Ahh, the chance of a federal election is looming right around the corner. Just what we all needed.
All right, enough with the joking around ... but that’s exceedingly difficult, knowing that the state of the federal parties in the mid-Island seem to be laughable at best.
That is, with the exception of the Conservatives and current MP James Lunney.
Agree with his politics or not, Lunney has held onto the Nanaimo-Parksville MP’s seat quite handily — all the while having spent near the top of the heap in travel and otherwise remained a good, little quiet soldier for Stephen Harper.
Nothing spectacular, but solid service to his party.
Now, who else is there to vote for?
If you believe recent phone polling in our area, our choices are limited to the candidates who ran in the last federal election.
Listen to those owls — Who? Who?
Exactly. The other federal parties do not have a big presence here — other than the New Democrats, who are rolling out Zeni Maartman again. You’d think one big loss to Lunney would be enough, but she’s back for more.
The Green party kind of blends in to the scenery around here — no word from them as of late. And the Liberals ... well ... they can do better than run a candidate who all but conceded the election to Lunney the last time around.
No, Nanaimo-Parkville is not a dynamic federal political hotbed. There’s little passion or commitment from many of the parties.
James Lunney probably likes it that way.
Steven Heywood is the editor of the Parksville Qualicum Beach News. He lives in Parksville.