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Blink and you may miss it

In case you missed it — and with election overload, nobody would blame you — the provincial NDP elected a new leader Sunday evening. Adrian Dix will now carry the opposition party into a provincial election when that hammer drops as early as this fall.

In case you missed it — and with election overload, nobody would blame you — the provincial NDP elected a new leader Sunday evening. Adrian Dix will now carry the opposition party into a provincial election when that hammer drops as early as this fall.

Only the keenest political observers woke up Monday morning to scour websites for details on the NDP outcome. It’s pretty safe to say more folks were engaged in watercooler talk about the Canucks’ Game 3 victory in Chicago.

The urge to shrug it off is natural, but the choice by NDP party members is important and will impact your life in some way over the next year.

To start with, Dix represents a whole new direction for the provincial NDP. A tireless watchdog and critic of the provincial Liberals in the last two terms, his vision is distinctively left. He is not centrist like former NDP leader Carole James or Mike Farnworth, the man he narrowly beat on Sunday.

Dix is much different and so too will be the next provincial election campaign. When Dix and new Liberal leader Christy Clark square off, there will be no guesswork about what direction they want to take the province. The contrast will be obvious and you will be part of making the choice for British Columbia’s future.

The biggest local cheers could be heard from core Michelle Mungall supporters. The Nelson-Creston MLA is part of the Dix team and her stock in Victoria immediately rose when the final count came in Sunday. If the NDP gain power, it should be assumed Mungall will get a coveted cabinet post. Even if the NDP don’t win, this part of the province all of a sudden became more important on the political map.

Election overload is understandable, but it doesn’t let you off the hook. With municipal elections slated for the fall, 2011 is clearly the Year of the X. It’s not going away so make sure you get involved so you can make a difference.

Nelson Star