What political party said "The sacrifices made to get our financial house in order must not be sabotaged by future increases in government spending"

Today I invite you to take a trip with me in the history of BC politics.  I invite you to guess which BC Provincial political party, waiting to become the next government, said the following:

- we believe that government is making life tougher instead of better for the average BC family

- while households scrimp, save, and cut back on essentials, the one expense they cannot control or escaper is government taxes.  The main reason British Columbians are working harder and falling behind is the constant and rapid rise in taxes

- while everyone is paying higher taxes, the return to taxpayers on the things that matter most is declining

- the major problems facing this province all have one key element in common   -- they are being created by our government

- British Columbians need a government that will base its decisions on common-sense principles and live within its means

- the sacrifices made to get our financial house in order must not be sabotaged by future increases in government spending

- by shifting funds on and off the books, the _??? __ government has shown how the existing system can be manipulated

-  __ ??? ___ believes that governments closest to the people serve them best.   __ ??? __ will return resources and responsibilities to local government, advancing our spirit of community and raising our quality of life

- the best way to change government is to open it up and bring its many functions closer to the people it servers.  __ ??? __ believes that the closer decision-making is to the people, the more likely it is that good ideas will be put to work.

While these statements of belief go back nearly two decades I ask you ... "Is life any different for you now, than it was then?"

Is government still making life tougher?  Are they continuing to raise fees and taxes that we are obligated to pay?  Are they doing any better with government spending?

Are we getting more services ... seeing more front-line workers ... seeing less wait times for Emergency Room services?

Why are our seniors, that helped build this province, paying a higher and higher percentage, from their meager retirement funds, for shelter, health needs, and other necessities?

How about returning government closer to the people it serves?  For example, government fired the local 'elected' Boards that ran our hospitals ... are they still being overseen by government appointed individuals?  Where is the decision making process for local health care in Kamloops made?

Is government any more open?  Are the front line services and function closer to the people they serve ... hospitals ... courthouses ... schools in rural communities?

The words noted above in italics, were spoken by the BC Liberals prior to the election of 1996.  They were words of chastising the NDP government which was in power -- they were words that offered new hope.

Nearly two decades later, rather seeing things better for ourselves -- our parents -- our children -- and our grandchildren, we still have less and less services ... a Liberal government that has run budget deficits for more times that not ... and that has just like the NDP before them, doubled the debt.

YES ... perhaps taxes have gone down, however government has more than made up for it by nickel and diming us with increased fee for everything the possibly can -- including health care cost through increased Medical Service Plan (MSP) rates.

 

AND ... and a Pphoney green carbon tax that hit those who live in the interior and north for not just fuel to run our vehicles ... but also basic necessities like home heating fuel, our groceries, and even the clothes we wear!  A carbon tax that also took valuable resources away from schools and hospitals, and did NOTHING to protect the environment!

Government has pillaged BC Hydro and ICBC for billions of dollars, which have disappeared into a bottomless spending pit.  Meantime we continue to be hit with large increases to ICBC rates, and Hydro costs.

An environment of entitlement has been allowed to come in to being -- one where the heads of government crown corporations, and agencies, feel they are able to give them selves huge increases in pay and benefits.

My friends ... WE ARE NOT better off than we were twenty years ago -- we continue to be worse off!

The BC Liberal Party under Christy Clark now seems to be relaxed when it comes to the BC Conservative Party nipping at there heels.  Take heed -- and take warning -- we as BC Conservatives will rebuild under new leadership.

AND ... we will challenge YOU to an accounting for why you have left us, our children, and our grandchildren on the hook for debt that has continued to skyrocket at a completely unsustainable rate.

You won election by default this year; be forwarned ... it's NOT going to happen again.

I'm Alan Forseth in Kamloops, with the thoughts of one conservative.

Here we go again with an alleged "no tax increase" regime, and yet all those hidden taxes keep going up and up

Why is it that government continues to allow an out of control sense of

entitlement to crown corporations giving them selves big wage increase and bonuses ... and yet expects government employees to accept zip, zip and zip. 

A story in the Vancouver Sun today reminds us that ... ICBC eliminated more than 260 jobs late last year, most of them from a management group that ballooned almost 41 per cent from 2007 to 2011, according to a government audit last August. After the audit, then-CEO Jon Schubert — who earned $486,541 in pay and bonuses in 2011 — resigned.

At the same time it is fine and well for ICBC to nail us with an increase in rates of 16.1 percent in just a year and a half. 

