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.

REMINDER to BC Finance Minister Mike de Jong: Moody's examines budget projections ... BUT do not verify them as balanced ... or not balanced

'Let me make this perfectly clear ...'

So BC Liberal Finance Minister Mike de Jong says that Moody's assessment concludes that BC's debt remains manageable during the CURRENT low interest-rate environment. 

Lets take a look at what Jordan Bateman (British Columbia Director, Canadian TaxpayersFederation) has had to say however ... and I quote:
"By the end of the 2012-13 budget year, it will hit $57.6 billion. And in 2015, it will rise to $66.4 billion --DESPITE two years of planned surplus budgets."

So what happens WHEN (not if) interest rates go higher?

Mike de Jong also stated today that BC taxpayers 'will pay lower interest rates' ... but NOTHING could be further from the truth.

We will continue to pay the 'going rate'! 

That means the resources of government will be reduced, by nearly $7 million EVERY DAY, for debt service costs (interest the government pays on roughly $60 billion in debt).

Again ... that's $7 million EVERY DAY just to make the interest payments on that debt. 

That's $7 million EVERY DAY that could and should be going to provide from line services in health, education, senior care and more.

And that interest payment ($7 million a day) is before this BC Liberal government even begins to start reducing the debt; something which they have been unable to do year after year.  And just to be clear, the Liberal government of BC has not even had a balanced budget since 2006! 

I think perhaps it would be wise to mention two more things ... one from a Ministry of Finance news release sent out today ... and the other from a CBC "Reality Check" with regards to what Moody's really says.

First , the news release from the Ministry of Finance makes the claim that:
"Moody’s Aaa rating confirmation follows the first quarterly report, issued Sept. 10, 2013, which confirmed that B.C. is on track to balance the 2013-14 budget."

Now to the CBC Reality Check which quoted Helmut Pastrick, the chief economist of Central One Credit Union who said:
" ... Moody's and other credit rating agencies examine budget projections, but do not verify them as balanced or not balanced."

So Mike ... but there's no thanks coming your way from me ... only wonderings why you continue to misrepresent the truth of BC finances (debt and interest), how credit rating agencies work, and how much we really pay for the overspending by consecutive governments from the NDP, right down through the BC Liberals.

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

“The expansion of gambling in BC has only hurt the non-profit sector. The greater the BC Lottery Corporation revenue, the worse it gets for charities”

I went to buy a $4.00 mini-dip (one ticket with one each of the 649, BC49, & the Extra) yesterday, and was told the price had increased over the weekend and that my regular ticket is now $6.00.

WHAT ... a 50% increase??  Did I just get a clerk that didn't know what she is doing -- or is that indeed what they now cost?  Well it didn't take long for a friend to confirm that:

Looks like they have increased the jackpots so that's why it costs more.  The BC Lottery Corporation website says the jackpot will start at $5 million instead of $3 million, and there will be an additional prize of $1million paid out each draw. Either way, you have a better chance of being struck by lightning!

And indeed, a quick look at the Lotto Corp website does indeed state:
With the new guaranteed $1 million prize and the improved odds, the price of Lotto 6/49 changes to $3 per play from $2. Each $3 play includes a unique number exclusively for the new $1 million prize that is guaranteed to be won each draw. Players are automatically entered into new $1 million prize draw from the tickets sold across Canada

A story in the Globe and Mail a few years ago stated a few comparison on your chances of winning.  You are ... three times more likely to be killed in a traffic accident driving 16 kilometers to buy your ticket than winning the jackpot ... you are about 10 times more likely to die after being bitten by a poisonous snake or lizard than to win a Lotto 6/49 jackpot ... if you want to increase your odds just buy 50 tickets a week. You are very likely to win the jackpot at least once — in 5,000 years.

I don't know if it was just me not paying attention, however I have to say the announcement of increased rates on Lotto 649 tickets seems to have been conspicuously absent.

Not to be a conspiracy theorist, but I'm just wondering if BC Liberal government will be taking an even bigger whack of profits into general revenue?  As it is, for the last fiscal year (2012 to 2013), the BC Lottery Corporation sent nearly $1.12 BILLION dollars into the government treasury

I'm sure the non-profits, that have been getting screwed big time in the amounts the were PROMISED by the government when they took over the fundraising they had been doing with soft-gambling, won't be getting anywhere near the 30 odd percent they were once promised (but never received).

A quick look at Mother Lotto Corp shows that while the government took in $1.12 BILLION ... charitable and community organizations received a mere $135 million in gaming grants.

Yes, the BC Liberal government calls them "Gaming Grants" ... however the reality is this was REVENUE for charitable organizations in BC before the government forced them out of soft gambling that community groups and organization had previously done to 'directly' fund the work they did in their communities.

