Three provincial parties — the NDP, Greens and Liberals — have dominated headlines leading to today’s election, but with 12 other parties also on the ballots, voters needn’t feel limited to choosing orange, green or blue.
The fringe parties often tout non-mainstream issues — like the Sex Party’s argument that the environmental crisis is fuelled by sexual frustration — but others promote issues on the minds of many British Columbians.
• The Communist Party of B.C. is demanding an end to outsourcing jobs, expanded Employment Insurance with benefits at 90 per cent of former earnings, a shorter workweek and a moratorium on evictions.
• Your Political Party of B.C. calls for more government accountability and transparency by publicizing spending and making campaign promises legally binding.
• The Work Less Party aims to promote a better sense of community and mental health by reducing the workweek from five to four days.
• The Sex Party wants to repeal what it calls “sex-negative laws” and regulations, and legalizing and regulating the sex trade.
• The B.C. Marijuana Party, which is led by Marc Emery and flies under the banner “Overgrowing the Government,” believes that marijuana prohibition is undemocratic and calls for its legalization.
• The Western Canada Concept Party of B.C. calls for an independent Western Canada, and an end to immigration to “preserve” B.C.’s Christian culture and European heritage.
