The BC Liberals meanwhile tore up union contracts for teachers and health care workers, broke their promise not to privatize BC Rail, closed hospitals and public services and cut taxes for the well-to-do. Meanwhile, Carole James was introducing and prioritizing progressive policies such as a provincial child care plan (something that finally came to fruition during her time as Finance Minister in the John Horgan government). Despite their actions that hurt average people, the BC Liberals were confident the weakened NDP would pose little problem to them in the 2005 provincial election. But they were wrong. James led the NDP to a remarkable comeback, with 33 seats and 41.5% of the popular vote, just 4% less that the BC Liberals’ tally. Key turning point: During a Leaders debate, Gordon Campbell to Carole James: “Ms. James, you should understand — this is a big job and it is hard to get a handle on it.” This patronizing remark helped ignite the rise in the polls.

There is no possible way to sugarcoat this one. In the 2001 election, the BC Liberals won over 57% of the popular vote, and an unprecedented 77 of the 79 seats in the provincial legislature—the largest victory in the province’s electoral history. The NDP went from 39 seats to two. That said… despite not having official party status (four seats were needed for that), Joy MacPhail (Vancouver-Hastings) and Jenny Kwan (Vancouver-Mount Pleasant) managed to keep the government’s feet to the fire. Brilliantly! And through doing so shifted the question from could the party recover… to how quickly!