I'm assuming that the NDP have fired all their expensive political strategists after their humiliating defeat in last month's election.
If they haven't, they should.
I'm more than happy to give the NDP some free advice. If they follow it to a tee, they will form government in 2017. Hey, they couldn't do worse, right?
So, here's my three-point plan.
First on the list, of course, is dump leader Adrian Dix immediately.
Dix is a good guy but he's proven himself to be a poor politician and a liability to his party. It serves the NDP no purpose keeping a political loser around being the primary spokesperson for the party.
The party needs to rebuild and rebrand and get on with the job at hand which is presenting themselves as a government in waiting. That government doesn't include Dix.
Which takes me to point two: Move the party towards the centre of the political spectrum.
The BC NDP has only won three mandates in the history of their party. The only time they've won is when the right was divided.
They need to appeal to a broader base and the only way to do that is by dropping 'socialism' from the preamble of their constitution (like the federal party did) and develop a business-friendly platform. Maybe a pro-business with a heart spin could work.
And finally, the NDP needs to get a high-profile leader with proven experience. I'm sure we'll hear names like Mike Farnworth, John Horgan, David Eby and Gregor Robertson over the next several months. But it's time to get somebody who can actually win an election.
Specifically, they should start wooing Federal NDP House leader Nathan Cullen.
Cullen has an impressive resume: The current MP for Skeena-Bulkley Valley was raised in Toronto but moved to rural B.C. as an adult. He was first elected to Parliament in 2004.
In an interview I had with him in 2012, he said he wants to do politics differently, that he's more pragmatic than partisan. That's exactly what the NDP needs.
So, there you have it - the keys to victory in 2017: Dump Dix, move right and pick up Cullen.
Oh, and a few vintage Christy Clark gaffes over the next four years couldn't hurt.
