Kamloops’ record as bellwether riding remains unblemished

“Unbelievable,” June Phillips said as we passed in the throng at Tuesday night’s Stone-Lake celebration in Hotel 540.

Surely, I said, the woman who ran Kevin Krueger’s constituency office for years must have been confident of a Liberal return to government. She confessed her surprise at the outcome, though she said Krueger was sure of it.

Her response was typical in that room. The Liberals crowding around, laughing and shouting, might have thought Todd Stone was going to win Kamloops-South Thompson. And they might have thought Terry Lake had a shot at holding onto Kamloops-North Thompson. But nobody expected an easy Liberal majority.

Once again, Kamloops is the bellwether. Does that mean we lead, or that we follow the pack? It doesn’t matter. The record is unblemished. We’re sending two more members of the governing party to represent us in Victoria.

Those who assume Lake will be back in cabinet have it right. He pulled one out of the fire, and that combined with his record as environment minister make it a sure thing.

But anyone thinking Stone will be there with him is mistaken. Despite his years of faithful service to the party, he’s too green. And Clark will have to spread cabinet jobs around geographically, so appointing both Kamloops MLAs to the executive council isn’t likely, at least right now.

But within two years, he’ll probably be rewarded with a cabinet portfolio anyway.

After all, how can a bellwether be denied?