Bits and Bits, from here and there, as we end this week

The following comments, from a city councilor in Northern BC, should be required reading for those seeking to represent us – at whatever level of government.

1) Being elected to represent citizens of ( XYZ ) is a privilege, not a right.
2) Even if I feel strong about it, what does the majority of ( XYZ ) think about it.

3) We work as a group to move the city forward, but were each elected for our own separate reasons.

From a CBC News story:

It’s not unusual for a politician to stroll through the halls of the B.C. legislature, but when it’s new B.C. Conservative party leader John Cummins, it turns a few heads.  Cummins, recently an MP and not yet elected as an MLA, was attending the first working day of the new legislative session as an observer.

"I think it was important to be here for the first couple of days," Cummins said.  The Conservatives have steadily grown in popular support since Cummins took the helm of the revived party in May.  "Everywhere we go, people are interested in what we have to say," Cummins said.

From BC Auditor General John Doyle’s summary report:

“My audit opinion for the 2010/11 fiscal year contains one audit reservation, indicating that the financial statements are not in compliance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). This is one of the three audit reservations that featured in my 2009/10 opinion."

"Government had amended the Budget Transparency and Accountability Act (BTAA). The amendments set the stage for the B.C. government to depart from reporting its financial statements under Canadian GAAP … I remain very concerned that government is choosing to override the independent standard-setting process."

"As a result of this legislation, government has taken it upon itself to define GAAP, rather than following the standards set by the Canadian Accounting Standards Board. It concerns us that government is willing to override the due process that is involved in the setting of Canadian accounting standards, and instead legislate an accounting result that will have a significant effect on the financial statements of BC Hydro and the Province's Summary Financial Statements."

Comments in the Vancouver Sun on a recent poll by Ipsos Reid:

“… when the Ipsos organization probed public opinion about the performance and record of the B.C. Liberals. Opinions were overwhelmingly negative on every issue raised by the pollster: the economy, health care, education, crime and justice. The Liberals got a failing grade on taxes and spending public money wisely, two issues they'd touted as strong suits.

They failed most miserably on ethics and accountability, where 70 per cent disapproved of the job they were doing, while only 21 per cent approved.  Averaged out, the rating was almost two to one, negative over positive, a reminder that the new leader would be hauling a lot of dead weight behind her in the form of the party she'd chosen to return to and lead.

NOTES from the Ipsos Reid poll results:

1. the BC Conservatives are up 2 points (from 10% to 12%)
2. 45% say they approve of Christy Clarks performance as premier … 46% disapprove (24% ‘strongly’) … and 9% are undecided
3. For John Cummins, newly elected leader of the BC Conservative Party, almost half (45%) of respondents had not yet formed an impression of his performance as leader.  That will give him, and the party, lots of room to grow as the policies of the party continue to be announced.   He currently has a 32% disapproval rating, compared to a 23% approval.

B.C. tapped out of funds for developmentally disabled  (Excerpt from a CBC News story)
Social Development Minister Stephanie Cadieux says she can't guarantee the province will come up with more funding for the nearly 3,000 British Columbians with developmental disabilities who are seeking more help.  Some 13,696 people are currently receiving some government …. 2,840 are still waiting for more.

Letter to the Editor in the Cowichan News … “Conservatives are an up-and- coming BC movement”

They are resonating to B.C. Conservative policy statements which include axing the ridiculous carbon tax, providing more Crown counsels and judges to work in our overburdened justice system, and bringing stability and certainty to our mining, oil and gas industries. 

They want us to fix the problems in BC Ferries and BC Hydro​ and stop giving CEO’s in these corporations million-dollar-a-year salaries. They want truth and honesty returned to B.C. politics and have not forgotten debacles like Fast Ferries and BC Rail.

So Patrick my friend, BC Conservatives are not going away. Right now, we are offering conservative-minded voters a new choice on the centre/right of the political spectrum and we are leaving B.C. Liberals and the NDP to fight over the left.  Hardly a party that is down and out but indeed up and coming!

