Things are continuing to heat up, and get interesting, in BC’s wonderful
wild and wacky world of politics. Without
any further ado, let’s get to some of the stories that have made the news … in
a big way … and some that perhaps should have …
… a devoted conservative, who believes strongly in smaller government
and lower taxes as the path to a healthy economy … running because she believes
British Columbians deserve a representative in Victoria who will fight to keep
taxes low, work to find creative solutions to issues in health care and take
back education from union bosses, placing it instead in the hands of parents
and school boards … has a wide range of experience, both as a manger and as an
entrepreneur … specializes in the
business side of technology and education … proven an effective negotiator, and
an analytical, impartial and proactive decision maker and problem solver …
… the just-concluded legislative session showed a different Mr. Dix
than many expected. He was measured, pointed in his criticism, supportive of
Liberal legislation that made sense, and effective … performance frustrated
those on the government benches, who had hoped to contrast a personable Premier
against a dour Mr. Dix. It didn’t happen … the Liberals were left railing
against a long-ago misdating of a key memo … a serious mistake he has
acknowledged many times …
Michael Smyth: Critics
question Trasolini’s motives
… He was particularly pally with
another local Lib by the name of Christy Clark … co-chaired Clark’s 1996
election campaign in Port Moody. She returned the favour by backing him for
mayor … If Joe was going to make the jump to provincial politics, everybody
assumed it would be as a Liberal … now
that Trasolini has burned his Liberal bridges, the Libs want to burn him but
good….
“… priorities should be maintaining and improving services such as
CLBC, sheriffs and education – not these pet projects of the Premier.” The increase to the deficit undermines the
Liberal commitment to balance the budget by 2013/14. While Minister Falcon has
stated that it is still possible for the government to meet its target, he has
failed to provide a substantive plan for doing so and is backing away from the
Liberal’s promise to achieve it.
… Christy Clark, gave Penner a hug, and then told reporters his
resignation actually might be a good thing for the Liberals. "People want
to see us renew. They want to see some
new people come to the table with new ideas, It's an opportunity for us,
frankly." … why would you want to "renew" one of your best MLAs,
in one of your party's safest seats? … other Liberal MLAs wondering just what
the premier was getting at, and there are rumours some of them might be
encouraged to retire, so Clark can move those new people and new ideas into
position in by-elections...
… and while industrial growth, along with our increasing population,
will require new supplies of electricity, this relates to another reason for
optimism — the proposed Site C Clean Energy Project on the Peace River in
northeastern BC. Not only would Site C
provide enough electricity to power the equivalent of 450,000 homes, it would
also generate business and job opportunities…
… there may not be a provincial leader in the country dealing with
quite the mess Ms. Clark faces. Collectively, her tribulations have become a
millstone that’s dragging her Liberal Party lower and lower in the polls. She
cancelled plans for a fall election because of it. But there’s nothing on the
horizon except more trouble…
… riding has been a “small-c conservative” strong-hold for many years,
BC Conservative vice-president Ben Besler said Monday. “I think that puts us in a really good
position,” he added, to take the riding in a by-election to fill the seat
vacated by BC Liberal MLA Barry Penner.
Besler said a nomination meeting is expected early in the new year, and
he suggested that a candidate already considering a bid would be “a happy
surprise” to party members….
… it was the turn of his
successor as finance minister, Kevin Falcon …
Growth projections softening. Revenues deteriorating. Fiscal anxieties
on the rise. Fears of contagion from the slow-motion train wreck in Europe and
the festering standoff in the U.S. … cited a variety of factors contributing to
a deficit that is now projected to top out at around $3 billion, albeit with
some fiscal leeway remaining in contingencies and forecast allowances….
… John Cummins said Thursday his party would field a "very
recognizable" candidate in Chilliwack-Hope… confirmed there was a
high-profile candidate waiting, but would not comment on who because the person
still has to go through a nomination process. The party will hold a nomination
meeting in early January. "The
folks there are basically small 'c' conservatives," Cummins told CKNW last
week. "I think that the riding is certainly ripe to be taken over by a
Conservative candidate."
… British Columbians pay the second highest auto insurance rates in
Canada … the only province that pays a carbon tax … in the lower mainland you
will soon have to start paying a new gas tax of 2 cents a litre. “Since Premier Clark has taken office,
British Columbians have been told that they will pay more to take a ferry, more
to fill their car with gas, and now we will have to pay more for our
insurance.”
… as of February, rates will go up an average of $30 per customer, ICBC
CEO John Schubert said in a press conference … while basic rates are going up,
Schubert added that rates for ICBC's optional policies will be reduced … did
not have full details at the press conference, but said those will be ironed
out by the time the corp. makes its application to the BC Utilities Commission
later this week…
… Kelly Block introduced a similar private member's bill, some First
Nations chiefs tried to change the subject … Assembly of First Nations Chief
Shawn Atleo argued that Block's bill ignored important issues … cited how the
federal government has made only limited progress in carrying out education
programs for reserve-based students.
Bringing up education on reserves - or water … doesn't change how those
services often suffer precisely because of how some First Nations leaders spend
public money: on unreasonable salaries and unjustifiable expenses given the
small populations of most reserves….
… protestors were asked to wear red t-shirts and bring their drums, and
a Sto:lo War Council has been called into action … disagreement stems from a
declaration by the Yale First Nation that its members are distinct from the
Sto:lo and therefore have a right to sign a separate treaty for lands they
claim in the Fraser Canyon … Sto:lo dispute that, arguing the Yale cannot claim
ownership of lands traditional held and never surrendered by the Sto:lo …
… wants to recruit top-notch candidates for
each of the two ridings who can do for his upstart Conservatives what Deb Grey
did for the Reform Party in the late 1980′s.
“ … Deb Grey won that by-election in 1989, was a very effective voice
for us in the party until the 1993 election, and that certainly gave Preston
Manning time to travel throughout the country and raise the profile of the
party,” said Cummins. … it worked quite well for the Reform and I think the
same would apply for us now, that it’s far better for us for me to have that
freedom to get around, to meet with people and to do those sorts of things
rather than being tied to the Legislature … ”
… flashpoint was provided by Doyle's bald assertion that although every
penny of the soon-to-be-$5-billion balance in the 27-and-counting deferral
accounts will have to be repaid, neither Hydro nor the government has any
detectable plan to do so. This was too
much for Reid: "I wasn't asked for a specific plan … if I had been I would
have gone through all the 27 accounts and talked about the approach and process
around every single one." Doyle …
did indeed ask for a specific plan … question directly to the Ministry of
Energy. "What's the plan to get rid of the $5 billion? We still don't know
what it is."
… "If I could have all this behind me right now, that would be my
fondest wish," he told me. "But the level of complexity makes it
extremely difficult to do quickly." I can sympathize. I once had to clean
my gutters, and I thought it would take forever … also think Falcon should not
underestimate himself or his staff … put their thinking caps on - and tried
really, really hard - I bet they could get rid of the HST quicker than they
think. After all, look how fast they brought it in…
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