There are actually at least 3 camps regarding the HST ... and the PST / GST

Many people … including those in the media … have NOT realized there are actually at least 3 camps (or schools of thought) regarding the HST ... and the PST / GST.

There are those who, no matter what, hate the government -- and the HST --- and will vote to end its existence.

There are those who go, "Whoopee … it goes down 2% and the government will be mailing me a FREE cheque to bribe me into keeping it.”

Then there were those who like me who said, “I do not like how it was initiated but I will vote to retain it.”

That was until Christy Clark tinkered with it … a “FIX” she called it.

Christy Clark said, “He ran because he believed it was important to represent an alternative to British Columbia”

BC Conservatives, and those leaning towards support of them, should be pleased with the results of a survey compiled by Hamish Marshall of Abingdon Research.

First to the conclusion … it states that the BC Liberal election coalition is fragile – and more importantly, nearly half of BC Liberals voters only support them because there is no other alternative.

It also goes on to say that should the BC Conservatives become that alternative, they could capture 20% of BC Liberal voters.

What scenario would see that most likely to happen??  It would be the election of Christy Clark as leader of the BC Liberals tomorrow, because she is seen as being too close to the Michael Ignatieff federal Liberals by nearly one in four federal Conservatives who make up two thirds of BC Liberal voters.

“Promises, promises ... that's all I ever get”

I don't know whether to laugh or cry each day as I listen to the candidates seeking the leadership of the BC Liberal Party.  Family Day ... 16 year old voters ... more consultation with voters ... raising the minimum wage ... family friendly policies … and on and on it goes.

I was going to write something on this; however two great editorials have been written and so instead I would like to direct you to what they have already said this week. First of all, from Gary Mason of the Globe and Mail ...

BC Liberal leadership race suffering from vision vacuum

British Columbians are ecstatic these days. The candidates running for the leadership of the governing Liberal Party are vowing to get rid of hated taxes and add more holidays. They’re vowing to bring the public inside cabinet, consult with it like never before.

Pretty soon, BC truly will be “The best place on Earth,” just like its tourism motto says.

If elected, George Abbott will hold “regional caucus meetings,” “telephone town halls” and regular “accountability sessions” with voters. Mike de Jong has vowed a “leadership roundtable” to solicit the views of municipal and regional district leaders. The maxim of Kevin Falcon’s campaign is “listen, learn, lead.”

Christy Clark has promised to hold 12 town-hall meetings with British Columbians in her first year in office and share information with the public as “soon as problems are identified.” (Love that one). Moira Stillwell, meantime, has also promised to bring British Columbians into the decision-making process and add greater transparency to the workings of government.

It all sounds so wonderful, doesn’t it? And sadly predictable and unoriginal ...................

Then from Brian Hutchison at the National Post comes a response to George Abbotts strange campaign slogan of “The People are coming” ... along with a reminder of the many things that have sent the BC Liberal Party reeling in recent months ...

"... politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians"

Charles de Gaulle once said, "I have come to the conclusion that politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians" … and I am inclined to agree.  Given the proliferation of political parties in BC in recent years, here is something else that he said that seems to fit with our provincial politics, “How can you govern a country which has two hundred and forty-six varieties of cheese?”

Before I continue today though, I have to anonymously give credit to a friend who sparked the idea of finding those quotes.  Thanks “D”

Okay, back to politics is too serious to be left to the politicians; isn’t that the very reason why over a decade and a half ago the provincial and federal Reform Parties said that elected representatives had to actually be accountable to the people that had elected them, or be subject to being fired by the voters.

I want to say that I do not agree with how recall is currently being used in BC given the fact that we are going to have opportunity to vote on whether the HST is going to be dumped -– and also because the BC NDP seem to be heavily involved in the Fight HST process. 

Having the opportunity, and a process in place, to initiate recall however is valuable to voters in BC (and should be available elsewhere) because politicians and political parties are inclined to say almost anything to get elected.  I believe that between elections, and when there is no other way to stop government and MLA actions that the majority of voters disagree with, recall is a valuable tool that should be used.