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The provincial government is enmeshed in two controversial, public relations disasters since last fall – the rejection of the electoral reform plebiscite and the recommended closure of five schools.

You can add in the Mill River resort and golf course giveaway and lingering issues related to e-gaming – a critical report from the provincial auditor-general, blocking witnesses before the public accounts committee, the pending CMT lawsuit and those missing or deleted emails.

There are plenty of reasons for disgruntled voters to flee elsewhere.

Should anyone be surprised at the low personal numbers for Premier Wade MacLauchlan? He now trails Green Leader Peter Bevan-Baker in terms of voter support among party leaders – 34 per cent to 29 per cent. The Greens are second in popularity with 26 per cent, while the Progressive Conservatives dropped to 19 per cent. The Liberals actually gained two points to 48 per cent.

Whether by design or default, the premier is the lightning rod for voter dissatisfaction derived from the government’s string of recent fumbles. The plebiscite and school controversies find their origin under this administration, while the inherited e-gaming morass – a cancer thought to be in remission since former premier Robert Ghiz stepped down - has returned again and again to plague the new leader.

There is a common perception - warranted in most instances – that government policy and decisions are developed and enacted in Premier MacLauchlan’s office. So he is deserving of blame for the party’s recent ills.

Mr. Bevan-Baker didn’t do anything extraordinary to accrue voter support this quarter. That should heighten the alarm for both the Liberal and PC parties since it suggests that Islanders are increasingly willing to look at third parties as a viable option.

The Greens have to work harder to sustain that support. They have the weakest Island-wide machinery, limited fundraising options and little public presence past Mr. Bevan-Baker or deputy leader Lynne Lund.

The premier led the Liberals to victory largely on personal appeal and promises to do things differently. With a fourth mandate approaching, the party has to do something dramatic or else.

Two years ago, few Islanders thought Wade MacLauchlan would become the biggest liability for the Liberal Party. Perhaps the premier is intent on getting controversial issues off his agenda now to clear the way for the 2019 election. A balanced budget would work immediate wonders.

The Tories have taken so long getting to a leadership convention that a growing number of Islanders consider the Greens as the official opposition and the most credible party alternative. The PCs missed a golden opportunity to draw voters by delaying their convention.

Few governments can sustain their popularity for more than 10 years, let alone 12. There is growing dissatisfaction among the electorate and the numbers of undecided voters continue to swell. The next election may be won by the party which best appeals to these segments in 2019.

The provincial government is enmeshed in two controversial, public relations disasters since last fall – the rejection of the electoral reform plebiscite and the recommended closure of five schools.

You can add in the Mill River resort and golf course giveaway and lingering issues related to e-gaming – a critical report from the provincial auditor-general, blocking witnesses before the public accounts committee, the pending CMT lawsuit and those missing or deleted emails.

There are plenty of reasons for disgruntled voters to flee elsewhere.

Should anyone be surprised at the low personal numbers for Premier Wade MacLauchlan? He now trails Green Leader Peter Bevan-Baker in terms of voter support among party leaders – 34 per cent to 29 per cent. The Greens are second in popularity with 26 per cent, while the Progressive Conservatives dropped to 19 per cent. The Liberals actually gained two points to 48 per cent.

Whether by design or default, the premier is the lightning rod for voter dissatisfaction derived from the government’s string of recent fumbles. The plebiscite and school controversies find their origin under this administration, while the inherited e-gaming morass – a cancer thought to be in remission since former premier Robert Ghiz stepped down - has returned again and again to plague the new leader.

There is a common perception - warranted in most instances – that government policy and decisions are developed and enacted in Premier MacLauchlan’s office. So he is deserving of blame for the party’s recent ills.

Mr. Bevan-Baker didn’t do anything extraordinary to accrue voter support this quarter. That should heighten the alarm for both the Liberal and PC parties since it suggests that Islanders are increasingly willing to look at third parties as a viable option.

The Greens have to work harder to sustain that support. They have the weakest Island-wide machinery, limited fundraising options and little public presence past Mr. Bevan-Baker or deputy leader Lynne Lund.

The premier led the Liberals to victory largely on personal appeal and promises to do things differently. With a fourth mandate approaching, the party has to do something dramatic or else.

Two years ago, few Islanders thought Wade MacLauchlan would become the biggest liability for the Liberal Party. Perhaps the premier is intent on getting controversial issues off his agenda now to clear the way for the 2019 election. A balanced budget would work immediate wonders.

The Tories have taken so long getting to a leadership convention that a growing number of Islanders consider the Greens as the official opposition and the most credible party alternative. The PCs missed a golden opportunity to draw voters by delaying their convention.

Few governments can sustain their popularity for more than 10 years, let alone 12. There is growing dissatisfaction among the electorate and the numbers of undecided voters continue to swell. The next election may be won by the party which best appeals to these segments in 2019.