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2005 British Columbia general election

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2005 British Columbia general election
← 2001 May 17, 2005 2009 →
79 seats of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
40 seats were needed for a majority
Turnout57.80%[1] Increase 2.75 pp
  First party Second party Third party
 
Adriane Carr of the Green Party.jpg
Leader Gordon Campbell Carole James Adriane Carr
Party Liberal New Democratic Green
Leader since September 11, 1993 November 23, 2003 September 23, 2000
Leader's seat Vancouver-Point Grey Victoria-Beacon Hill Ran in Powell River-Sunshine Coast (lost)
Last election 77 seats 2 seats 0 seats
Seats won 46 33 0
Seat change Decrease31 Increase31 Steady
Popular vote 807,118 731,719 161,842
Percentage 45.80% 41.52% 9.18%
Swing Decrease11.82% Increase19.96% Decrease3.22%
Popular vote map by riding. Traditional areas of NDP support returned to the party fold after the preceding wipeout.
Premier before election

Gordon Campbell
Liberal

Premier after election

Gordon Campbell
Liberal

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The 2005 British Columbia general election was held on May 17, 2005, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) of the Province of British Columbia (BC), Canada. The British Columbia Liberal Party (BC Liberals) formed the government of the province prior to this general election under the leadership of Premier Gordon Campbell. The main opposition was the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP), whose electoral representation was reduced to two MLAs in the previous provincial election in 2001.

The BC Liberals retained power, with a reduced majority of 46 out of 79 seats, down from the record 77 out of 79 in 2001. While the popularity of Campbell's government was affected by various factors such as its resolution of the Fast ferry scandal inherited from the previous NDP government, the sale of BC Rail, and Campbell being convicted for driving under the influence in January 2003, the overwhelming majority they earned at the previous election held up well enough for them to remain comfortably in control of the Legislative Assembly. Voter turnout was 58.2 per cent.

Under amendments to the BC Constitution Act passed in 2001, BC elections are now held on fixed dates: the second Tuesday in May every four years. This was the first provincial election for which elector data in the provincial elector list was synchronised with the National Register of Electors.[2]

Coincidental with the general election, BC voters also voted on whether or not to change the province's electoral system.

Electoral reform referendum

[edit]

The BC electoral reform referendum was held in conjunction with this election. This referendum asked voters whether or not they support the proposed electoral reforms of the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform, which included switching to a single transferable vote (STV) system. Had it been approved by 60% of voters in 60% of ridings), the new electoral system would have been implemented for the general election in 2009. Although the proposed reform attracted a clear majority (58% of the popular vote in favour, with 77 out of 79 ridings showing majority support), the level of support was just short of that required for mandatory implementation. A new vote on a revamped version of STV was held in conjunction with the 2009 British Columbia general election.

Results

[edit]
Elections to the 38th Legislative Assembly of British Columbia (2005)[3]
Party Leader Candidates Votes Seats
# ± % Change (pp) 2001 2005 ±
Liberal Gordon Campbell 79 807,118 109,770Decrease 45.80 -11.82
 
 77
46 / 79
 31Decrease
New Democratic Carole James 79 731,783 388,677Increase 41.52 19.96 19.96
 
 2
33 / 79
 31Increase
Green Adriane Carr 79 161,849 35,382Decrease 9.18 -3.21
 
Independent 28 17,599 2,284Increase 1.00 0.04 0.04
 
Democratic Reform Tom Morino 32 14,022 14,022Increase 0.80 0.80 0.8
 
Marijuana Marc Emery 44 11,449 39,757Decrease 0.65 -2.57
 
Unity Daniel Stelmacker 1 224 51,202Decrease 0.01 -3.22
 
Conservative Barry Chilton 7 9,623 6,243Increase 0.55 0.33
Work Less Conrad Schmidt 11 1,641 1,641Increase 0.09 New
Libertarian 6 1,053 1,053Increase 0.06 New
Platinum Jeff Evans 11 779 779Increase 0.04 New
Refederation 4 675 675Increase 0.04 New
Social Credit C. Barbara Woolsey 2 502 1,446Decrease 0.03 -0.09
Your Political Party James Filippelli 1 442 442Increase 0.03 New
Western Canada Concept Douglas Christie 2 387 387Increase 0.02 New
People's Front Charles Boylan 5 380 340Decrease 0.02 -0.02
Youth Coalition 2 369 369Increase 0.02 New
Moderate Democratic Movement 2 367 367Increase 0.02 New
Reform 1 365 3,074Decrease 0.02 -0.20
British Columbia Party Grant Mitton 2 362 362Increase 0.02 New
Sex John Ince 3 305 305Increase 0.02 New
Freedom K.M. Keillor 2 282 42Increase 0.02 –
Bloc BC Paddy Roberts 3 282 282Increase 0.02 New
Communist George Gidora 3 244 137Decrease 0.01 -0.01
Emerged Democracy Tony Luck 1 151 151Increase 0.01 New
Patriot Andrew Hokhold 2 90 8Increase 0.01 –
Total 412 1,762,343 100.00%
Rejected ballots[4] 11,926 3,467Increase
Turnout[4] 1,774,269 174,504Increase 62.36% 8.59Decrease
Registered voters[4] 2,845,284 590,364Increase

