I hope you have enjoyed taking a look back at the stories that spurred the most interest in 2012

Over the past couple of days I have been looking back at the stories / blog posts from 2012 that held the most interests -- the ones which were read the most.

Today is the final look back at 2012, and the #1 post which went online on May 4th

"David Loukidelis described what he called ... an unacceptable pattern of government-wide failure to respond to access requests in as timely a fashion as it should.”

This post started off saying:

The BC government today announced that Deputy Attorney General David Loukidelis will be leaving the government.  Loukidelis became the Deputy AG in January 2010 following a position as the Commissioner of the Freedom of Information Office.

A brief story in the Vancouver Sun this afternoon noted:
The announcement was made in an internal note sent Friday by John Dyble, deputy minister to Premier Christy Clark.

It’s in his role as the Freedom of Information Commissioner that David Loukidelis made news that many have likely forgotten.

For example someone made a request under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act to the Royal B.C. Museum for a copy of the draft report, Loukidelis had to beg the government for more money to argue the case in court.

Writer Bill Tieleman, in a Strategic Thoughts piece from May 2004 asked:
What kind of independence does the Freedom of Information Commissioner have when he has to beg the Finance Committee for line item approval for specific investigations and legal opinions? The Campbell government has reduced an independent officer of the legislature to little more than a minor bureaucrat in one of many government ministries.

You can read the rest of this post by CLICKING HERE

Just as a follow-up, and in case you are wondering about the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner, here is information directly from their website:

We are counting down to the #1 post -- today we look back at #5 down to #2

Today I'm continuing to take a look at the Top 10 commentaries which were most read here on the Conservative Thoughts blog.  We are counting down to the #1 post -- today we look back at #5 down to #2

The 5th most read blog post comes from October 11th, and it was entitled "Someone is pulling the strings from behind –and whoever they are – they are cowards for not showing their faces"

From July 4th comes the 4th most read post; "TwiddleDee, and Twiddle Dumb. That’s what we have with the BC Liberal Party, and the BC New Democrats"

The third most read story, "What they believe, and stand for, are the things that will guide them in government",  comes from April 26th

Some in the media and public believe that the BC Conservative Party has viewpoints that would be opposed by the majority of British Columbians, and has no clearly defined plans and ideas.  Given that, I thought that I would do a side by side comparison

.
And our last look back today will be the 2nd most read commentary from 2012.  It comes from January 16th, and was entitled, "Hiring Ken Boessenkool is for the partisan purpose of making the BC Liberal government look good" 

Is the Premiers Office a non-partisan part of the government of BC --- or is it an extension of the BC Liberal Party?  I ask this question because it is becoming increasing unclear what it’s exact 'political' purpose is.

That's all for today ... tomorrow we'll find out what the most read commentary was from 2012, on the Conservative Thought blog.

I'm Alan Forseth in Kamloops ... with a look back at the thoughts of one conservative.

The TOP 10 "Conservative Thoughts for the year 2012 -- beginning with #10 to #6

Over the next 3 days I will be presenting the most read commentaries that I posted on the Conservative Thoughts blog.

Today I'll begin by taking a fresh look at the posts counting down from #10 to #6.  Let's begin:

#10 ... "BC Liberal MLA Kevin Krueger should read these words; 'Vitriol' … extreme bitterness and hatred toward somebody or something" -- May 9th 

Two stories tied for the #9 spot ... they were: 

"If you decide to read on, make sure you have some Tylenol, and an antacid, handy" (April 30th)

And from October 6th: "All logic, reason, and unbiased comment,flies out the window when it comes to anything he writes and says about Cummins and the BC Conservative Party" 

#8  ... "We live in a democracy Kevin; that's how it works"  June 13th 

From March 2nd comes the #7 commentary of the year ... "The ineptitude of this government hurts people -- real people!"

And our final post today comes from March 10th.  It stand as the #6 most read post of the year ... "It may talk like a duck ... but it sure as heck doesn't walk like one" -- March 10th

Tomorrow we'll continue as we take a look at more of the Top 10 Conservative Thoughts posts, counting down from #5 to #2.

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

Best wishes for a great year ahead in 2013

To friends old and new, wherever you are, Happy New Year!

Thank you again for joining me on this journey through-out this past year.  It's hard to believe, and at times I find it amazing, but I am now 3 years in to this adventure with the Conservative Thoughts blog.

From me to you, sincerest best wishes for a great year ahead in 2013.