Dan Brooks leadership campaign to focus on three core issues

Yesterday in Kamloops, as many of you know, the former BC Conservative candidate for Nechako Lake, Dan Brooks, officially announced he will be seeking the support of members across the province, to become the parties next leader.  Some of the news media stories regarding his announcement can be found at:

Kamloops TV7 News: http://www.cfjctv.com/story.php?id=15999

The Province: http://www.theprovince.com/news/Northern+candidate+Conservative+leadership/8904816/story.html
Kamloops Daily News:
http://www.kamloopsnews.ca/article/20130912/KAMLOOPS0101/130919947/-1/kamloops/first-bc-conservative-tosses-name-into-leadership-race
The Tyee: http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/2013/09/12/BCConsLeader/

Just to be clear, as I have already been asked this, I have not yet made any decision on who I will be supporting for the leadership of the party.  Right now, one person has declared, one more is expected, and there are rumors afloat that others are considering letting their names stand.

I, like many others BC Conservatives, will be looking foreword to hearing the visions of the various candidates, for the future of "our" party. 

In keeping with that, today I would like to present a background document from Dan Brooks, on what he considers the three core issues that he will be presenting.  As others step forward in announcing their candidacy, I will present their thoughts here as well.

Here then, are the three core issues or principles Dan Brooks will be presenting during his campaign for the leadership of the BC Conservative Party; fiscal responsibility and accountability ... rebuilding the economy of rural British Columbia ... and decentralizing decision-making by empowering grassroots British Columbians.

1. Fiscal responsibility and accountability

In 2001, British Columbia's total debt was $33.8 billion. That was too high, said the newly-elected BC Liberals, and so they introduced a balanced budget law that outlawed future deficits.

By the end of the latest fiscal year, 2012/13 - after a dozen years of BC Liberal governments - the provincial debt has climbed to an historic high of $55.8 billion. That's an increase of more than $22.0 billion in just twelve years.

And instead of making fiscal shortfalls illegal, the BC Liberals actually amended their balanced budget statute - twice - to allow for successive deficits. Over the last dozen years, the BC Liberal record is seven deficits and only five surpluses.

The province's independent Auditor General, moreover, repeatedly has issued qualifying statements on the annual Public Accounts, saying they do not conform with generally accepted accounting principles.

On top of that, the province's 'Contractual Obligations' - that is, future payments owed to contracted suppliers such as Independent Power Producers - have exploded to $99.8 billion. Together, British Columbia's debt and contractual obligations add up to an almost-unbelievable $155.8 billion.

The BC Conservative Party is dedicated to bringing the province's finances under control. As party Leader, Dan Brooks will introduce measures to ensure fiscal responsibility and accountability.

2. Rebuilding rural British Columbia

British Columbia's rural population has shrunk over the last several decades and now stands - as a proportion of the total population - as the smallest in the country. As recently as 1966, one-quarter - 25 per cent - of all B.C. residents were classified as living in "rural" parts of the province; by 2011 that number had plunged to just 14 per cent. (The comparable number for Canada as a whole was 19 per cent.)

Looked at another way, over the last half-century, the proportion of British Columbians living in an 'urban' setting has increased from 75 to 86 per cent.

The trend is persistent. In total numbers, the province's rural population peaked in 1996 at 667,000. By 2011, that number had collapsed to just 609,000.

Over a 15-year period, therefore, British Columbia's rural communities have lost almost 58,000 residents.

It must be said that some cities and regions outside the Lower Mainland are doing well. For example, between 1996 and 2012, the Thompson/Okanagan Development Region saw its population grow from 468,000 to 541,000.

That's an increase of 73,000 - or more than 15.6 per cent - over the last 16 years. Most of that growth, however, has taken place in the central Okanagan, in and around Kelowna. Other cities and towns in the region have not grown nearly so fast.

In the Kootenay Development Region, the population between 1996 and 2012 grew by less than 500 people. The situation was much worse for most of northern B.C., where three of the four development regions actually lost population between 1996 and 2012.

The Cariboo saw its population fall by 9,600, while the North Coast lost more than 12,000 souls. The number of residents in the Nechako region fell by almost 4,900.

Only the Northeast Development Region - home to the province's booming natural gas industry - experienced a population increase, gaining 7,700 residents from 1996 to 2012.

Unfortunately, the provincial government has done little to acknowledge the on-going challenges that face rural British Columbia. Indeed, in many instances Victoria actually has exacerbated the situation, closing dozens of schools, forest offices, courthouses and other public facilities located in rural and remote parts of the province.

Dan Brooks and the BC Conservatives believe that the province's wilful neglect of rural British Columbia must be reversed. It is long past time to re-invest in our rural economy, to build up transportation and social infrastructure, to improve the quality of life for rural residents, and to reverse the decline in population.