MLAs elected

[edit]

Synopsis of results

[edit]
Main article: Results of the 2005 British Columbia general election by riding
Results by riding - 2005 British Columbia general election[5]
Riding Winning party Turnout
[a 1] 		Votes[a 2]
Name 2001 Party Votes Share Margin
# 		Margin
% 		Lib NDP Grn DR Mari Con Ind Oth Total
 
Abbotsford-Clayburn Lib Lib 11,047 59.95% 5,492 29.80% 59.50% 11,047 5,555 1,428 – 198 – – 199 18,427
Abbotsford-Mount Lehman Lib Lib 11,325 57.55% 5,193 26.39% 57.97% 11,325 6,132 1,359 472 392 – – – 19,680
Alberni-Qualicum Lib NDP 13,988 52.61% 4,200 15.80% 69.02% 9,788 13,988 1,912 292 401 – 209 – 26,590
Bulkley Valley-Stikine Lib Lib 6,279 48.30% 1,102 8.48% 68.78% 6,279 5,177 769 354 205 – – 216 13,000
Burnaby-Edmonds Lib NDP 10,337 46.71% 738 3.34% 57.70% 9,599 10,337 2,192 – – – – – 22,128
Burnaby North Lib Lib 10,421 45.59% 65 0.28% 59.76% 10,421 10,356 1,763 316 – – – – 22,856
Burnaby-Willingdon Lib Lib 8,754 44.00% 399 2.01% 57.36% 8,754 8,355 1,482 947 214 – 142 – 19,894
Burquitlam Lib Lib 10,054 46.39% 372 1.72% 60.45% 10,054 9,682 1,619 – 191 – 125 – 21,671
Cariboo North Lib NDP 7,353 47.28% 269 1.73% 64.26% 7,084 7,353 835 – 281 – – – 15,553
Cariboo South Lib NDP 7,277 45.99% 114 0.72% 67.43% 7,163 7,277 851 – – – 532 – 15,823
Chilliwack-Kent Lib Lib 11,368 57.14% 4,834 24.30% 58.71% 11,368 6,534 1,651 – – – – 343 19,896
Chilliwack-Sumas Lib Lib 11,995 57.36% 5,518 26.39% 59.98% 11,995 6,477 1,731 315 – – – 393 20,911
Columbia River-Revelstoke Lib NDP 7,460 51.71% 1,710 11.85% 62.47% 5,750 7,460 1,217 – – – – – 14,427
Comox Valley Lib Lib 14,068 45.73% 807 2.62% 68.34% 14,068 13,261 2,833 187 214 – – 201 30,764
Coquitlam-Maillardville Lib NDP 10,532 46.96% 531 2.37% 63.41% 10,001 10,532 1,415 – 236 – – 242 22,426
Cowichan-Ladysmith Lib NDP 14,014 50.02% 2,589 9.24% 71.86% 11,425 14,014 1,950 238 – – 307 83 28,017
Delta North Lib NDP 10,481 47.46% 1,001 4.53% 64.24% 9,480 10,481 1,711 – 224 – – 187 22,083
Delta South Lib Lib 9,112 37.48% 1,069 4.40% 70.81% 9,112 5,828 1,131 – 139 – 8,101[a 3] – 24,311
East Kootenay Lib Lib 8,060 48.01% 721 4.29% 60.03% 8,060 7,339 1,389 – – – – – 16,788
Esquimalt-Metchosin Lib NDP 12,545 49.63% 2,895 11.45% 66.89% 9,650 12,545 2,672 409 – – – – 25,276
Fort Langley-Aldergrove Lib Lib 15,454 59.13% 7,857 30.06% 65.06% 15,454 7,597 2,529 – 374 – – 183 26,137
Kamloops Lib Lib 11,261 47.58% 1,375 5.81% 61.81% 11,261 9,886 1,723 – – 797 – – 23,667
Kamloops-North Thompson Lib Lib 11,648 48.36% 2,013 8.36% 67.71% 11,648 9,635 1,689 – 321 795 – – 24,088
Kelowna-Lake Country Lib Lib 12,247 50.37% 4,857 19.98% 54.88% 12,247 7,390 2,541 1,793 341 – – – 24,312
Kelowna-Mission Lib Lib 13,827 53.72% 5,638 21.91% 57.00% 13,827 8,189 3,308 – 320 – – 94 25,738
Langley Lib Lib 12,877 52.18% 4,574 18.53% 61.68% 12,877 8,303 3,042 – 278 – – 180 24,680
Malahat-Juan de Fuca Lib NDP 12,460 46.09% 1,932 7.15% 69.57% 10,528 12,460 2,610 1,256 – – – 180 27,034
Maple Ridge-Mission Lib Lib 12,095 44.30% 199 0.73% 63.31% 12,095 11,896 2,633 – 314 – 312 53 27,303
Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Lib NDP 11,786 46.38% 925 3.64% 64.23% 10,861 11,786 1,869 534 360 – – – 25,410
Nanaimo Lib NDP 13,226 51.90% 4,569 17.93% 62.83% 8,657 13,226 2,933 – 294 – 204 169 25,483
Nanaimo-Parksville Lib Lib 16,542 51.42% 4,110 12.78% 69.56% 16,542 12,432 2,714 – 198 – – 283 32,169
Nelson-Creston Lib NDP 12,896 58.80% 7,034 32.07% 67.88% 5,862 12,896 2,724 – 276 – – 173 21,931
New Westminster Lib NDP 13,226 51.32% 3,581 13.89% 63.91% 9,645 13,226 2,416 152 293 – – 42 25,774
North Coast Lib NDP 5,845 53.77% 1,660 15.27% 60.86% 4,185 5,845 629 – 211 – – – 10,870
North Island Lib NDP 11,464 45.29% 660 2.61% 66.38% 10,804 11,464 1,874 699 – – 471 – 25,312
North Vancouver-Lonsdale Lib Lib 9,375 44.51% 984 4.67% 64.31% 9,375 8,391 2,562 163 209 – – 365 21,065
North Vancouver-Seymour Lib Lib 14,518 56.92% 6,923 27.14% 74.88% 14,518 7,595 3,013 – 212 – – 169 25,507
Oak Bay-Gordon Head Lib Lib 13,443 47.52% 1,427 5.04% 73.63% 13,443 12,016 2,379 278 – – 176 – 28,292
Okanagan-Vernon Lib Lib 11,566 43.20% 2,571 9.60% 61.10% 11,566 8,995 1,867 – 260 3,095 945 48 26,776
Okanagan-Westside Lib Lib 12,148 54.39% 5,275 23.62% 60.85% 12,148 6,873 2,262 1,051 – – – – 22,334
Peace River North Lib Lib 5,498 59.37% 2,987 32.26% 47.36% 5,498 2,511 638 – – – 613 – 9,260
Peace River South Lib Lib 5,810 57.74% 2,514 24.99% 56.30% 5,810 3,296 956 – – – – – 10,062
Penticton-Okanagan Valley Lib Lib 13,650 50.23% 3,453 12.71% 62.61% 13,650 10,197 2,669 – – – 660 – 27,176
