Reform BC comments here on the BC Alternative crowd's big adventure. Obviously, the history of BC Unity and Chris Delaney's machinations on the not-quite-mainstream political right is not my forte, but there's clearly some blood in the water. Can these jokers get their collective act together in enough time for the Surrey byelection? If Canada's recent history of conservative family feuding at the national level is any indication, no one should hold their breath.

On Wednesday, two of BC's small rightish parties announced a merger: BC Unity, itself an amalgam of even smaller rightish parties, and the BC Conservatives are jumping into bed. The midwife of this was apparently ex-Vernon mayor and Unity deputy chief Wayne McGrath through his BC Alternative Taskforce. The new party will be called, brilliantly, the BC Conservative Party.

Unity majordomo Chris Delaney said, “The demand for a strong alternative to the BC Liberals has continued to grow to the point where no one of the smaller parties was able to meet that demand." Jack Peake, Mayor of Lake Cowichan, threw in his endorsement by pointing out: “The BC Liberals and the federal Liberals are one in the same. Both parties are prepared to subvert the interests of voters to get elected, no matter what the cost."

The initial agreement between the two parties lays out five "guiding principles" (including the protection of public assets like BC Hydro, democratic accountability, and inclusiveness) and invites interested folks to show up in Coquitlam on Sept. 25th for the birth of "a new, bigger, broader political party" ready to challenge Gordo for the centre-right vote in '05. No word yet on how this all goes down with Cache Creek mayor John Ranta, who was said to be organizing a bid to get disaffected Lib MLAs to jump ship to a new centre-right party. According to Public Eye, Ranta was talking to the BC Alternative gang earlier this year.

Back in January, John Reynolds made ominous noises to Bill Tieleman in The Georgia Strait about federal Cons supporting a provincial wing against Gordo if the much-reported intermingling of provincial and federal Libs continued. Tieleman concluded: "A provincial Conservative party backed by the new federal Conservatives would pose a serious threat to the B.C. Liberals' ability to win in 2005 by splitting the right-of-centre vote." Well, here it is. Campbell has done a remarkable job of holding together the disparate coalition he put together to win in 2001. It must be assumed that the prospect of a more-or-less mainstream party able to hive off 5-8% of the right-wing vote causes him some concern, especially if the new BC Conservatives are able to attract a high-profile leader.

One thing's for sure: the stakes in the long-postponed byelection in Surrey-Panorama Ridge are even higher. Byelections almost always go against the governing party, and this riding is a bellweather--historically NDP, but its results mirrored the overall provincial vote in 2001. The Liberals scored 60% here in the last election, to 22% for the NDP, 9% for the Greens, and 7% for Unity. Campbell's candidate (possibly Christian fundie heroine Mary Polak) could face an embarrassing loss against New Dem Jagrup Brar, and one that does double damage if it also demonstrates the viability of a second right-wing party. The fledgling BC Democrat Alliance, led by former Sooke councillor and Lib candidate Tom Morino (who will run in the byelection), will also be making a play for that contested centre-right turf. And don't forget about Left Turn. A race to watch.