There was a sense and feeling that something had begun, and was growing

Saturday afternoon (March 31, 2012) members of the Kamloops North Thompson BC Conservative Party Constituency Association, gathered at the Rayleigh Elementary School.  On tap was the business of electing a new board and executive.

But much more than that happened at that meeting -- there was a sense and feeling that something had begun, and was growing.

I listened to the comments of people there as they discussed, with one and other, the growth of the party – how more and more there was talk of the BC Conservatives in the news – and of course the move of long-time Abbotsford South MLA John van Dongen to the party.

Party brochures were picked up and discussed, then many went back to pick up more to take with them.  The membership table was also busy as several people from within the riding took out memberships – two for the first time in ANY political party.

Guest Speaker, Wayne McGrath, former
BC Conservative Party President

I was delighted to have the opportunity as Regional Director for the party for this area, to welcome and introduce to members, the former party president and guest speaker, Wayne McGrath.  Wayne had much to say about the growth of the party during the past year, and it was an encouragement to members who were there.

Here are a few of the comments he made on Saturday:

Today, voters are frustrated and angry.  In the last provincial election (2009), 48% of the eligible voters did NOT vote.  As the lesser of 2 evils, many conservatives voted Liberal since there were only 24 Conservative candidates. Some voters were so angry at the Liberals, they actually voted NDP.

Most British Columbians are actually conservatives.  In the 2011 federal election, that fact was clearly demonstrated.  Liberals were a distant 3rd behind the Conservatives (1st) and the NDP.

Come one, come all -- we'd like to introduce you to John

BC Conservative Party Leader John Cummins

The Kamloops South Thompson, and Kamloops North Thompson, Constituency Assocations would like to invite you to a Meet and Greet with BC Conservative Party leader John Cummins.

The Meet and Greet will take place in the Mezzanine Room of the Kamloops Hotel & Conference Centre, which is located at 1250 Rogers Way.

This event will take place between 2pm and 3pm this Saturday (March 17th) and feel free to bring along a friend. 

Please note ... coffee and tea will be served

Is Terry Lake setting up a situation for an ‘honorable retreat’?

Environment Minister Terry Lake

INTERESTING NEWS from the Globe & Mail, in the form of a story entitled, “BC Liberals announce review of province’s carbon tax”.  In part it read:

The Liberals are not announcing a new schedule of increases in the tax beyond the one that ends in 2012.  But Mr. Falcon rejected a reporter’s suggestion on Tuesday that he is laying the groundwork for the demise of the tax.

“I wouldn’t make that leap,” he said at a news conference during the budget lockup.

Instead, he said the government has been proud to lead in addressing climate change through the tax.

“The issue is: four years on is the right time to review where we are at,” he said.

The minister added that he is especially interested in whether the tax is affecting economic competitiveness, especially in the agricultural sector, which faces competition abroad from rivals unburdened by such a tax.

Mr. Falcon said B.C. always expected other provinces and jurisdictions to adopt carbon taxes, leading to an “equalizing effect.”  But he said that has not happened, and B.C. is isolated.

Later in this story they went on to quote George Heyman, who happens to be BC’s Executive Director of the Sierra Club BC, saying that Falcon’s remark were basically a signal of the governments intentions.

“There’s no way to read the minister’s hints except that they’re definitely looking for a way to get out of the carbon tax,” he said.

Now just in case you have forgotten, BC’s Environment Minister is Kamloops North Thompson Liberal MLA Terry Lake. 

That makes it odd that it’s Kevin Falcon talking about, and discussing, what is happening with the Carbon Tax.  It is after all part of the government’s environmental green plan --- and that would make it is something which would be on the radar for an environment minister.

NELSON DAILY NEWS: We need review of Community Living B.C

“We need review of Community Living B.C” is an editorial which originally ran in the Victoria Times Colonist -- today it also was printed as an editorial in the Nelson Daily News.

What does the editorial have to say?  It calls for the provincial government to have an “independent review” of Community Living BC.  Here are a few of the points they make:

“The provincial government's stubborn refusal to accept the need for an independent review of community Living B.C. is unfair to the agency, those depending on it for services, and their families….

… government's credibility on this file has been compromised. The former minister, CLBC board and managers, for example, all insisted that people were not being forced from long-time group homes against their will.  That was false….

… significant problems… lack of training … poor oversight and failures to provide homeshare operators with needed information … potentially dangerous incidents as a result, and a series of "crisis situations.  The review, done by a consultant for CLBC, found that it was impossible to determine if basic checks had been done to screen prospective homeshare providers…

 … the worrying homeshare report confirms, once again, that such a review is badly needed …"

The ONLY way this review will take place is if elected representatives of the government, including Kamloops North Thompson MLA Terry Lake and Kamloops South Thompson MLA Kevin Krueger, call on Premier Christy Clark to do so.  Kevin Krueger is my MLA, and so this morning at 10:25am I emailed this brief letter to him: 

Dear Kevin...

As a 'representative of the people who elected you' in Kamloops South Thompson (and not a representative of the government), are you prepared to stand up for those who are dependent on Community Living BC to provide them with help and support?

'Cause I’m the taxman, Yeah, I’m the taxman.

The Taxman -- Lennon and McCartney

Let me tell you how it will be; there’s one for you, nineteen for me.
'Cause I’m the taxman, Yeah, I’m the taxman.
Should five per cent appear too small, be thankful I don't take it all.
'Cause I’m the taxman, Yeah, I’m the taxman.

