A political analyst says the 鈥渟tark contrast鈥� between provincial Conservatives and the B.C. NDP leaves B.C. United in a 鈥渃omplicated, in-between space鈥� in which they have carve their own identity.

B.C United under Leader Kevin Falcon is 鈥渂eing pulled to the right a little bit,鈥� Simon Fraser University professor Nicolas Kenny said.

鈥淭he drug decriminalization debate, the tone of United has definitely shifted to the right on that issue and that is just one example,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut at the same time, if he goes too far to the right, he risks alienating the more centrist base of that party.鈥�

Kenny made these comments after a Research Co poll that shows B.C. United in third place with 15 per cent among decided voters, down two per cent from a poll the same company conducted in January. Not only does the poll show the Conservatives are consolidating second place, it also shows B.C. United trending down.

鈥淚f you look at the United numbers, they are close to being within the margin of error in comparison with the B.C. Greens,鈥� he said. B.C. Greens sit at 11 per cent.

The polls鈥� margin of error is plus, minus 3.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

The poll appeared during the same week that the B.C. NDP paused Bill 12 aimed at social media companies and other 鈥渇aceless corporations鈥� that are 鈥渉urting people.鈥� New Democrats earlier this session also pressed pause on proposed changes to the Land Act governing about 95 per cent of provincial land.

In both cases, government faced criticism from outside and inside the legislature, with B.C. United framing each as evidence of its effectiveness as the official opposition.

鈥淏.C. United puts pressure on the government about the Land Act,鈥� B.C. United鈥檚 Peter Milobar, MLA for Kamloops North-Thompson, said Tuesday in the legislature. 鈥淧oof! It magically disappears.

鈥淏.C. United is putting pressure on Bill 12. Just yesterday, the Attorney General (Niki Sharma) and Premier (David Eby) were adamant that Bill 12, was going to keep moving forward. Today, poof! It magically disappears. Well, B.C. United has been putting pressure on this government to end decriminalization today. If they won鈥檛 end it today, will they at least be consistent and end it tomorrow?鈥�

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Kenny is not sure whether the public is noticing B.C. United鈥檚 accomplishments.

鈥淭he role of the opposition is a thankless task,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey are going to be pushing for this and they might be affecting change and they might be forcing government to force down on certain things, (but) the question is do people notice?鈥�

Kenny added it is generally hard for an opposition party to get attention.

鈥淭hey don鈥檛 control the narrative in the same way,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey are not as visible and it requires people paying closer attention than what they probably are some six months before an election.鈥�

It might also be a question of topics. According to the Research Co. poll, almost four out of 10 surveyed British Columbians (37 per cent) consider the related issues of housing, homelessness and poverty the most important issue, followed by health care (21 per cent) and the economy and jobs (18 per cent).

Five per cent of surveyed British Columbians consider crime and public safety the most important issue, a figure that may surprise some because recent emphasis on public safety issues within the context of drug decriminalization.

鈥淭hat issue (public safety) seems to be declining as a top concern for people,鈥� Kenny said.

Falcon, for his part, does not buy it.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 an excellent example of why I don鈥檛 pay a lot of attention to the polls,鈥� Falcon said. 鈥淚 have heard first-hand about this issue virtually in every single town hall that I hold.鈥�

He added British Columbians are 鈥渧ery, very concerned鈥� about the 鈥渆xplosion of drugs, the criminal activity, the catch-and-release鈥� of defenders.

鈥淚 hear variations of this all the time, which is why I always warn people to be really, really careful about polls, because polls can be remarkably inaccurate.鈥