Port Coquitlam-Burke Mountain Lib NDP 11,844 48.14% 1,092 4.44% 64.29% 10,752 11,844 1,691 – – – – 318 24,605
Port Moody-Westwood Lib Lib 14,161 53.75% 4,313 16.37% 60.57% 14,161 9,848 1,670 – – – 227 442 26,348
Powell River-Sunshine Coast Lib NDP 11,099 43.45% 3,397 13.30% 72.43% 7,702 11,099 6,585 – – – – 156 25,542
Prince George-Mount Robson Lib Lib 5,885 41.06% 891 6.22% 58.41% 5,885 4,994 1,053 – 241 – 2,158[a 4] – 14,331
Prince George North Lib Lib 7,697 49.93% 2,099 13.62% 61.55% 7,697 5,598 1,201 241 235 – 443 – 15,415
Prince George-Omineca Lib Lib 8,622 51.71% 2,442 14.65% 64.22% 8,622 6,180 1,393 479 – – – – 16,674
Richmond Centre Lib Lib 10,908 58.56% 4,857 26.08% 49.42% 10,908 6,051 1,436 – 231 – – – 18,626
Richmond East Lib Lib 11,652 57.48% 4,960 24.47% 53.01% 11,652 6,692 1,530 – 191 – 207 – 20,272
Richmond-Steveston Lib Lib 13,859 59.20% 6,525 27.87% 59.87% 13,859 7,334 1,934 282 – – – – 23,409
Saanich North and the Islands Lib Lib 13,781 43.66% 1,939 6.14% 73.09% 13,781 11,842 4,846 1,092 – – – – 31,561
Saanich South Lib NDP 12,809 46.08% 429 1.54% 72.03% 12,380 12,809 2,018 223 – – 161 207 27,798
Shuswap Lib Lib 11,024 46.96% 2,743 11.68% 64.34% 11,024 8,281 1,394 – 356 2,330 – 92 23,477
Skeena Lib NDP 6,166 48.12% 359 2.80% 62.52% 5,807 6,166 616 – – – – 224 12,813
Surrey-Cloverdale Lib Lib 16,429 61.64% 8,789 32.97% 65.49% 16,429 7,640 2,280 305 – – – – 26,654
Surrey-Green Timbers Lib NDP 10,836 60.82% 5,217 29.28% 56.69% 5,619 10,836 791 142 225 – – 203 17,816
Surrey-Newton Lib NDP 10,741 57.89% 4,268 23.00% 60.42% 6,473 10,741 876 268 – – – 195 18,553
Surrey-Panorama Ridge Lib NDP 11,553 53.17% 2,980 13.71% 62.00% 8,573 11,553 1,370 – 234 – – – 21,730
Surrey-Tynehead Lib Lib 12,052 51.37% 2,583 11.01% 59.14% 12,052 9,469 1,095 – 243 – 603 – 23,462
Surrey-Whalley Lib NDP 8,903 55.00% 3,954 24.43% 54.95% 4,949 8,903 1,238 607 302 – 139 50 16,188
Surrey-White Rock Lib Lib 16,462 57.86% 8,951 31.46% 67.91% 16,462 7,511 3,051 87 – 1,340 – – 28,451
Vancouver-Burrard Lib Lib 12,009 42.16% 11 0.04% 51.95% 12,009 11,998 3,698 82 – – – 696 28,483
Vancouver-Fairview Lib NDP 13,009 46.59% 895 3.21% 60.64% 12,114 13,009 2,479 – – – 102 216 27,920
Vancouver-Fraserview Lib Lib 9,895 47.80% 1,112 5.37% 57.96% 9,895 8,783 1,374 – 650 – – – 20,702
Vancouver-Hastings NDP NDP 11,726 54.61% 4,816 22.43% 55.43% 6,910 11,726 1,928 – 188 – 130 589 21,471
Vancouver-Kensington Lib NDP 10,573 49.97% 1,624 7.67% 58.46% 8,949 10,573 1,273 – 266 – – 99 21,160
Vancouver-Kingsway Lib NDP 10,038 51.44% 2,144 10.99% 54.19% 7,894 10,038 1,212 – 219 – – 150 19,513
Vancouver-Langara Lib Lib 11,181 56.55% 4,661 23.57% 53.51% 11,181 6,520 1,591 – 144 – – 336 19,772
Vancouver-Mount Pleasant NDP NDP 12,974 64.24% 8,676 42.96% 49.93% 4,298 12,974 2,066 43 308 – 205 302 20,196
Vancouver-Point Grey Lib Lib 12,498 45.98% 2,250 8.28% 60.94% 12,498 10,248 4,111 – 138 – – 188 27,183
Vancouver-Quilchena Lib Lib 16,394 67.16% 11,263 46.14% 61.64% 16,394 5,131 2,538 – 175 – – 174 24,412
Victoria-Beacon Hill Lib NDP 16,081 57.03% 7,460 26.46% 64.12% 8,621 16,081 3,077 169 – – 247 – 28,195
Victoria-Hillside Lib NDP 13,926 57.00% 6,884 28.18% 62.74% 7,042 13,926 2,934 363 – – – 167 24,432
West Kootenay-Boundary Lib NDP 13,318 60.26% 7,138 32.30% 68.63% 6,180 13,318 1,561 – – 802 180 59 22,100
West Vancouver-Capilano Lib Lib 14,665 68.27% 10,765 50.11% 66.14% 14,665 3,900 2,648 – 147 – – 122 21,482
West Vancouver-Garibaldi Lib Lib 11,808 50.35% 5,573 23.76% 61.57% 11,808 4,947 6,235 – – 464 – – 23,454
Yale-Lillooet Lib NDP 8,432 48.90% 1,483 8.60% 66.97% 6,949 8,432 1,566 183 – – – 112 17,242
  1. ^ including spoilt ballots
  2. ^ parties receiving more than 1% of the popular vote, or fielding candidates in at least half of the constituencies, are listed separately. Democratic Reform is highlighted, as it received more votes than the Marijuana Party while having fewer candidates. Conservatives are also listed separately, as they achieved significant 3rd and 4th places in several districts.
  3. ^ Vicki Huntington received 8,043 votes
  4. ^ Paul Nettleton was the incumbent Liberal MLA in Prince George-Omineca.
  = Open seat
  = turnout is above provincial average
  = winning candidate was in previous Legislature
  = Incumbent had switched allegiance
  = Previously incumbent in another riding
  = Not incumbent; was previously elected to the Legislature
  = Incumbency arose from by-election gain
  = other incumbents renominated
  = previously an MP in the House of Commons of Canada
  = Multiple candidates