Can some one please tell me how much the BC Liberal government gouges out of ICBC to bury in general revenues? 

Here we go again with an alleged no tax increase regime, and yet all those hidden taxes keep going up and up. 

Remember it wasn't all that long ago that we heard we could expect an increase of 30% to BC Hydro rates was on the horizon.  Bill Tieleman, in a July 9th article in the Tyee had this to say: 

If there's any surprise, it's for BC Hydro ratepayers who will get hosed with significantly higher electricity bills of likely 30% over three years because the government and board were playing with the Crown corporation's finances like it was Monopoly money. 

Sadly, the residents of the lower mainland also have even more out of control government intervention in things ... for example Translink. 

Another story from earlier this spring in the Surrey North Delta Leader stated: 

"The province has exercised a dominant interest, feeling free to impose its priorities on the region and reluctant to provide a role in transit for local government institutionsit did not directly or indirectly control." 

There is now an ... unelected "professional" board consisting of corporate directors with expertise in areas like finance, real estate and engineering."

This government has found new, and improved ways, to take more from us

Quote from Christy Clark (main page of the BC Liberal party website):

"Since I became your Premier on March 14, 2011, I have been focused on one thing: making life better for B.C. families."

ALSO ... from the BC Liberal Party website comes this statement under the things they believe:

"Government must put families first in all decision-making. This means: making life a little more affordable for everyday families ..."

Hmmmm ... I really have to question that Christy because ...

• The cost of premiums we pay for the Medical Services Plan ... UP
• Hydro rates ... UP
• ICBC rates ... UP
• BC Ferry rates ... UP and service is DOWN
• The Carbon Tax, which is applied to the cost of all fuel so heating, groceries, clothing, transportation costs are all ... UP
• Government budget deficits ... UP
• The Debt (to be paid by our children and grandchildren) -- UP and now approaching $66 BILLION

Is this Christy Clark, overwhelmed at the growing debt?

It unconscionable that this government has to pay borrowers roughly $7 million every day ... just for interest payments on that debt!

And here is something which was just pointed out on Tuesday (Jan 22 / 13) by the BC Taxpayers Federation; "The Property Transfer Tax, along with all of these other taxes, charges and fees that government has added to the cost of a home in British Columbia, is choking the average family."

Here is what Jordon Bateman, BC Taxpayers Federation Director said of the property Transfer Tax, "It’s shortsighted and ultimately damages the long term strength of the B.C. economy."

Over the past few days I have been asking where and what the BC Liberal Plan is --- and there it's been all along -- gouge every last nickel we can from the people of BC.

Don't leave it with us where we can decide where, and how, to spend the earnings from our labors; perhaps on a night out with our spouse, a new pair of skates for one of our children, a few fixer upper renovations to our home, or a simple drive in the country.

No ... instead this government has found new and improved ways to take more from us.

Again ... as BC Conservative Party leader John Cummins has said, "Government needs to spend smarter -- NOT more!"

This BC Liberal government of Christy Clark can crow all they like (in taxpayer funded partisan ads) that they have spending under control, and that they will have a balanced budget this Spring.

I ask ... HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?

Their record over the past several years shows otherwise -- they couldn't even get this years budget deficit right, having to revise and increase the total deficit 3 times!

If people are indeed looking for government accountability -- and a government committed to connecting with the people of BC through common sense policies -- the choice is clear.  On Tuesday May 14th, 2013, British Columbians need to elect, and send to the legislature in Victoria, BC Conservative Party MLA's.

I'm Alan Forseth in Kamloops ... with the thoughts of one conservative.

Things that BC Liberal MLA Terry Lake hopes you won't become aware of --- BC Liberals backroom manipulators remain hopeful as well

Today Kamloops North Thompson  BC Liberal MLA Terry Lake is quoted as saying; "What we do see is, as we get closer to election, is that people are understanding what the BC Conservatives are all about ... "

MY hope is that people do indeed fully understand what the BC Conservatives are all about ... what we stand for ... and what we hope to bring to the political stage in British Columbia.  They are the things that Terry Lake hopes you won't become aware of --- and BC Liberals backroom manipulators hope that remains the same.          

