An NDP campaigner called me before the BC election

Like their party leader, it turns out they didn't even want to engage

Days before BC’s provincial election on October 19—from which we still do not have a final result—I received a phone call from a New Democratic Party (NDP) campaigner.

Her voice was bubbly: “Are you planning to vote this Saturday?” she asked, after announcing that she was with the NDP.

“Yes. I’m voting Conservative,” I answered.

There was a brief silence. “Oh,” she replied, her voice falling flat. “Have a good day, then.” She hung up.

I was taken aback by her failure to engage. Why didn’t she try to find out why I wanted to vote for another party? Why didn’t she want to see if there was an issue I cared about that turned me off of the NDP?

It’s possible that she was unskilled and underprepared to deal with anyone who picked up the phone and wasn’t an outright NDP supporter—but this would defeat the purpose of her being a campaigner at all. What’s more likely, I think, is that the party’s campaign callers were not encouraged—or were even actively discouraged—from engaging with voters announcing their support of John Rustad’s Conservative Party of BC.

If I’m right, her dismissive reaction certainly aligns with the antics of Premier David Eby, who spent the entire campaign period running attack ads and referring to opponents as anti-vaxxers, conspiracy theorists, bigots, racists, and more.

We are approaching crisis levels of political polarization in the province, and in Canada at large. Swathes of us have become incapable of engaging with persons or ideas that we believe to be, or have been told, are wrong. It has been normalized to hate the people we disagree with.

In the single televised debate of BC’s election, Eby took it as an opportunity to deride and dismiss his political rivals. He demonstrated such disdain for their views that it became clear he finds anyone who disagrees with him to be morally repugnant. That is no way to lead a party or a province. Voters, it seems, agree: Eby’s strong majority was ripped from the grasp of his long, alien-like fingers.

Just look at those things.

Look, I can’t pretend that I don’t mock and deride my opponents. Often. Some say too often. (Jokes are funny, okay?) But it’s not about that so much as it is about the refusal to engage in debate at all. Or the refusal to acknowledge that your opponents have made a point worthy of response.

It’s irresponsible for political leaders to mock and deride while also refusing to engage with the ideas and counter arguments to their positions and policies.

If your position is truly the moral, righteous, and evidence-based position, then prove it. Based on the level of vitriol and contempt Eby showed toward’s Rustad’s positions, his counter arguments should have practically written themselves.

You have a point? Prove it, then.

Otherwise I am going to assume that you’re nothing more than a haughty ideologue with tyrannical aspirations.

BC NDP leader David Eby looking mighty sad at the end of election night.

Thanks for reading!

Amy

xo