B.C. NDP Leader has Liberals firing blanks

The Globe and Mail:

These are good times for B.C. NDP chief Adrian Dix.

The party he has led since last April is ahead in the polls, media reviews of his first full legislative session as leader were positive, and last week Mr. Dix hooked a whopper of a political fish, the just-retired, popular, ex-mayor of Port Moody, Joe Trasolini.

Not only is Mr. Trasolini a good bet to win the coming by-election in Port Moody-Coquitlam, no one’s ever mistaken him for a left-winger.

The fact he chose to run for the NDP, despite a previous history of support for and support from former riding MLA Christy Clark, who now just happens to be premier, speaks volumes about the success Mr. Dix has had shedding a reputation he had in some quarters as a prickly, strident leftist.

The just-concluded legislative session showed a different Mr. Dix than many expected. He was measured, pointed in his criticism, supportive of Liberal legislation that made sense, and effective.

His performance frustrated those on the government benches, who had hoped to contrast a personable Premier against a dour Mr. Dix. It didn’t happen.

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