That's because BC Conservative beliefs, principles and policies are totally opposite to how the BC Liberals have in reality governed:

BC Conservatives believe in clearly defined public policies and programs that are affordable and effective and for which delivery is accountable to all the people of British Columbia.  We are entitled to full knowledge of services rendered and their costs

BC Conservatives believe in managing the government to the highest standards of integrity and transparency

BC Conservatives believe that governments at all levels are responsible to serve and respect all individuals and their families

BC Conservatives believe that Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA's) are primarily responsible to represent the interests of their Constituents

BC Conservatives believe in a rigorous system of law and order focusing on the rights of victims and the protection of the public

And BC Conservatives believe in smaller government resulting in more liberty and personal property rights, the encouragement of new enterprise and individual achievement striving towards excellence and prosperity

MEANTIME ... what would be our "understanding" of how BC Liberals do things?

With BC Liberals we have had cost over-runs on a number of projects ... the BC Liberal government has raised rates on the Medical Services Plan ... while managers and CEO's of government agencies and crown corporation have given themselves raises and bonuses, rates for ICBC, BC Ferries, and BC Hydro have all been jacked up.  WHY?

Remember that the BC government was going to will allow for naming rights to BC Place Stadium; Telus put in a bid for tens of millions of dollars and then the government rejected it.  WHY? 

Auditor General John Doyle holds the BC Liberals to account for spending waste -- then all of a sudden he is not going to have his contract renewed -- then he is -- then maybe he will be.  WHY? 

The issue of downloading services from one level of government, to the next, is obviously having a serious affect on municipalities

Last week in Penticton, mayors from 86 communities across British Columbia met to discuss issues they have been facing, and of concern, as more and more areas previously looked after (and funded) by Federal and Provincial governments, get downloaded on to them.  

In a story from the Okanagan’s CHBC TV News, Dianne Watts, Mayor of Surrey said:

“B.C.’s municipalities need a new deal with the provincial and federal governments to provide the services our constituents expect.  Municipalities provide the vast majority of the service in areas such as infrastructure while being given only 8 cents out of every tax dollar to do it.”

While Penticton Mayor Dan Ashton said:

“We all realize there is only one taxpayer and those taxpayers are challenged these days and that challenge is one that we as mayors and council have to address.  The analogy of people being able to support more services through taxation is not one that any mayor in this province wants to accept.”

A news release from the Mayors, following their meeting in Penticton, also brought up a number of additional areas of concerns, where local governments are:

• now providing land as a precondition for the Province to build social housing projects
• now responsible for ensuring residential tenancies are properly maintained by landlords
• paying more for policing as new federal laws require more work to gather more evidence to support charges being approved
• managing flood hazard areas and related liability
• dealing with the aftermath of psychiatric hospitals closures by the Province which has placed many vulnerable people on the street
• paying local fire departments to respond to medical calls, displacing the need for added resources by the provincially funded ambulance service

This is Christy Clark's way of, “... tackling complex issues using a common sense approach?"

Premier Christy Clark

At the end of last week, Premier Christy Clark, posted a “First Year Progress Report” on the BC Government Caucus website.  Here is the text of that message:

Dear Fellow British Columbian's,

One year ago this Sunday, I had the honour of being selected your Premier after a close and exciting campaign for the BC Liberal Party leadership.

I re-entered politics for one reason: to make life better for B.C. families. I am happy to report that, through changes large and small, we are making steady and substantial progress towards this goal.

We are doing this with a renewed BC Liberal team and in partnership with British Columbian's. We are tackling complex issues and fixing them by using a common sense approach, rather than throwing your money at them and hoping for the best.

I said I would listen and open up government. This is exactly what we are doing. We are pulling the province together and making sure people have a chance to connect and contribute like never before.

I believe in B.C., and I know that if we stick together, we will win together.

Christy Clark

This is an interesting bit of writing for a number of reasons.   

First, “Yes” Christy Clark was selected to lead the BC Liberal Party – but she has yet to be tested by the electorate in a provincial election, where WE will get to select the party we wish to have govern us.

Second, while I will not dispute that she re-entered politics to make life, as she said, 'better for BC families', how many would be ready to acknowledge she has done so?  Yes maybe in 'small' ways she has made change, which has benefited families --- but how many would say she has done so in large measure?

We know that the people of deserve better than two tax and spend parties

This afternoon John Cummins, leader of the BC Conservative Party, spoke to the Surrey Board of Trade.  His speech covered the party's response to the BC Liberal Budget released earlier this week, and how a BC Conservative government would do things differently. Here is the complete text of that speech:

John Cummins, BC Conservative Party Leader

Good afternoon. Thank you for inviting me to speak at the Surrey Board of Trade. I especially want to thank Anita Huberman for putting together this great event.

I’m here to speak with you about the budget that the Liberal government tabled on Tuesday.

