That will be the finish, and end, of this tired and worn out government

Today, in the Vancouver Sun, newspaper Vaughn Palmer had an opinion piece entitled, “Liberals unlikely to win seats in newly called by-elections”.  Here’s the Coles Notes from that piece:

… The two seats in the legislature had been vacant for weeks … candidates were already nominated and running.

… Clark had visited both ridings on multiple occasions, making announcements, reaping media cover-age

… all that remained was for her to call the by-elections and make it official.

Still she hesitated. Her answers to questions about timing went from "soon" to "very soon" to "every day we're closer."  … "because I haven't called them yet."

… as to the chances of either one of those seats being re-occupied by a B.C. Liberal, the premier's hesitation provides the strongest evidence of the government's reading of the public mood …

The story goes on to say that;

… in Chilliwack, the Liberals cast about for "name" candidates to replace the departed MLA Barry Penner, before finally settling on Laurie Throness, a long-time political aide with strong connections to one of the evangelical churches.

There, too, they were upstaged in the battle of the political names, when the B.C. Conservatives nominated John Martin, a newspaper columnist (Chilliwack Times, the Province) and outspoken criminologist who takes special delight in baiting his academic colleagues for what he regards as an overwhelmingly small-l "liberal" bias.

Some of you may not know much about John Martin, if you do not live in the Fraser Valley.  If that’s the case, I’d encourage you to drop by his website.  You’ll find a number of media releases regarding various policies and ideas from the BC Conservative Party … and along with his thoughts on policies and plans of the current BC Liberal government. 

His website also includes a section, “About John Martin”.  I for one have to say his credentials are as impressive as his desire to help bring about common sense government to British Columbia.  Here’s just a bit of the information about this man:

John Martin is a criminologist and has been teaching in the School of Criminology at the University of the Fraser Valley for more than two decades … also taught criminal justice to students at Douglas College, the Native Education Centre in Vancouver and Lethbridge College … he has run courses for RCMP members at the Pacific Regional Training Centre and recruits at the Correctional Service of Canada’s Staff College.

John specializes in the fields of crime prevention, criminal justice reform, victims’ rights and public safety… had a long running opinion column that has appeared in numerous newspapers including Chilliwack Times, the Province Newspaper and Abbotsford Times … testified before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs …

… has lived in various parts of British Columbia including the Cariboo and Similkameen and resides in Chilliwack with his wife of twenty years, Margaret, and their two Shetland Sheepdogs.

With Christy Clark finally making the call for the by-elections to be held, here is what John Martin had to say in a media release yesterday:

“For over the past two months we have been knocking on doors and listening to the concerns of the people of Chilliwack-Hope. They are concerned about the high cost of living, the safety of their communities and the air quality in the Fraser Valley.”

“I will be working hard to promote the BC Conservative message – we are the only party pledging to eliminate the carbon tax, the only party to stop the Liberal catch-and-release justice system and I am the only candidate that took a solid stand against a Liberal garbage incinerator that will pollute our air.”

“The people of Chilliwack-Hope finally have a true Conservative choice this election. A vote for the Conservatives is a vote to send the Christy Clark Liberal government a message that the people are tired of failed Liberal policies. I have a simple message: if you want a common sense Conservative, vote Conservative.”

Boy did he ever hit the nail on the head when he said … “If you want a common sense Conservative, vote Conservative.”  

For months now Christy Clark has been wallpapering the rotting foundations, walls and ceilings of her BC Liberal government with the false trappings of a conservative design. 

Underneath that facade however, remains the desperate hope of the BC Liberals that the public will forget / ignore the fact that this government remains one that is arrogant ... is unapologetic for mistakes it makes ... that it is a tax and spend administration that continues to pile up record debt ... and it is one which continues to show no accountability to the people of BC.

That’s probably why Vaughn Palmer ended his opinion piece with the following:

In terms of the early betting line, Trasolini is the obvious favourite to take Port Moody for the NDP. Not so obvious, but still with a good chance of winning is Martin, the Conservative, in Chilliwack.  Not likely will the B.C. Liberals win in either place. The way things have been going lately, they'd probably count it as an accomplishment to avoid finishing third.

I’m not a betting man, but I have a very strong feeling the BC Liberals will indeed finish third in both riding's … and that will be the finish, and end, of this tired and worn out government.

In Kamloops, I’m Alan Forseth, with the thoughts of one conservative.