They say the one time a candidate doesn’t want to discuss the issues is during an election.
Judging by Monday’s party leaders’ debate, when the opening question – and probably the most hardball question of the evening – concerned Liberal boss Christy Clark California-stopping a red light, it doesn’t look like this provincial election is going to get voters sitting on the edge of their seats unless someone makes a serious faux pas before May 14.
One can’t help wonder why, now that the race is on, there is such scant discussion about education and health care – provincial issues that were perpetually contentious leading up to the drop of the writ.
Instead, the debate participants danced around the major issues important to most British Columbians. In short, they used up a lot of time and a lot of words saying very little.
Party leaders appear to be avoiding anything controversial and sticking to their scripts, each hoping their voter base will be enough to pull them past the post first.
If there was ever a time for want-to-be politicians to hope voters have been lulled to sleep, this is it.
Especially when the leaders haven’t presented solid business plans backed by hard figures explaining how taxpayers are going to foot the bill for this province over the next four years.
And judging by the lack of discussion about the election or its issues on the streets or in social media, it looks like voter apathy is alive and well with each party’s faithful the only people tuned in to the campaign.
Everyone else must be out enjoying the spring weather or watching the Vancouver Canucks in the first round of hockey playoffs.
There’s still two weeks of campaigning left, and one can only hope voters get a shot of enthusiasm and press those running for office on what’s important.