It’s the end of the week … and during it; we have of course had a number
of stories on BC politics.
No surprise,
BC Hydro was again in the news … as was news on another poll showing declining
support for the governing BC Liberals … and the appointment of nine new judges
in BC.
Here’s a quick recap of some the stories in case you missed a few:
This is the province that threw out the old Liberals and Conservatives
in the mid-20th century and replaced them with Social Credit and the NDP … then
turned on the Socreds and exterminated them as a party … then, a decade after
that, reduced the NDP to a rump of two members … we are not kind to those who
have disappointed us, failed us, led us into hard economic times, or lied to us
…
John Martin, BC Conservative
party candidate said he's going to put up a good political fight … "I
don't buy into this Liberal line that somehow anyone who is not an NDP voter
should get their vote, owes them their vote, that they should get their vote by
default" …
BC
Hydro Withdraws Massive Effort to Build a Spin Arsenal
… the Times Colonist and Global TV reported that BC Hydro was pre-approving 25 marketing firms to have ready to go to spin various initiatives … Thursday, BC Hydro announced that they had withdrawn their call for companies … a win for taxpayers who are sick and tired of government agencies using our money to sell us their ideas …
… the Times Colonist and Global TV reported that BC Hydro was pre-approving 25 marketing firms to have ready to go to spin various initiatives … Thursday, BC Hydro announced that they had withdrawn their call for companies … a win for taxpayers who are sick and tired of government agencies using our money to sell us their ideas …
… new judges include Ted Gouge … who served for the past nine years as
a senior legal counsel in the ministry of the attorney-general ... Gouge filed
an astonishing confessional on behalf of the government in Boss Power's lawsuit
over the cancellation of its claim to a uranium mining property … the admissions
are still on the court record … taxpayers are
on the hook for $30 million … nobody, least of all the B.C. Liberals,
took the fall for any reputed wrongdoing …
… BC Conservatives released
a statement quoting John Martin, a criminologist who will be their candidate in
the Chilliwack-Hope byelection. "All this report does is confirm what
judges and prosecutors have been telling us for months -- that the system is
bogged down and criminals are walking free because of Liberal cuts," he
said. "What B.C.'s justice system needs is action, not more reports."
… Victoria Times Colonist's Rob Shaw, wrote, "It is ridiculous the
premier chooses one media outlet to deliver her entire spring agenda. How about
a press conference? What a joke." …
Jonathan Fowlie at the Vancouver Sun … "Wondering, does Premier
Clark's CKNW pseudo throne speech make Bill Good the next
Lieutenant-governor?" … Lindsay
Kines, "Christy Clark appoints NW crime reporters to probe justice system
and report back after the 1 o'clock weather." …
… consider this email sent by the premier’s office to the media on
Thursday: “In place of a formal throne
speech, the premier will be appearing on CKNW’s Bill Good Show to outline the
government’s agenda for the spring session.”
… Clark might feel at home at CKNW, but Victoria is still the capital of
B.C., and the legislature is where she belongs …
So, the question came out loud and clear: “Why are we paying more for
insurance when ICBC is giving outrageous bonuses to its head honchos and then
it’s trickling down through the management ranks?” While the story starts by stating ICBC is restructuring its
controversial pay incentive program by reducing or eliminating the bonuses if
management doesn’t steer the cash cow into the annual profit target zone.
Premier
Christy Clark has confirmed the BC government will build a new Okanagan jail on
land owned by the Osoyoos Indian Band near Oliver …
I HAVE TO ASK: What did it cost to bring NOT ONLY Christy
Clark to this photo-op (Oooops I mean an important government announcement) ...
along with all of the wardens, deputy wardens, and heavy equipment (that won't
be needed for months until they break ground). Again this government refuses to show any kind
of fiscal restraint and responsibility!
… Jobs Minister Pat Bell was happy to defend the Super Bowl TV
expenditure of $17,000. “It’s part of an ongoing campaign,” Bell told The
Province. “As of 45 days ago, we had spent $850,000 ….
… BC Liberals are still intent on balancing the provincial budget on
the eve of the next election, Finance Minister Kevin Falcon announced Monday,
as if that were as bankable as this month's paycheque or RRSP deposit … the
Liberal record going back to the last election suggests otherwise ...
... number of cases on the edge of being thrown out because of
unreasonable delays sits at more than 2,500 … everything from attempted murder
to drug dealing to drunk driving … Clark and her party trail badly in the
polls … damaged by the resurgent BC Conservatives … disregarding an
over-burdened and underfunded court system leave the Liberals’ right flank even
more exposed. If the party doesn’t own
the law-and-order agenda, the likelihood of recouping the critical support
leaking to the Conservatives diminishes greatly …
… besides being prime agricultural land and including a salmon nursery,
the area is a migratory bird flyway where Canada's greatest concentration of
raptors can be found, she said. There is a moral responsibility to protect it,
she said, but "nobody in government gives a damn and it's totally
irresponsible."
… two other numbers are equally as alarming for the ruling party … BC Conservatives' support is pegged at
19 per cent … that means the B.C. Conservatives are not a flash-in-the-pan
party … support appears to be solidifying, which is disastrous news for the BC
Liberals … the other number is the 22 per cent Premier Christy Clark polled
when respondents were asked who would make the best premier…
… the province has launched reviews, appointed steering committees and
advisory committees that in turn named advisers to develop recommendations, and
last month established a panel of tax experts ... anything but make a decision … Supreme Court of Canada has dumped the
conflict back on the front steps of the B.C. legislature …
… with poll after poll showing the B.C. Liberals in decline, Wilson
doubts the party will remain viable if it loses next year's general election.
He expects a new centre-right coalition to emerge, much like the
conservative-leaning Social Credit during the early 1950s …
Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts says she will try to block any new move to
raise more taxes or tolls for TransLink until the transportation authority is
subjected to a full performance audit … the province refused to add TransLink
to the responsibilities of the to-be-appointed AGLG, which will scrutinize
cities and regional districts … neither has it agreed yet to send in the
provincial Auditor General …
AND FINALLY IN THIS WEEKS WRAP UP … I came across an editorial written
by Daniel Veniez. He is a Vancouver-based entrepreneur who ran for the Liberal
Party of Canada in the 2011 federal election. Veniez has authored numerous articles on
business and public policy. He had some
insightful thoughts and comments on integrity – and how it should apply to
government:
“Pop, the word “integrity” is thrown around the class a lot, but people
don’t seem to know what it really means”, he said. I asked him what he thought
it meant and I was gearing myself up to give a fatherly sermon on the meaning
and importance of integrity. Before I could, and without missing a beat,
Michael replied: “It means being honest, trustworthy, and doing what you say
you’re going to do.”
That's all for this week. I’m Alan Forseth in Kamloops … have a great weekend.
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