Summary analysis

[edit]
Party candidates in 2nd place[6]
Party in 1st place Party in 2nd place Total
Lib NDP Grn Ind
Liberal 44 1 1 46
New Democratic 33 33
Total 33 44 1 1 79
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party[6]
Parties 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
█ New Democratic 33 44 2
█ Liberal 46 33
█ Green 1 74 4
█ Independent 1 1 7 11
█ Conservative 2 5
█ Marijuana 25 15
█ Democratic Reform 22 6
█ Libertarian 2 3
█ Refederation 2
█ Social Credit 2
█ Freedom 1
█ Moderate Democratic Movement 1
█ Sex 1
█ Your Political Party 1
█ Reform 1
█ Unity 1
█ Work Less 8
█ People's Front 3
█ Platinum 2
█ Western Canada Concept 2
█ Youth Coalition 2
█ British Columbia Party 1
█ Communist 1
█ Emerged Democracy 1
█ Progressive Nationalist 1
Resulting composition of the 38th Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Source Party
Lib NDP Total
Seats retained Incumbents returned 36 1 37
Open seats held 10 1 11
Seats changing hands Incumbents defeated 20 20
Open seats gained - new MLAs 8 8
Open seats gained - taken by candidates who had previously been MLAs 2 2
Byelection gains held 1 1
Total 46 33 79

