammell, Executive Director Surrey Aboriginal Society
7.Katrine Conroy, Executive Director Kootenay Family Place
8.Doug Donaldson, Director Storyteller's Foundation (a local economic development non profit organization)

Also, I heard B.C dick of the decade Michael Smyth on CKNW this morning with John McComb and, as usual, he was being a dick by giving the most cynical explanation on the delay in the calling of these upcoming by-elections, and, said that he was 'Outraged!' that the by-elections hadn't been called already. As usual, his cynicism and his Outrage! was backed up by his idiocy.

I'm actually going to defend Christy Clark here for not calling the by-elections yet.  The Federal election was on October 21, and Christmas season starts in early December. I suppose she did have a narrow window to have the by-elections held sometime in mid november, but I'm going to cut her some slack for simply believing the timing during that period also didn't work.

Smyth's rationale for the delay was that she's trying to avoid the negative coverage of a potential Liberal loss in Coquitlam-Burke Mountain.  Yes, because losing this by-election right before Christmas would have resulted in tons of coverage, but losing this by-election probably right before the spring Legislative session will result in it being largely ignored.  I'd like to know how this dimwitted dick got and keeps his job.  I know he works for a joke of a newspaper, but still.

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I gather the BC Conservatives will not be contesting?

The B.C Conservative leader just announced he'll step down once the party holds its AGM (not a leadership convention) sometime in late February 2016.

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As I predicted the BC NDP won both by elections. Vancouver Mount Pleasant was a 61-26% blow out over the highly overrated Greens and the liberal got just 10%. In Coquitlam-Burke Mount it looks like an NDP win by about a 45-39% margin. I wonder where "Lotuslander" is these days? In a padded cell bashing his head against the walls?

He owes me $1,000.

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Maureen Macdonald, NDP MLA for Halifax-Needham, is retiring from politics due to health reasons. She was not given any critic roles back when Gary Burrill won the leadership race, so it looks like this was coming. She's been an MLA since 1998. Will Burrill run here, or wait till 2017/2018 and run in his old seat he held 09-13?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/maureen-macdonald-ndp-resign-1.3531491

It seems like being in the Nova Scotia NDP caucus is hazardous to one's health

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Maureen Macdonald, NDP MLA for Halifax-Needham, is retiring from politics due to health reasons. She was not given any critic roles back when Gary Burrill won the leadership race, so it looks like this was coming. She's been an MLA since 1998. Will Burrill run here, or wait till 2017/2018 and run in his old seat he held 09-13?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/maureen-macdonald-ndp-resign-1.3531491

It seems like being in the Nova Scotia NDP caucus is hazardous to one's health

I was actually being serious.  I know statistical clusters exist, but there have been 3 NDP MLAs that have resigned since the election for health reasons.  As far as I can tell, this is unprecedented.  To be sure, I don't know what their health issues are, but if there is similarities in their health problems I think the NDP offices and caucus room should be checked for environmental toxins.

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Either Doug or Mike Ford will run for Rob's Ward 2 council seat if a by-election is called. Tory supports a by-election.

So, Doug Ford has given up on seeking the Conservative Party leadership?

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Scarborough: Brown says a PC government would rewrite the sex-ed curriculum.

Pandering to immigrant voters.  What happened to the Conservative view of 'If  they want to come here, they should adapt to our ways"

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All polls reporting

Halifax-Needham
Total Votes: 4,942
NDP, Lisa Roberts: 2,519, 50.9%
Lib: Rob Wilson: 1,662, 33.7%
P.C Andy Arsenault, 600
Green: Thomas Trappenberg 161

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RIP the Great Grit Sweep of Atlantic Canada.

This is a provincial by-election.

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Ahh, so Fleury's eyes are on the federal seat.

Exciting. If he runs/wins then residents in his ward will get a third by-election to vote in, in a span of probably 12 months.

Is he any relation to the hockey player Theo Fleury?