In order to understand the budget and what it means for the future of BC, we have to understand some facts about BC’s economy and the state of the economies we are competing against.

British Columbia has the worst unemployment rate in the west. It isn’t a surprise that unemployment is worse than Alberta, or even newly booming Saskatchewan. But we trail NDP-run Manitoba as well, and by a significant amount.

When comes to income taxes BC is very competitive, but families pay far more than just income taxes. When you include the highest gas taxes in Canada, that are going up another 3 cents this spring in the lower mainland, MSP premiums and other fees and surcharges – the average family in BC pays more in taxes than in any province west of Quebec. That means more than Ontario and more than NDP-run Manitoba.

On top of this is the cost of living in this province. I don’t need to remind you of the various international surveys that have come out in the past few months that show that living in the greater Vancouver area to be one of the most expensive places in the world.

When you combine higher taxes, higher unemployment and higher cost of living than the provinces we compete with the most, you would expect people to leave. And that is exactly what happened in 2011. Last year, more people moved out of BC to other provinces than moved here.   

For me this is an extremely telling measure – people have a choice about where they can afford to live, where they keep more of their money and where they can find a job. And they are not choosing BC.

This has now become a government that is completely arrogant, and fails to realize that by their very actions they are hurting small middle class families

The other day a friend of mine (Alvin) sent out an email with regards to ICBC, the rate increases we can expect from them, and what the salaries of the top executives are for this government owned corporation.

Sometime later, I received a copy of a response that was sent to Alvin, from someone he knows.

I read and considered it for a while, and then realized that he, like many other British Columbians, are looking for confidence – confidence that what they are considering (a move to the BC Conservative Party) can make BC a better place to live ... to work ... and to raise a family.

I don’t know this person (Brian) --- I’ve never met him.  I decided however to send a reply to him.  I’d like to share that with you, but first however are the words of Alvin’s friend, Brian

Alvin

Thanks for the email, but please tell me where the BC Conservative's will replace the "dividends" the provincial government currently gets, higher personal, corporate, sales tax?

This is NOT a government friendly to BC families --- this is NOT a government that understands fiscal prudence – this is a government that needs to be sent packing.

BC Finance Minister Kevin Falcon

Finance Minister Kevin Falcon concluded today’s budget speech by stating:

When we were first elected and we got the province back on the road to balanced budgets, there were people who asked us why, and questioned the need to meet — as they saw it — some kind of arbitrary target.

Well, Mr. Speaker, as we look around the world today, we can see that balanced budgets are anything but arbitrary. They are an essential foundation for growth. That’s why our balanced-budget legislation mandates not just a time frame for balancing, but also pay-cuts for ministers for every year the budget is in deficit.

Keeping British Columbia’s fiscal house in order does mean some tough decisions in the short-term. But consider what’s at stake here. It’s our future, Mr. Speaker — the future of this province, and the future of our people.

We have one of the most diverse populations anywhere... with ties to countries and cultures around the world. And while we are all unique individuals, we all want the same basic things for our future.

We want to be able to support ourselves, and take care of our families. We want to know that important public services will be there when we need them. We want strong, secure communities where everyone contributes, and everyone belongs. And we all want to share in the wide-open sense of opportunity that has, for over 150 years, been the hallmark of British Columbia. 

That’s what keeps on bringing people here. That’s what generates confidence, growth and investment. And that’s the kind of future we’re building with this budget — a future of security, growth and opportunity. Thank you for being part of it. Now let’s get to work.

This government has NOT delivered on balanced budgets --- ending rising debt -- getting it's fiscal house in order -- or making it easier for families to care for themselves!

Right now, I have a few things to note for the moment --- and more I am sure will follow.

Any talk of balanced budgets is mathematically impossible when the provincial government’s debt will continue to rise.  Here’s the facts:

Twitterverse lights up for Clarks not a throne speech, throne speech, on the Bill Good Show

BC Premier Christy Clark

Today Christy Clark paid a visit to the Bill Good show on CKNW 980, to outline upcoming plans for the BC Liberal Government.   

As expected the #bcpoli Twitter feed lit up with the comments of news people, and political pundits alike, commenting on what she had to say.

The following is a small snapshot of what I thought were the “Best Of” those comments – of which there were literally hundreds and hundreds:

CHILDCARE:

We need a childcare plan in BC. The cost of childcare in BC is too high for families

BC LIBERALS and the BC NDP:

Both of those parties are the same old and they need to be replaced

CALLERS ARE BC LIBERAL PLANTS:

Anyone else feel like they're listening to @billgood980's private lobbying session with @christyclarkbc as the #fauxthrone speech?