Results by region

[edit]
Party name Van. Van.
East
Sub. 		North
Shore/
Sun. C. 		Rich./
Delta/
Surrey 		Van.
Island 		Fraser
Valley 		Interior North Total
  BC Liberal Seats: 5 4 4 7 4 7 9 6 46
  Popular Vote: 44.3% 44.9% 49.6% 48.2% 40.7% 53.2% 44.9% 48.8% 45.8%
  New Democrats Seats: 5 4 1 5 9 1 6 2 33
  Popular Vote: 43.7% 45.3% 30.7% 39.6% 47.1% 35.2% 41.5% 38.7% 41.5%
Total seats: 10 8 5 12 13 8 15 8 79
Parties that won no seats:
Green Popular Vote: 9.6% 7.7% 18.0% 7.1% 9.6% 8.9% 8.6% 7.1% 9.2%
Democratic Reform Popular Vote: 0.1% 0.8% 0.1% 0.6% 1.4% 0.7% 0.9% 1.0% 0.8%
Marijuana Popular Vote: 0.9% 0.5% 0.5% 0.7% 0.3% 1.1% 0.7% 0.9% 0.7%
Conservative Popular Vote: - - 0.4% 0.1% - - 2.4% - 0.6%
Work Less Popular Vote: 0.4% - 0.2% xx 0.1% - - - 0.1%
Libertarian Popular Vote: 0.3% 0.1% - - - - - - 0.1%
Platinum Popular Vote: 0.1% 0.1% - xx - 0.2% - - xx
Refederation Popular Vote: - - 0.1% - 0.1% - - - xx
Social Credit Popular Vote: 0.1% 0.1% - - - - - - xx
Your Political Party Popular Vote: - 0.2% - - - - - - xx
Western Canada Concept Popular Vote: - - - - 0.1% - - - xx
People's Front Popular Vote: 0.1% - - - xx - xx xx xx
Youth Coalition Popular Vote: - - - - - 0.2% - - xx
Moderates Popular Vote: - - - - - 0.2% - - xx
Reform Popular Vote: - - 0.3% - - - - - xx
British Columbia Party Popular Vote: - - - 0.1% - - - 0.2% xx
Sex Popular Vote: 0.1% - - - - - - - xx
Bloc Popular Vote: - - - - - - 0.1% - xx
Freedom Popular Vote: - - - - xx 0.1% - - xx
Communist Popular Vote: xx - - xx - - xx - xx
Unity Popular Vote: - - - - - - - 0.2% xx
Emerged Democracy Popular Vote: - - - 0.1% - - - - xx
Patriot Popular Vote: - - - - - - xx - xx
  Independents/
No Affiliation 		Popular Vote: 0.2% 0.3% - 3.5% 0.5% 0.2% 0.7% 3.1% 1.0%

xx Denotes party received less than 0.1%

Timeline

[edit]