(if you drive a car, car;) - I’ll tax the street;
(if you try to sit, sit;) - I’ll tax your seat;
(if you get too cold, cold;) - I’ll tax the heat;
(if you take a walk, walk;) - I'll tax your feet.

Taxman!
'Cause I’m the taxman, Yeah, I’m the taxman ......

As you know, BC Hydro hiked rates on electricity last year by nearly 7 ½ percent … and this year we’ll see another 10% hike.  BUT, our friendly Taxman isn’t finished yet; costs to Medical Services are increasing by another 6% as well.

Then there’s the Carbon Tax – that’s the one brought about (so we’re told) to help us to be more environmentally responsible by reducing our use of fossils fuels. Last summer the carbon tax rate on a litre of gasoline increased to nearly 4 ½ cents, and by next summer it will be sitting at 7 cents a litre.  By the way, are you being more “environmentally responsible” in your home?  Natural gas and other fuels like propane, kerosene and home heating oil are also subject to the carbon tax.

BC Politics --- The Stories of 2010

Happy New Year ... I hope that you were able to enjoy a great Christmas with family and friends. As you read this, I am away for several days so that our family can visit and spend time with family.

I have a great deal of confidence for the conservative movement in British Columbia in 2011, and as 2010 ends, let's take a look back at some of the events that happened in the wacky world of BC politics:


Jan. 20: The BC government issues layoff notices to 233 provincial employees in the second round of cost-cutting measures since B.C.'s deficit soared in 2009.

Jan 21^st ... Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health, which carry out directives issued by Health Minister Kevin Falcon, are cancelling 2,450 surgeries this February through March. The government has characterized the reduction in operating room procedures as an "Olympic slowdown". Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health, which carry out directives issued by Health Minister Kevin Falcon, are cancelling 2,450 surgeries this February through March. The government has characterized the reduction in operating room procedures as an "Olympic slowdown".

February 1^st ...Today B.C. Liberal agriculture minister Steve Thompson suggested in a radio interview that the Buy B.C. program could be the key to helping struggling fruit growers in the Okanagan stay in business, yet despite the fact that the program costs little more than what the government is spending on Olympic tickets for B.C. Liberal friends and insiders, he would not commit to reinstating it.

March 2: The B.C. government tables a budget that forecasts a $1.7 billion deficit this fiscal year, and reveals a BC Hydro plan to increase rates by 15 per cent in the next two years. The budget maintains the government’s priority of protecting core services in health and education and commits every dollar raised through the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) and four other revenue streams to be used for health services funding when the HST comes into effect July 1, 2010.”.  While health and education have received modest increases in funding, other provincial ministries are facing significant cuts: Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Forests and Range and the Healthy Living and Sport Ministries.

This Week in BC Politics (Dec 20 - 26th)

Here's a snapshot of stories from the past week ... just click the link in the story title

BC Conservative Party names board for Kamloops North Thompson -- Barriere Star Journal 

The BC Conservative Party named its Board of Directors for the Kamloops North Thompson Riding on Saturday, Dec. 11, during a meeting held at the McLure …

COLUMN: Don't sacrifice set election dates -- BCLocalNews

VICTORIA – Christy Clark could run in a by-election if she wins the BC Liberal leadership vote in February, but she is leaning towards an early general …

BC Liberal leadership rivals square off on tax cuts -- Globe and Mail

Kevin Falcon says Christy Clark, one of his rivals for the leadership of the BC Liberals, has fallen prey to NDP thinking on tax cuts…

'A propitious time' in BC politics, MLA says -- Cranbrook Daily Townsman

Right now, if there's an election, and there's a credible alternative to the NDP and the BC Liberals, I think we're going to end up with a brand new party ...

BC Rail probe is a bold move -- The Province

Although the BC Rail corruption saga was the most serious and disturbing political scandal of the decade -- with many unanswered questions about the biggest …

BC ombudsperson asked to investigate coroner's resignation -- Vancouver Sun

... but several allegations of direct political interference in the coroner's office have since been made in the media by former chief coroners and BC's ...

Basi memos show need for B.C. Rail inquiry -- North Shore News

British Columbians are owed a full, sworn exposé of the political shenanigans that led to the dealing away of a critical public asset -- BC Rail -- into the...

Economy at stake in BC recall campaign -- Journal of Commerce

The worst kept secret in British Columbia is that big labour and their political arm, the NDP, are involved. Leaked memos from NDP meetings …

De Jong camp hopes Christy and Kevin keep fighting -- The Province (blog)

... the legendary political operator from Alberta who steered Ralph Klein's career for many years, is in British Columbia working for Liberal leadership

Seasons greetings from BC Hydro -- Vancouver Sun (blog)

In short, by the time the holiday season is over, this thing is pretty much a done deal. And in the BC Liberal political lexicon, that's what they mean by ...

We'll be back soon ... Happy New Year and I hope you had a great Christmas

Board of Directors For Kamloops North Thomspon BC Conservatives

Meeting at the McLure Restaurant on Saturday afternoon (December 11^th), an interim board of directors was chosen to lead the BC Conservatives in the riding of Kamloops North Thompson.

Regional Director Alan Forseth commented, “With members stretching across this vast riding from Blue River right through to Kamloops, we’re delighted our board has the same kind of representation.”

Serving as the ridings first President will be Carl Hagen of Kamloops, while Vice President Ron Anderson and Secretary Don Corser both hale from Clearwater.  Rounding out the board will be Treasurer Garvin Wallace of Kamloops, and Director at Large Beth Ofukany also of Kamloops.