Oh BC Liberals, your plants to @CKNW call-in line are SOOOO obvious. The pat talking points kinda give you away..

Sounds like call-ins so stacked @BillGood980 has 2 pose most questions

RECENT POLLS:

Amusing to listen to the premier dance around recent polls. Earth to Christy: your party is way behind right now.

She should call the by-elections and lets see what those 2 polls look like

Premier Christy Clark says you cannot judge these things by polls that go up and down....when was the last 'up' poll?

Again Kevin, why is it I should be supporting the BC Liberals in the next provincial election?

Kamloops South Thompson MLA Kevin Krueger

Late yesterday afternoon I wrote a blog story after hearing my Kamloops South Thompson MLA, Kevin Krueger, on CHNL radio.  The story was entitled, "Tax and spend BC Liberals WILL NOT win the next election".

Since it was posted I have received a number of replies ... here are just three of them:

... perhaps Kevin forgot that his party got elected by first "splitting the vote" with the Socred’s. Remember them, Kevin? I do...and I foresee the exact same thing happening to the Liberals.

… John Les also was absent from a cabinet post for a long time with a cloud hanging over him ...

… you want a part of the liberal record??? Check this out;  Where the money really goes - ICBC top 50 employees - their annual salaries for 2010.

Tax and spend BC Liberals WILL NOT win the next election -- regardless of whether BC Conservatives run candidates

Kamloops South Thompson MLA Kevin Krueger was heard this afternoon (December 19^th) stating a Conservative vote in the next election is a vote for an NDP government.  He said we should look at the record of the BC Liberal government.

In little more than one week Kamloops South Thompson Liberal MLA Kevin has asked the people of British Columbian to look at their record, as has Chilliwack Liberal MLA John Les, who you may recall served as Parliamentary Secretary for HST Information to the Minister of Finance.

John Les had this to say regarding NDP leader Adrian Dix:

"He's talking about a much bigger government and a lot more government spending … he has just three choices: Higher taxes, or deeper deficits, or both.  British Columbians deserve to know exactly what he would do and how he would pay for it.  But he is being very, very, very vague."

Finance Minster Kevin Falcon (L) and Kamloops
South Thompson Liberal MLA Kevin Krueger

As I mentioned not too many days ago, here are some NOT SO VERY VAGUE words that John Les, Kevin Kruger, and our BC Liberal government may not wish to be reminded about:

... increases every year on the Carbon Tax

... increased costs for drivers licenses 

... increased costs due to HST 

... increased ferry costs 

... increased Hydro costs 

... increased parking fees at hospitals 

... increased green taxes and fees 

... increased probate fees 

... the soon to be increases on auto insurance from ICBC

... increased MSP payments 

… exorbitant salaries, payments, bonuses, and payouts to executives (directly or indirectly) on the government payroll at Community Living BC, BC Ferries, and BC Hydro.

That’s the SHORT list … don’t forget our every increasing debt which is now approaching $60 BILLION dollars --- and also Finance Minister Kevin Falcon who has now had to admit, for 2 consecutive quarters, that government debt will increase dramatically.

Misleading the public isn't the same as lying … but it sure comes close

BC New Democratic Party leader Adrian Dix

"I'm going to be bold," he (Adrian Dix) told the NDP convention in Vancouver.  "But I'm going to be modest in my agenda, recognizing that we cannot accomplish everything in the first term of government."

Vancouver Province opinion writer, Michael Smyth, called that ...  “confident, or overconfident”.   

Smyth then went on to say that, “… before Dix starts campaigning for a second term in office, he's under increasing pressure to say what he would do in the first one, and how he would pay for it. How much would that cost? He didn't say, though he repeated a promise to hike corporate taxes to help pay for it.”

THIS WEEK IN POLITICS … as only we in British Columbia can do it

Here we go with another look back at this week’s political news in BC.   

You can read about BC Ferries … BC Hydro … government belt-tightening … carbon taxes.  There was the big news as well, about John Martin, who will be seeking the nomination to run for the BC Conservative Party in the still-to-be-called by-election for Chilliwack Hope.

All that stuff is there; but for me, the most interesting news came out this morning in two stories.  One is from the North Shore News … and it is about John Cummins, who the writer has dubbed as Gentleman John … the other is from the Vancouver Sun … a story of how George Abbott has been given the unenviable task of trying to find ways to pull the BC Liberals out of the ditch.

