Bill’s Eerily Inaccurate Predictions for 2017

It’s the end of the year and that means it’s time for Bill’s Eerily Inaccurate Predictions for 2017.

As I gaze into my crystal ball (actually got one for Christmas … well, it’s a window ornament and it has as much clairvoyance as I do, so it will work), I will boldly predict what will happen in the coming year.

I will go out on a limb with my first prediction. More celebrities will die and we will bemoan the fact that it’s been a tough year on celebrities. Thank goodness we have Twitter etc. so we can talk about how Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds’ death one day apart affected us even though we never met either of them. Whew, was thinking about volunteering at the food bank, good thing a trending tweet intervened. I almost looked up from my screen.

My next amazing prediction: There will be a provincial election in 2017. Wow, really went out on a limb on that one. What’s that? Who’s going to win? My window ornament/crystal ball doesn’t give up answers that easily.

However, if the election was held today, I’d have to say the Christy Clark Liberals would be re-elected. And that is a true crystal ball prognostication. I just get that feeling. That being said, a lot can happen in the next five months.

Right now the B.C. economy is ticking along just fine because of, if you’re a Liberal, the Liberals, or if you’re not a Liberal, in spite of the Liberals. The Liberals will be boasting about the economy, and job, jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs, and, for something completely different, jobs. They have finally gotten smart in their messaging, though. The Liberal mantra of “one million jobs by 2020,” which was altered to “one million jobs by 2022,” and then altered to “one million jobs by 2025,” is now “one million jobs in the next 10 years.” Good job. Now they don’t have to change the letterhead every time they change the goalposts.

The biggest asset Christy Clark has going for her heading into the election is what I call the “Trump effect.” We used to call it Teflon. Clark has that amazing ability of being able to say, and do, pretty much whatever she wants and nothing sticks to her. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is getting raked over the coals these days for $1,500-a-plate cash-for-access fundraisers. Here in B.C. the Liberals would be ashamed of a $1,500-a-plate cash-for-access dinner … that’s more like a charity dinner for the B.C. Liberals. Hey, here in B.C. we like to lead the country in everything, even selling our souls.

B.C. NDP leader John Horgan has just over five months to emerge as a viable alternative to the Liberals, a task made tougher by the fact the mainstream media pretty much ignores him.

So who will emerge victorious in May? Good question, wish I knew.

Here in Prince George, though, I think it’s safe to predict that Shirley Bond will retain her Prince George-Valemount seat. Bond has managed to elevate herself to that enviable position for politicians … people vote for her rather than the party.

Over in Prince George-Mackenzie, Mike Morris may be a little more vulnerable. Morris has done well in his first term, getting elevated to Justice Minister halfway through the term. If the NDP can find a good candidate, the seat may be “in play,” as they say.

The only prediction I’m willing to put money on is that there will be an election. The others? Well, let’s just say my crystal ball looks good when the sun catches it the right way.