Some of the New Democratic Party's most impressive elected people are from British Columbia. They form much of the core of the current federal caucus. And (like their federal cousins) the provincial party has been rebuilding successfully from a nadir. They now have a similarly impressive team.

The B.C. Liberals' promo hype about British Columbia being the greatest spot in the known world was, on face value, ridiculous enough. Try selling the "greatest place on Earth" bullshit to the one in four kids living in poverty, or those sleeping in the rain, or huddled in alleyways in the Downtown Eastside.

Maybe this violation of the deadly sin of pride in part explains the meltdown of the political establishment in recent days. It could just as easily have been greed, or gluttony, both aptly describing the underlying motivation of the recent Olympic madness. The others, wrath, sloth, lust and envy, apply in nearly equal measure.

Hearing Carole James declare that the challenge to her leadership is over -- because the NDP's Provincial Council backed her -- reminds me of George Bush on the U.S. air craft carrier with the huge "Mission Accomplished" sign behind him after the initial attack in Iraq.

Talk about not getting it.

The NDP is now on suicide watch as James and Moe Sihota with James' staff (eager to keep their jobs) egging her on, try to silence principled people in the party who know there has to be a change.

So Carole James thinks meeting with business is going to help her look like a leader. Good luck with that. No one will take this sad effort seriously -- not her supporters, who want her to represent them which means against the reactionary interests of business. And certainly not business who will only be impressed with an NDP leader when said leader commits hari kari for ever having had the temerity to challenge the Liberal party. This isn't just a waste of time -- it is embarrassing and counterproductive.

How does humiliating yourself -- essentially apologizing to the most reactionary business class in Canada - make you look like a leader?

Even though Gordon Campbell's B.C. Liberal government has been one of the most right wing in Canada -- and despite significant economic decline -- Campbell's Liberals have been re-elected for a third majority term. At only 48%, the voter turnout was the worst ever. Both those discouraging results merit serious reflection.

Campbell's Liberals secured 46% of the popular vote and 49 seats, versus 42% of the vote and 36 seats for the NDP. The NDP picked up three more seats than they had in 2005 and their popular vote was up slightly from 41% in 2005. The Greens only drew 8% of votes. As in the 2005 election, the Green vote declined and the Green campaign seemed less relevant than ever.