Bill’s amazing predictions for 2018

Welcome to 2018 and Bill Amazing Predictions.

With an uncanny success rate, (or was that failure rate?) read on to find out what 2018 has in store.

I predict there will be municipal elections this fall. OK, that one’s not too much of a stretch. But I also predict that Mayor Lyn Hall will be returned for his second term in office. I was asked by Allan Wishart on the CFIS Community Radio’s After Nine program last week whether I thought anyone would run against Hall. My response was not if they’re serious about becoming mayor.

Hall has definitely changed the tone at City Hall and perhaps one of his best accomplishments has been to get the diverse group of individuals, known as city council, to row in the same direction.

Hall set the tone early in his term and council responded. The result has been some major accomplishments.

Hall will be back for a second term. You heard it here first.

I predict that at least six of the current eight city councillors will seek re-election, if not all. As I mentioned above, council has responded to Hall’s leadership and we are now seeing a council that seems to enjoy each other’s company … a rarity in itself.

This council has worked well together and seem to be enjoying what they are doing. I don’t see too many of them wanting to change. However, circumstances sometimes arise. Coun. Jillian Merrick, who has proven herself to be one of the most capable councillors, is spending half her time here and half her time in Wells. That can be wearing and might have an impact on whether she runs again.

Coun. Murry Krause and Coun. Frank Everitt both retired from their day jobs in 2017 which could be a factor. Everitt has been appointed to the Northern Health Board so he’s sticking around and staying involved, which suggests another term on council. Krause also looks like he will run again.

I predict new prospective councillors will likely have to topple an incumbent to get a seat at the table.

I predict that we will vote in a provincial referendum on proportional representation this year. OK, another no-brainer. It’s hard to predict how that will turn out given that the NDP government hasn’t told us exactly what we will be voting on.

I do predict, however, that whatever is chosen the Liberal opposition will claim it to be The End of Days and wildly scream so across the land, or at least on their screamer media channels.

I also predict that we won’t go to the polls provincially in 2018. B.C.’s minority government will hold together for another year, primarily because Andrew Weaver and the Greens want, more than anything, the vote on proportional representation to pass. They want it to pass as badly as the Liberals want it to fail, so they’re not going to scuttle the boat until it’s clear whether they’re going to go down with it or not.

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