Congratulatory note to Mr. Lorne Doerkson on being elected as the next Premier of British Columbia

After nearly 100 years British Columbia will form a conservative government. To say that this is a historic moment would be an understatement. As premier Eby exits the administration , BC finds itself at crossroads. Its relations with its neighbour and biggest trading partner are at an all time low. Its strategy for economic growth seems to be too heavily reliant on raw material export (natural gas and minerals including rare earths) putting it in direct competition with nations who can offer the same exports at a lower price.

Despite being a province that generates 98% of clean electrical energy, BC has remained a service based economy which not only limits its potential but also creates severe problems with differentiation especially in an era where service sectors are going to be impacted by AI.

A massive 29% of BC population is made up of immigrants that has caused the cost of living to go up. This was reflected in the elections as nearly 52% of the people didn't even bother to vote.

Not helping the matters are concerns regarding law and order including Premier Eby’s ill planned tactic of legalising hard drugs that was given validation by the BC supreme court. Even more concerning is the existence of terrorist organisations that seem to have gained a greater hold following unchecked immigration.

Premier Doerkson has resonated with the people of BC and his victory is nothing short of extraordinary given how the party was facing an internal split a few months prior to elections. The real challenge facing him would be balancing his election promises with the long term vision that may require some tough decisions.

While the NDP remains the leading opposition party this election has recognised the green party as a political force. Could the green party take up issues that neither the conservative nor NDP find appealing? International and provincial level cooperation between universities and researchers. Collaborative technological advancement and creation of a new economic bloc with nations in Africa and LATAM may be some very risky ventures. But if successful it could make the Green party a force to be reckoned with and position BC as a major geopolitical power.

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Akshat Jiwan Sharma

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