Pre-campaign period

[edit]
  • August 30, 2001 - Bill 7, Constitution Amendment Act is passed, fixing the date of the election at May 17, 2005.
  • November 13, 2002 - Liberal MLA Paul Nettleton accuses the government of a secret plan to privatize BC Rail as well the BC Hydro electric utility. He is removed from caucus several days later and sits as an Independent Liberal until the 2005 election, when he unsuccessfully ran in Prince George-Mount Robson against Shirley Bond. BC Rail was subsequently sold to CN in what other bidders have described as a corrupted process, and BC Hydro's administrative arm was sold to Accenture.
  • January 9, 2003 - Premier Gordon Campbell is arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol on Maui. Because drunk driving is not a criminal offence in the state of Hawaii, but only a misdemeanour, Campbell did not resign his seat as he would have had to in Canada, and due to pressure from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) he attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and a series of speaking engagements condemning drinking and driving.
  • November 23, 2003 - Carole James is elected as leader of the New Democratic Party of British Columbia.
  • December 28, 2003 - the RCMP execute search warrants on various locations in the Lower Mainland and Greater Victoria, including offices in the Parliament Buildings in Victoria, in relation to suspicious dealings in relation to the bidding process for the sale of BC Rail (see BC Legislature Raids).
  • March 22, 2004 - Liberal MLA Elayne Brenzinger quits the caucus citing a "secret agenda" being undertaken by Premier Campbell in relation to the sale of BC Rail.[7]
  • September 17, 2004 - Deputy Premier Christy Clark, whose house had been searched under warrant by the RCMP in connection with the BC Legislature Raids investigation, quits politics saying she wanted to spend more time with her family.
  • October 22, 2004 - New Democrat Jagrup Brar wins a by-election in Surrey-Panorama Ridge with 53.6% of the vote, a swing of 33.7% to the NDP from the 2001 result. One of Brar's competitors was Green leader Adriane Carr who captured 8.4% of the vote.
  • December 14, 2004 - In the wake of revelations he had been under surveillance by the RCMP in connection with dealings concerning the sale of BC Rail, Liberal Finance Minister Gary Farrell-Collins abruptly resigns from cabinet and the legislature despite having been named co-chair of the Liberal re-election campaign a month earlier. The move requires Premier Campbell to undertake a minor cabinet shuffle.
  • January 15, 2005 - The Democratic Reform British Columbia party is created out of a merger of the British Columbia Democratic Coalition and the All Nations Party of British Columbia. The party also boasts the support of key elements of the Reform Party of British Columbia. Prior to the official creation of this party, the Democratic Coalition and Reform BC jointly nominated a candidate for the Surrey-Panorama Ridge by-election.
  • January 19, 2005 - Independent MLA Elayne Brenzinger joins DRBC, adding a third party to the Legislative Assembly for the first time since Gordon Wilson folded his Progressive Democratic Alliance party and joined the NDP.
  • January 31, 2005 - Liberal MLA and then-cabinet minister Sandy Santori resigns from his seat in the Legislature in a dispute over the deletion of emails by Premier Gordon Campbell's Deputy Minister to the Premier, Ken Dobell.[8]
  • February 15, 2005 - New Liberal Finance Minister Colin Hansen introduces what is widely viewed as an "election budget" which promised $1.3 billion in new spending, tax cuts and an economic surplus.
  • March 11, 2005 - Attorney-General Geoff Plant announces that he will not seek re-election.
  • March 15, 2005 - Canadian Broadcasting Corporation board chair Carole Taylor announces that she will run for the Liberals in the riding of Vancouver-Langara. Premier Gordon Campbell endorses Taylor's candidacy.
  • March 29, 2005 - The consortium of television stations organizing the leaders' debate announces that the leaders of the Liberal, New Democratic, and Green parties will be invited to participate in the debate.
  • April 13, 2005 - The NDP and Green Party release their platforms in Victoria.

Campaign period

[edit]
  • April 19, 2005 - The writ of election is issued (not "dropped" as in past elections), dissolving the Legislature and beginning the official campaign period.
  • April 20, 2005 - The NDP becomes the first party to complete a province-wide nomination slate.
  • April 22, 2005 - NDP candidate Rollie Keith withdraws his candidacy in Chilliwack-Kent after telling the Vancouver Province that he was "impressed" when he met Slobodan Milošević and that he did not believe there had been war crimes committed in Kosovo.
  • May 3, 2005 - The leaders of the Liberal, NDP and Green parties meet in a televised debate. Commentators indicate the debate was either a draw or a win for Green leader Adriane Carr. An Ipsos-Reid poll conducted online following the debate showed that 33% of debate views thought the debate produced no clear winner, 31% felt NDP leader Carole James won, 23% felt Liberal leader Gordon Campbell won while only 12% saw Carr as the winner.
  • May 17, 2005 - CBC projects a BC Liberal majority government at 9:05 p.m. local time.
  • June 22, 2005 - Tim Stevenson, who lost to Lorne Mayencourt by 11 votes, asks the Supreme Court of British Columbia to order a new election in Vancouver-Burrard due to 70 ballots that could not be counted because they had not been initialed by election officials.

Opinion polls

[edit]

Voter intention polling

[edit]