Alan Forseth 
Kamloops, BC

Merry Christmas my friends

The Word Became Flesh

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1: 1 - 5)

Merry Christmas ... may the peace of God be with you during this joyous time of year!

Thank you for joining me on another year of  Conservative Thoughts.  This will be my last post for 2012.  See you next year!

Whatever Kevin (Krueger) thinks, many are INDEED concerned with the downgrade ... and much has been written about it by mainstream media

Kamloops South Thompson BC Liberal MLA Kevin Krueger

For some reason, my friend Kevin Krueger (and Kamloops South Thompson BC Liberal MLA) keeps insisting that all is well with the provinces finances, that they have a handle on the annual and ongoing budget deficits ... and that we should have no concerns about the doubling of debt.

I ... and many others ... would beg to differ.

Kevin on the other hand has gone so far as to say, and I quote:
The BC Conservatives have never done a positive thing for B.C. I have yet to see an apology from John Cummins for the lie he published about BC's Triple A credit rating; we still have it; it is the highest rating in the world, and our interest rates are COMPLETELY UNAFFECTED by Moody's debt warning. All the BCC's have ever accomplished is to elect NDP MLA's.

For starters I MUST remind Kevin that the BC Conservative Party has really only come back to the forefront of BC politics in the past 2 years -- so we have actually played NO role in NDP MLA's being elected.

Those reading Kevin's comments may or may not agree with him -- its up to you. That said, BC Conservative Party leader John Cummins was quite clear in his thoughts on the downgrade of BC's credit rating by Moody's:

“Shocking” was the response last evening from John Cummins, leader of the BC Conservatives, as Moody’s Investor Service downgraded British Columbia’s credit rating to Aaa negative.  “BC’s debt is rapidly rising, even as our economic growth is dramatically slowing.  Meanwhile, the BC Liberals are spending tens of millions of taxpayer dollars on feel-good, pre-election advertising in the hope they can mask British Columbia’s deteriorating fiscal problems.”

The Moody’s down-grade of B.C.’s debt was accompanied by a sober assessment of the province’s economic and fiscal position.

1) The province’s net debt has grown from “roughly” 65 per cent of revenues in 2008, to 82 per cent in the current fiscal year. That number is expected to grow to approximately” 94 per cent by 2014 / 2015.

2) The fiscal deficit for 2012/13 is forecast to grow by at least 50 per cent (from less than $1.0 billion, to nearly $1.5 billion) – or 3.5 per cent of revenues

3) BC’s economic growth is slowing (according to B.C.’s Economic Forecast Council), to an expected 2.1 per cent in 2012, and 2.2 per cent in 2013.

“B.C.’s total debt will double in just over a decade under the BC Liberals from $33.8 billion, to $66.4 billion,” said Cummins.  “Now, as a result of the credit down-grade, our borrowing costs will rise ever higher. Even though the BC Liberals claim to be superb economic and fiscal managers, the evidence clearly proves otherwise.”

Well of course my Liberal friend Kevin wasn't going to see eye-to-eye on that assessment.  His retort was that:

PETER SHARP; I am not running to become the candidate for the BC Conservative Party in Kamloops South Thompson for a lark -- I am running because I believe I can win."

Former Kamloops City Councilor Peter Sharp; now
seeking BC Conservative nomination in Kamloops South

Today we have another guest piece ... this time from Peter Sharp, who is seeking the BC Conservative party nomination for Kamloops South Thompson.

In BC's  39th provincial general election, three and a half years ago, a shockingly large number of registered voters decided not to go to the polls. 

Right here in the Kamloops South Thompson riding there were 40,200 registered voters -- however only 23,400 actually did cast a ballot.   

And across the province?  Well in 2005 the BC Liberals received 807,000 votes ... that fell to 750,000 in the last election held in 2009.  A similar pattern shows for the NDP who received 730,000 in 2005 ... but only 690,000 in 2009.   

Voter apathy continues to grow, and I can see only one reason for that; a increasing belief that government no longer responds to the real needs of its citizens, and that elected officials are only out for themselves.  

Over the past 20 years, British Columbian's have witnessed both NDP and BC Liberal governments mismanaging our finances.  

We need a change!  We need commons sense, integrity and accountability in government.

I support party Leader John Cummins, and  the common sense, people oriented, ideals of the BC Conservative Party.  I also believe that we can once again make our province a place where individuals, and families, can grow and prosper.