Vaughn Palmer: Missteps by all three major party leaders played a hand in a result that leaves people to wonder who will govern B.C.

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VICTORIA — With an election result as close and inconclusive as this one, speculation turns to what might have been.

For New Democrats, driven to the brink by a party that barely existed two years ago, the big what-if involves David Eby’s decision to forgo an early election.

He was advised to go for the snap vote on taking over as leader at the end of 2022.

He had no mandate of his own. Opponents were in disarray.

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Plus the issues he was proposing to tackle — housing affordability, health-care waiting lists, cost of living, public safety — were too complicated to allow much progress in the time remaining in the four-year mandate.

But Eby knew better. He repeatedly ruled out an early election.

Never lacking confidence in himself, Eby vowed to govern until the scheduled election date and show results people could see, feel, touch and experience.

“How’s that working out?” One imagines more than a few New Democrats saying that as they saw their party once again thrown into the arms of the Greens to preserve its hold on power.

The second thing that some might question is........

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