Opinion polls during the 37th Parliament of British Columbia

Evolution of voting intentions at provincial level
Polling firm Last day
of survey 		Source Liberal NDP Green Unity Other ME Sample
Voting results 45.80 41.52 9.18 0.01 3.49
Strategic 11 May 2005 HTML 49 36 13 — 2 — —
Ipsos 10 May 2005 1 · 2 47 39 11 — 3 ± 3.5 1,050
Mustel 9 May 2005 HTML 45 40 12 — 3 — —
Robbins SCE 5 May 2005 HTML 39 40 13 — 8 — —
The writ of election is issued (19 April 2005)
Ipsos 26 April 2005 1 · 2 46 39 13 — 2 ± 3.5 1,050
Nordic 6 April 2005 HTML[usurped] 43 34 14 — 8 — —
Ipsos 14 March 2005 1 · 2 46 39 12 — 4 ± 3.5 800
Ipsos 30 November 2004 1 · PDF 44 41 12 0 3 ± 3.5 800
Ipsos 15 September 2004 1 · PDF 40 38 16 3 3 ± 3.5 800
Ipsos 7 July 2004 1 · 2 37 38 18 4 3 ± 3.5 800
Ipsos 7 March 2004 1 · 2 39 42 12 5 1 ± 3.5 800
Ipsos 8 December 2003 1 · PDF 41 37 14 5 4 ± 3.5 800
Carole James is elected as NDP leader (23 November 2003)
Ipsos 9 September 2003 1 · PDF 45 31 17 4 4 ± 3.5 800
Ipsos 12 May 2003 1 · PDF 44 28 18 5 5 ± 3.5 800
Ipsos 10 March 2003 1 · PDF 44 30 19 3 3 ± 3.5 800
Ipsos 13 January 2003 1 · PDF 41 34 18 3 4 ± 3.5 800
Ipsos 9 December 2002 1 · PDF 44 31 17 5 3 ± 3.5 800
Ipsos 11 September 2002 HTML 43 28 19 5 5 ± 3.5 800
Ipsos 11 June 2002 HTML 48 25 18 5 5 ± 3.5 800
Ipsos 8 May 2002 1 · 2 45 27 20 4 4 ± 3.5 800
Ipsos 11 March 2002 1 · 2 48 28 16 3 5 ± 3.5 800
Ipsos 10 December 2001 1 · 2 50 21 17 8 3 ± 3.5 800
Ipsos 21 September 2001 HTML 62 15 14 3 5 — —
Joy MacPhail is appointed as NDP interim leader (16 June 2001)
Election 2001 57.62 21.56 12.39 3.23 5.20

Besides the usual public polling by market research firms, other organizations have been attempting to predict the results of the upcoming election using alternate methods. Results suggest that all three projections below underestimated NDP seats and overestimated Liberal seats:

UBC's Election Stock Market tracks the prices of contracts whose value depend on election results: [1]
Popular vote: Lib 44.5%, NDP 35.9%, Green 13.9%, Other 5.3%
Seats: Lib 48.6 (61.5), NDP 29.4 (37.2), Other 1.6 (2.0)
(values in parentheses are values of actual contracts, in cents)

The Election Prediction Project aggregates submissions from the Internet and subjectively predicts winners based on the submissions (see methodology):
Seats: Lib 50, NDP 29, Other 0

Will McMartin at the progressive online newspaper The Tyee makes his predictions by looking at "historic election results and selected demographics, as well as public opinion polls, regional sources and input from Election Central readers" (see details):
Seats: Lib 51, NDP 28, Other 0.

Political parties

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British Columbia has Canada's least restrictive elections laws with regard to political party registration, and consequently there are currently nearly 50 parties registered with Elections BC, by far the most of any jurisdiction in the country. Twenty-five parties contested the 2005 election, also a considerably greater number than anywhere else in Canada.

See also: List of political parties in Canada § British Columbia

British Columbia Liberal Party

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Leader: Gordon Campbell

The BC Liberals won 77 of 79 seats in the 2001 election. At dissolution, the party held 72 seats. One member elected as a Liberal left the party to sit as a member of Democratic Reform British Columbia; one member elected as a Liberal left to sit as an independent; the party lost one by-election to the opposition New Democratic Party; and two former Liberal seats were vacant when the election was called. In 2005 election, the Liberal party dropped from 72 to 46 seats in the legislature, yet still won the election.

New Democratic Party of British Columbia

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Leader: Carole James

The NDP's legislative caucus was reduced from a majority to just two seats in the 2001 election. It won another seat in an October 2004 by-election to bring the total to three. Carole James led the NDP to 33 seats to become the Leader of the Opposition.

Green Party of British Columbia

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Leader: Adriane Carr

The Green Party ran 72 candidates in 2001, winning 12 percent of the vote but no seats in the legislature. Some argued that the Green Party support peaked in 2001, drawing on dissatisfied NDP voters, and they would remain incapable of winning a seat in 2005 under the First-Past-the-Post system; others believed that if there had been four or more competitive parties in this election, the Greens might elect a handful of members. Alternatively, if they had received more votes, they would have been more likely to win a seat. The Greens may benefit if a later election is conducted using the proposed BC-STV system. In 2005, the Greens received 9% of the popular vote and no seats.

Democratic Reform British Columbia

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Leader: Tom Morino

Democratic Reform British Columbia is a new party created in early 2005 by the merger of the British Columbia Democratic Coalition—a coalition of minor centrist parties— with the All Nations Party of British Columbia and key elements of the Reform BC. Independent MLA Elayne Brenzinger, a former Liberal, became DRBC's first MLA on January 19, 2005. Controversially, no invitation was extended for Morino to participate in the leader's debate.

British Columbia Marijuana Party

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Leader: Marc Emery

The BC Marijuana Party nominated 43 candidates in this election. It was the only party other than the Liberals and NDP to run candidates in all 79 districts in 2001. The party chose not to run in certain districts and instead endorse New Democrat and Green candidates who publicly favour the legalization of marijuana. Party founder Marc Emery ran against Solicitor General Rich Coleman, an anti-drug hardliner, in staunchly conservative Fort Langley-Aldergrove. He gained controversy early in the campaign for claiming that the government spends too much money on senior citizens.

