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BC NDP review blames 2013 election loss on 'positive campaign' shortcomings

Party leader Adrian Dix announced in September that he is resigning, but will stay in position until 2014.
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BC NDP leader Adrian Dix

The BC NDP's loss in May's provincial election was the fault of a "positive campaign" and the lack of a clear message, a four-person review panel said on Friday.

The Election Review Panel, created by the BC NDP and leader Adrian Dix, polled 3,000 party and campaign members. It also put forth 47 recommendations for the NDP ahead of the 2017 provincial election (CBC News).

The panel's chair Cindy Oliver said the loss was caused by "challenges around polling, communication our platform, conducting a positive campaign, voter contract and data systems, and shortcomings in our ability to community effectively with ethnic voters."

Dix announced in September that was stepping down as leader of the BC NDP, but he will lead the party into the new year.

"It has become clear to me that the best interests of our party mean that I need to step aside for a new leader who can lead us to victory in 2017," Dix said on September 18, 2013. "It is my hope that a leadership vote can be held by mid-2014 at the latest, though of course any final decision on timing will be made by the NDP."

It's now the BC NDP's job to not only find a new leader for the next election, but to avoid a situation that forces them to appoint another review panel in 2017, too.

"Find people who can do this and then let them do it," Dale Bass wrote in Kamloops This Week in September, on how the NDP can more forward by embracing its past – a past that includes federal NDP and Canadian healthcare pioneer Tommy Douglas.

"Take the controls off them and let them speak in a way I suspect Dix wanted to during the past campaign, but was told doing so would not get him elected.

"Stand out from the others and give voters a true choice.

"Or, keep losing."