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Medicine Hat: Gunter on the stakes.

Lorne Gunter is such an amusing hack.

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The *Green* result is interesting.  (I'm almost wondering about the likelihood of PEI electing a Green government at this rate.)

As you may not be aware, the Green Party has a seat in the Prince Edward Island legislature while the NDP does not.

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First poll reporting.  Likely from a rural area, but about what I would have expected

Rhinoceros   Kayne Cooper   0   0.0 %   
Libertarian   Sheldon W Johnston   1   1.0 %   
Conservative   Glen Motz   86   89.6 %   
Liberal   Stan Sakamoto   7   7.3 %   
Christian Heritage Party   Rod Taylor   1   1.0 %   
NDP-New Democratic Party   Beverly Ann Waege   1   1.0 %   

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After 3 Polls

Conservative - 92.3%

After 10 polls

Conservative - 85.4%

Doesn't look good for the Conservatives here.  Looks like their vote share is collapsing.

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Down to 81% after 12 polls.  I predict a Liberal landslide!

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The CHP party candidate beat the NDP is the MacLeod by-election in 2014 by 4 votes.

Was that a Federal by-election?

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Thanks for the replies.

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I mentioned in my blog post that the NDP may finish behind the CHP.

Are you going to post a comparison between this and the Federal Election result later?

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With 209/223 polls reporting the Christian Heritage Party has 666 votes.

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I mentioned in my blog post that the NDP may finish behind the CHP.

Are you going to post a comparison between this and the Federal Election result later?

Oops, I guess you were referring to this?:

Glen Motz, Cons. 69.9% (+1.1)
Stan Sakamoto, Lib. 25.6% (+7.7)
Rod Taylor, CHP 2.0%
Bev Waege, NDP 1.0% (-8.6)
Sheldon Johnston, Lbtn. 0.8%   
Kayne Cooper, Rhino. 0.6%   

Swing: 3.3% (Cons. to Liberal)

Turnout: 44.5%

So, Medicine Hat remains fairly inelastic... the Liberal result is fairly underwhelming, but it was their best result here since 1974. Turnout was pretty decent, considering safe Conservative seats in Alberta tend to have low turnouts. I guess people thought it was going to be competitive and came out to stop the Liberals.

Yes, thanks very much.

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CBC calls Niagara West for the little fascist

Odd how I didn't see any National Post stories after this 19 year old know nothing was elected to the Provincial Parliament that the entire P.C caucus is made up of university students like they dishonestly claimed the NDP caucus was when they won in Alberta.

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There is huge tensions between Orthodox Jews and non-Orthodox Jews in Outremont, the core of it seems to be than businesses don't want temples near them, due to all the traffic they generate (they take parking spaces). They are also afraid of potential complaints (a YMCA had had to put frosting in windows after Orthodox Jews complained than women doing gym was disturbing young men studying in the school across the street). Since then, businesses live in fear of "reasonable accomodements" demands. Note than there is a similar ban on Van Horne Avenue since 2 decades without any complaints.

The borough offered them a plot near the new University Campus than they won't need finally, but the Hassidim says it's too far from where they live (men need to go to the temple twice a day and can't use cars on some days).

Are you sure you don't mean the Ultra Orthodox Jews?  The Orthodox Jews are the mainstream religious Jews.

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I suspect that in the current political environment in Saskatchewan, the NDP would be heavily favoured to win Meewasin in a byelection. I wonder if Cam Broten would try to make a comeback by running there? Or what about Ryan Meili? Or the woman who ran for the NDP last April who was seen as having done well. It would be a natural place to run for anyone not currently an MLA who might have ambitions to run for the Sask NDP leadership

Interesting. I thought the Saskatchewan NDP leadership race would be between 'outsider' Ryan Meili vs. 'insider' Cathy Sproule.

Of course, Roger Parent's death sucks especially given how relatively sudden it was.