Minor parties

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Work Less Party of British Columbia

Leader: Conrad Schmidt

The WLP is an anti-materialist political movement that hopes to achieve socialist and green ends through, among other things, the promotion of a four-day work-week. The 2005 BC election marked the debut in Western politics of any registered party expressly driven by the ideology of voluntary simplicity. It nominated 11 candidates, all in urban ridings.

 

Platinum Party of Employers Who Think and Act to Increase Awareness

Leader: Jeff Evans

Nominated eleven candidates.

 

British Columbia Conservative Party

Leader: Barry Chilton

Nominated seven candidates. Former provincial affiliate of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada

 

British Columbia Libertarian Party

No registered leader

Nominated six candidates. Provincial affiliate of the Libertarian Party of Canada

 

People's Front

Leader: Charles Boylan

Nominated five candidates. Provincial affiliate of the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist).

 

Western Refederation Party of British Columbia

No registered leader

A new autonomist/separatist party that nominated four candidates around the province.

 

Communist Party of British Columbia

Leader: George Gidora

Nominated three candidates. Provincial affiliate of the Communist Party of Canada.

 

Sex Party

Leader: John Ince

Nominated three candidates in the City of Vancouver. Billed itself as "the world's first sex-positive party."

 

Bloc British Columbia Party

Leader: Paddy Roberts

Libertarian separatist movement. Nominated three candidates in the Interior.

 

British Columbia Social Credit Party

No registered leader

Although Social Credit governed British Columbia for most of the period from 1952 to 1991, the party is now a minor party, with little organization or support. It nominated the minimum two candidates in order to retain party status this election.

 

Freedom Party of British Columbia

Leader: Kenneth Montgomery Keillor

Nominated two candidates.

 

British Columbia Patriot Party

Leader: Andrew Hokhold

Nominated two candidates.

 

Western Canada Concept Party of British Columbia

Leader: Doug Christie

Although the WCC did not run in the 2001 election, it has been a constant, if minor, force in the BC political fringes for decades. Christie, its controversial leader, and a second candidate were nominated by the party in Greater Victoria.

 

British Columbia Party

Leader: Grant Mitton

The BC Party is also a relatively old minor party, one of several populist conservative organizations that attempted to fill the vacuum after the collapse of Social Credit in the mid-nineties. This was the first election in which it nominated candidates. It nominated two candidates. A third possible candidate, Summer Davis in Surrey-Tynehead, ran as an independent.

 

British Columbia Moderate Democratic Movement

No registered leader

The majority of the Moderates, including leader Matthew Laird, joined DRBC. The party's registration did not lapsed, however. The two candidates running under its banner opposed the merger.

 

British Columbia Youth Coalition

No registered leader.

Nominated two candidates.

 

British Columbia Unity Party

Interim Leader: Daniel Stelmacker

BC Unity finished fourth in 2001, winning slightly over 3% of the vote with a slate of 56 candidates. It stood poised to potentially benefit from right-of-centre voters disenchanted with Campbell, but instead fell victim to serious internal division following a failed merger with the BC Conservative Party, which led to Chris Delaney's resignation as party leader. It appointed Daniel Stelmacker as its interim leader until it can hold a full leadership convention in the autumn of 2005. Stelmacker was its only nominated candidate, in Skeena riding.

 

Reform Party of British Columbia

No registered leader

Aborted mergers with BC Unity and DRBC drained supporters left and right from BC Reform, leaving only a tiny core of what was briefly BC's third party. Party founder Ron Gamble was the party's sole candidate in North Vancouver-Lonsdale.

 

Your Political Party of British Columbia

Leader: James Filippelli

YPP appears to be a one-man political movement; its website made mention of no figures other than Filippelli, the party's founder and leader, who was its sole candidate in this election. He ran in Port Moody-Westwood.

 

Emerged Democracy Party of British Columbia

Leader: Tony Luck

Nominated one candidate, Rob Nordberg, in Surrey-Green Timbers.

References

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  1. ^ "Statement of Votes - 38th Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 25, 2023. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  2. ^ "Elections BC and Elections Canada will Amalgamate Voters Lists" (PDF). Victoria, British Columbia: Elections British Columbia. May 21, 2004. Retrieved March 30, 2011.
  3. ^ Elections BC 2005, p. 24.
  4. ^ a b c "B.C. Voter Participation: 1983 to 2013" (PDF). Elections BC. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 28, 2019. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
  5. ^ Elections BC 2005, pp. 37–39.
  6. ^ a b Elections BC 2005, pp. 25–36.
  7. ^ Hansard, October 6, 2004, quoted in the BC Legislature Raids blog
  8. ^ "Delete button wipes out 'transparency' in government: Called for 'thorough, complete, diligent investigation'", Michael Smyth, The Province June 25, 2009, quoted in the BC Legislature Raids blog

Further reading

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