Read on …

Abbott left to pull party out of ditch

... Clark has now asked him to help extract the party from the ditch of its own making and to develop those new linkages with the electorate. Joining Abbott in this hopeful exercise is a backroom appointee, acting as adviser to the platform committee. He's Ken Boessenkool, a Calgary-based political consultant and some-time lobbyist ...

Why the Pacific Carbon Trust Draws Political Heat

… making hospitals and schools transfer tight dollars to corporations is no easy climate policy to sell …  caused plenty of criticism, especially from public sector bodies. School boards have been angrily vocal about having to send tax dollars to a Crown corporation called the Pacific Carbon Trust (PCT), which uses the money to pay profitable corporations like Encana to cut their greenhouse gas emissions …

Gentleman John extraordinarily ordinary

… British Columbians, if they're like his former federal constituents in Delta-Richmond East, who sent him to Ottawa six times over 18 years, could discover that a non-charismatic, indifferent-speaking, average looking politician has a lot more to offer than the bangles in the standard politician's bag of tricks … supporter says Cummins has a natural gift for driving into the "remote" (from the paved-over corner of the province) and meeting "ordinary" (another uncomfortable word) British Columbians as one of them, not a politician carrying an invisible platform from which he can talk down to the unwashed…

The weeks news from BC’s wonderful wild and wacky world of politics

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 …

That’s Christine Clark — no, not Christy — running for B.C. Conservatives in Port Moody by-election

… 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 …

Success of B.C. NDP Leader Dix has Liberals firing blanks

… 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….

Cummins: Increased deficit demonstrates Liberal government unable to set funding priorities

“… 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.

Clark could roll the dice on spring election

… 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...

A sad tale of gas prices and taxes

Yesterday I had to head to Children's Hospital, down at the coast, to take my grand-daughter for an appointment.

The price of gas in the Valleyveiw area of Kamloops was $1.09 so of course I filled up. As I passed by Merritt I did not notice the price however in the Fraser Valley I noted the price was rising – and from the freeway off ramp, headed towards Oak Street, the prices ranged from $1.30 to $1.34.

To tell you the truth I really didn’t think much of it other than to say I felt sorry for people at the coast who in addition to the horrendous price we pay for fuel, also have an additional transit tax as well. I said to myself, I should have enough to get back to Kamloops, but if it looks a little tight I can always fill up in Merritt.

So ... what was the price in Merritt?? Well believe it or not it was $1.34 and so you bet all I pumped in was $5.00 to get me the rest of the way to Kamloops. And the price in Kamloops ... still just $1.09.

BC Politics This Week

Extra, Extra … read all about it.  This is the week that was in BC Political news … well some of the stories anyway.  Have a great weekend and I’ll be back again on Monday …

B.C. Premier Clark narrowly avoids political disaster with by-election win
Ms. Clark said earlier this week that a win would be a win, dismissing Mr. Eby’s suggestion she would have to match Gordon Campbell’s results for a true victory.

How quickly Christy Clark has forgotten her radio host roots

Not that long ago, Christy Clark the radio host would have had a field day with Christy Clark the politician.

Cummins thinks B.C. Conservatives can win

There's a big whack of votes out there that are going to come to the BC Conservatives, said Cummins. We have a good chance of forming government after the next election.

Thoughts of the silent majority -- part 2

Yesterday I asked you to let me know what the issues and problems in BC are, the ones that affect you, your family, neighbours and friends.  Well it hasn’t taken long for the first responses to come in, and I can tell you they have covered a number of things – not just a few select items being mentioned over and over.

Those who read my Conservative Thoughts blog know that I will often touch on government accountability – that government and MLA’s need to be accountable to us for what they say and do (or do not do).  A comment that came has already touched on that as well:

“One issue which is very important to me is Transparency. Wrapped up within it we have such elements as Trust and Integrity both of which fit nicely into our core values.  The Basi Virk case has the stench of corruption related, as it is, to the BC Rail case. If we don't go after that one we will miss a huge chance. People around here are utterly disgusted with the matter.”

Many Liberal supporters have indicated that the BC Rail issue is over and done with … that it’s old history … and elections have already been won with that controversy known.  Perhaps that it is true to the extent that BC voters figured it’s a done deal that BC Rail has been sold (and don’t give me any crap about a zillion year lease not being a sale); however details that came out in the rather hurriedly ended Basi-Virk trail were never known previously – and voters ARE upset …