BC War Room
Sitka Media
This B.C. election, take a step inside the campaign.Two Strategists. Two sides. One Election.Welcome to the B.C. War Room.Hosted by NDP Strategist Michael Gardiner and Conservative Strategist Azim Jiwani.No scripts. No Talking points. Just raw insider Analysis.
Episodes
Debate Night Hits The War Room
Day 23 of the BC War Room from Sitka Media. On debate day, Michael Gardiner and Azim Jiwani are joined by Taleeb Noormohamed, MP for Vancouver Granville, to size up what's at stake in tonight's leaders' debate and the federal-provincial relationship to come. They debate who would be Ottawa's better partner on major projects, clash over DRIPA and resource development, unpack the $10-a-day childcare story and have a spirited exchange about leadership and faith communities.
Battleground Surrey
Ep 10 of the BC War Room from Sitka Media. On the eve of the leaders' debate, Michael Gardinerand Azim Jiwani are joined by Barinder Bhullar of Mainland Strategies to break down Surrey: 10ridings, a 22-vote margin that decided the last government and a city voting in both municipal and provincial elections within eight days. They cover how Surrey's campaigns organize, why the city rewards and punishes governments, and the economic and healthcare issues driving voters.
Underdog Stories With Christy Clark
Day 18 of the BC War Room from Sitka Media. Former Premier Christy Clark joins Michael Gardiner and Azim Jiwani at the campaign's halfway mark to talk about the snap election call, her 2013 comeback, what Lorne Doerkson and David Eby need to do at next week's debate, the battle for women voters and Surrey, and how a new premier keeps a broad coalition and caucus together.
Campaign Gaffes
Day 8 of BC War Room. David Eby and Lorne Doerkson took competing economic plans to Surrey onthe same day, while Emily Lowan pitched a levy on fortunes over $50 million. Michael Gardiner and Azim Jiwani break down who each plan is built for, what the polls are saying six days before the debate and the gaffes of the campaign so far, from the timing of the election call to the ICBC letter to trial lawyers.
Master-Debaters
Day 16 of BC War Room. With the only leaders' debate of the campaign set for October 14, MichaelGardiner and Azim Jiwani go inside the week before the debate: the prep, the mock sessions and thespin. Why does a three-leader stage squeeze David Eby? What should Lorne Doerkson and EmilyBC War Room — Day 16 copy package 2Lowan do to win the night? And can a single line still change a campaign, as Gordon Wilson's did in1991?
Target Candidates Pt2
Day 15 of the BC snap election cycle. With 18 days until British Columbians vote on October 24, Michael Gardinerand Azim Jiwani break down the target ridings that will decide the election, from the North and theTri-Cities to Richmond, Delta and the battleground of Surrey. Plus, the NDP's tax message, thehealthcare debate and Quebec's stunning election night, where the CAQ was wiped off the map.
Target Candidates Pt1
Nominations are closed and the ballot is set: 355 candidates across 93 ridings. On Day 14, Azim Jiwani and Michael Gardiner work through the map region by region, from Kelowna Centre and Langley-Willowbrook to Vancouver-Yaletown and Vancouver Island. They pick out the swing ridings that will decide who governs British Columbia on October 24 and ask whether OneBC or Centre BC can play spoiler anywhere.
BC's Favourite Mayor
Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West, chair of the TransLink Mayors' Council, joins the BC War Room on Day 11of the campaign. West breaks down the NDP's rocky start to the snap election, the confusion of running amunicipal campaign at the same time as a provincial one, and the welcome shift toward an economy-focused race — along with what both parties have left out: how their announcements translate into a betterlife for working British Columbians.He also makes the case that neither party is being honest about BC's deficit, arguing that "growing our wayout" would require growth no jurisdiction has ever achieved; weighs in on the court ruling that struck downdrug legislation and the talk of using the notwithstanding clause; and responds to a recent column callinghim a "normal" politician.Hosted by Michael Gardiner (Current Public Affairs, former executive director of the BC NDP) and AzimJiwani. The BC War Room from Sitka Media runs every weekday morning at 9 AM until voting day.
Housing Policy: You Can't handle The Truth.
It's housing day in the War Room — and the show's first-ever guest joins the desk. Beau Jarvis,President and CEO of Westgroup Properties, takes on David Eby's 2% unsold-condo tax (“politicalopportunism”), the collapse in Metro Vancouver pre-sales — from roughly 4,000 a quarter to just 62— and the 30% of a new home's cost that's already government fees, levies, and taxes. Plus: LNGCanada's Phase 2 green light in Kitimat, tightening polls 23 days out from the October 24 vote, andwhy a Conservative and a New Democrat both think it's time to pause the step code. Hosted by IzamJiwani, former Chief of Staff for the Conservative Party of BC, and Michael Gardiner, formerExecutive Director of the BC NDP. New episodes every weekday morning at 9 AM until voting day.
It's The Economy, Stupid.
Both leaders have promised to double resource production, David Eby on critical minerals and Lorne Doerkson on LNG, and Michael Gardiner and Azim Jiwani disagree on which promise is more achievable and whether Dirksen's plan to cut environmental standards helps him or Eby. They also cover candidate vetting under a snap election, the Eby–Carney LNG Canada announcement, whether Dirksen has won over federal Liberal swing voters, and the issue of the day: Eby's proposed tax on unsold new condos. 0:00 Cold open 2:26 Inside the campaigns 24:22 Issue of the Day Michael Gardiner is an NDP strategist and former Executive Director of the BC NDP. Azim Jiwani is a Conservative strategist and former Chief of Staff to the Conservative Party of BC. BC War Room is produced by Sitka Media.
How Did We Get Here?
In the first episode of BC War Room, NDP strategist Michael Gardiner and Conservative strategist Azim Jiwani review the first week of the BC election campaign, from David Eby's rocky start to Lorne Doerkson rise.They break down the ballot box question, the fight for centrist and Green votes, and where the two sides disagree on the Conservatives and the deficit.0:00 Cold open1:31 Inside the campaigns15:16 Issue of the day: the ballot box question25:47 Trend lineMichael Gardiner is an NDP strategist and former Executive Director of the BC NDP. Azim Jiwani is a Conservative strategist and former Chief of Staff to the Conservative Party of BC. BC War Room is produced by Sitka Media.