As Leader of the BC Conservatives, Dan Brooks will bring a renewed focus to rebuilding and restoring the province's rural regions.

3. Empowering grassroots British Columbians by decentralizing decision-making

Dan Brooks announces candidacy for Leader of the BC Conservatives ... Campaign will emphasize issues in Interior, North and Rural B.C.

Dan Brooks steps forward as first candidate
to lead BC Conservative Party

KAMLOOPS, B.C. - SEPT. 12, 2013 - Dan Brooks today announced his candidacy to become the new Leader of the BC Conservative Party.

"I am proud to declare that I am seeking to win election as the Leader of the BC Conservatives," said Brooks.

"I was born in B.C.'s North, I am raising my family in rural British Columbia, and I make my living off our bountiful natural resources. For too long, however, the people living in our province's Interior, North and Rural regions have been neglected, ignored by the decision-makers in Victoria.

"My campaign will focus on developing and being a strong voice for those British Columbians who believe that their interests are not being heard or represented in the corridors of power."

Brooks was born in Vanderhoof, B.C. and he later graduated from the University of Waterloo with a B.A. in Classical (Greek and Roman) Studies.

He returned to the North and in 1995 to operate a family business, Crystal Lake Resort Ltd., located north of the Chilcotin region and south of the Nechako River.

In the May 2013 provincial general election, Brooks was the BC Conservative candidate in the riding of Nechako Lakes. He obtained 12.6 per cent of the popular vote, ranking him fifth out of 56 Conservative candidates who contested the election.

Brooks also announced that his campaign office will be located in Kamloops.

"I believe BC Conservative members living in the Interior, North and Rural parts of the province will decide the next Leader of our party," said Brooks. "And Kamloops is ideally situated as a centralized location from which to run my leadership campaign."

 

BACKGROUNDER

Dan Brooks was born in Vanderhoof in 1975, not long after his parents - Fred and Carolyn Brooks - had moved to British Columbia from Alberta, and bought Crystal Lake Resort, a hunting and fishing lodge located southwest of town.

When Dan was eight, Fred, Carolyn and their children moved back to Alberta to operate the family farm while Fred pursued various businesses across BC and Alberta. The Brooks family would return each summer to Vanderhoof and in 1994 Dan began working at Crystal Lake as a guide.

After he turned 21, Dan decided that he wanted to make his home in northern British Columbia. He married an Alberta girl, Ellen Smith, in 1998 and together they raised their family at Crystal Lake.

Dan Brooks to hold news conference in Kamloops on September 12



Dan Brooks -- BC Conservative Party
leadership candidate?

Dan Brooks will hold a news conference at 10:30 am on Thursday, September 12 to address the election of a new Leader for the BC Conservative Party. 

 

Brooks was a candidate for the BC Conservatives in the Nechako Lakes electoral district in the May 2013 provincial general election. 

 

He obtained 12.6 per cent of the popular vote, ranking him fifth among the party's 56 candidates. 

 

The BC Conservative Party will hold a leadership convention on April 11, 2014.

Date:  Thursday, September 12, 2013
Time:  10:30 am

Location:  Columbia Room

               Coast Kamloops Hotel and Conference Centre

               1250 Rogers Way, Kamloops, B.C. 

It is up to BC Conservatives to show we are a party worthy of support

I have to say that I am feeling MUCH MORE enthusiastic about being a BC Conservative these days.  Despite not much in the way of news in mainstream media, the rumor mills are alive with talk of upcoming announcements. 

That's why I am asking those outside, and inside the party, "Are you looking to create, and be part of, a true small 'c' conservative party with a social conscience?"

That is what I have always believed in, and hoped to see created in the BC Conservatives.  And those of us who have stuck by the party, and who are now giving us a second look, are (I hope) looking to continue to grow and develope that kind of common sense alternative. 

Dialogue.  That is what people within the BC Conservative Party need to have.  But it must be a respectful dialogue. 

No any one person, or group, is the BC Conservative Party. We have had enough inner squabbles, and I for one am more than ready to say ... "So long good riddance to the past crap" ... and look forward to building the future of the party. 

Personally I believe the party needs to grow from a support base and move out from there -- that means a solid foundation in the interior and north. I feel fairly certain some will not see eye to eye with me on that, however that's the kind of discussion and dialogue the party needs to have. 

Just to be clear, I have not yet chosen who I will be supporting for the leadership of the BC Conservatives. That's because I do not even know yet who is planning to seek the nomination, other than rumors of Dan Brooks and Rick Peterson.  I hope at least one or two others will step forward as well ... and I hope there conservative women considering the leadership as well.