By many accounts, Thursday night's debate on electoral reform did little to enlighten voters – and one line in particular left a few viewers scratching their heads in confusion.
"If you were woke, you'd know pro rep is lit," John Horgan told opponent Andrew Wilkinson at one point.
The premier was trying to sell proportional representation as hip and modern, but judging by reaction on Twitter, not everyone could make sense of his slang.
Me looking up "woke" and "lit". Because I've never heard of it before. Honest. #bcpoli pic.twitter.com/XmUzMF5maR
— Charles Gauthier (@DowntownCharles) November 9, 2018
If this debate taught me one thing, it's that we desperately need more young people in both politics and media. #ProRep may be lit but I had to explain *more than once* what woke means this evening #bcpoli
— Shannon Waters (@sobittersosweet) November 9, 2018
(Merriam-Webster offers explainers for anyone unfamiliar with either "woke" or "lit.")
Unfortunately for Horgan, even some who understood the zinger found it a little forced.
I really think John Horgan needs a new public relations advisor. #woke #lit #ProRep #wtf pic.twitter.com/PBzoISSX8J
— Heather (@604Heather) November 9, 2018
“If you were woke you would know prop rep is lit.”
— Dan Came (@Dan_Cam) November 9, 2018
-John Horgan, Premier of BC pic.twitter.com/oM5F0eaAy3
"If you were woke, you would know pro rep is lit" - John Horgan
— Kurtis Mayne (@Hotztuph) November 9, 2018
This is our premier ladies and gentlemen #BCPoli #ProportionalRepresentation #SpeakToTheYouth pic.twitter.com/3rYG3e0J52
The BC NDP leaned into the remark with a visual tweet…
#pr4bc #prdebate #yepprorep pic.twitter.com/vimMefto0a
— BC NDP (@bcndp) November 9, 2018
…but managed to generate even more jokes.
#bcpoli #PRDebate pic.twitter.com/yRQbBAybap
— Neil Parkinson-Dow (@NeilPDow) November 9, 2018
— Bernard Hancock (@bernard_YEG) November 9, 2018
But despite the memes and jokes, some people supported the premier's youthful message.
Everyone I see crowing about John Horgan's "woke" retort are at least two decades too old to use the word genuinely or have any idea what young voters might make of it.
— Jeff Jedras (@jeffjedras) November 9, 2018
bc media types even older than horgan making jokes about woke and lit are somehow even lamer than him tonight lol
— ����♂️vyas [for the love of god, vote 4 pro rep] (@vyassaran) November 9, 2018