From BC Liberal MLA John Rustad on a Facebook posting:

Christy Clark asked an interesting question today … Talked with the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce today about creating and defending jobs across B.C. What are the most important jobs in your community?    Here are a just a few of the answers that were given to both of them:

Daycare specialists please

The most important job is having and raising healthy, stable, motivated young adults. after that it is food producers and manufacturing. These are basic to our survival

We need more diverse employment through development of industries

I would like to see our court house back, our MSSH offices back and all the services your government cut in the smaller communities including teachers and teacher’s assistants, more doctors and on and on. … small business entrepreneurs are the most important "jobs" in most areas, Cranbrook included. It's the only job whose actual purpose is to create even more jobs

community building projects such as a project that travels from community to community collecting stories, teaching youth, creating tourism community art that leaves a tourism product

We need more manufacturing jobs, sawmills, pulp and paper and other products, made in BC for sale to the world. Building anything in the province puts trades — thousands of people — back to work with good wages.

let the money filter through many hands, while teaching skills and giving people something to work together towards a healthy province

The new media world has opportunity, the older generation lacks these skills and the younger ones possess these – Let’s bridge these generations

There are some really good common sense ideas that were presented to both John Rustad and Christy Clark … any thoughts or ideas you think should  be included???

Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey (September 2011)

In the past 12 months employment has grown by 294,000 … primarily in Ontario and Alberta.  In BC, employment rose by 32,000 … this was the first notable employment gain since July 2010. While not a huge improvement, the unemployment rate in BC decreased by just under 1% (0.8 percent) in September.

Excerpt from the Straight.com … “Who will be the first B.C. Liberal MLA to defect to the B.C. Conservatives?”

… listened to BC Conservative Leader John Cummins on the radio, I concluded that Premier Christy Clark has a big problem on her hands.  She declined to go on the CBC Early Edition and discuss the speech from the throne … one of the associate producers invited Cummins on the air. The media like interviewing Cummins because he is a blunt speaker, which attracts readers and listeners.  Sooner or later, a poll will come out showing the BC Conservatives gaining on the BC Liberals …  the media will make a lot of noise about Cummins generating momentum … precisely when BC Liberal backbenchers will start getting the jitters about their re-election chances.

Excerpt from the Public Eye … Regulators to face future post-employment restrictions?

Energy and Mines Minister Rich Coleman is sending mixed signals about whether there should be restrictions against oil and gas commission employees leaving to work for the companies that agency regulates. The issue has come up because, in August, the head of that commission Alex Ferguson left to become a senior advisor with oil and gas company Apache Canada Ltd.

Excerpt from the Globe and Mail … “B.C. Finance Minister pitches bonds to weary European banks”

When the B.C. government floated two global bonds this year, European banks snapped up $2.25-billion (U.S.) worth – and the province had to turn investors away. This week, bankers in Paris, Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich and London opened their doors to Mr. Falcon to hear his pitch for British Columbia as a safe harbour for investment dollars.  For British Columbia, the over-subscribed bond sales mean lower borrowing costs. Mr. Falcon estimates B.C. will save $9-million over the life of the bonds, compared with interest it would have paid had the province stuck to domestic bond markets.

What do I think … Well for starters there is nothing to brag about in the fact that BC's Finance Minister saved us $9 million.  What should be in that story is that the interest payment alone, to cover the accumulated cost of borrowed money, is approximately $6 million EVERY DAY!! The BC Liberals have steadily increased deficits and debt since 2005 to where we currently owe foreign banks, foreign countries, and investment funds well over 50 BILLION dollars. If Christy Clark and the BC Liberals really want to save us money STOP having deficit budgets and start paying down the debt!!

Excerpt from the Times Colonist … “Public-sector unions won’t accept further wage freezes”

The B.C. government generated confusion when it alluded … to lifting the province's wage-freeze mandate, then said no new taxpayer money for wage increases, and that hikes would have to be earned at the cost of corresponding cuts … Jim Sinclair said the government's position may be unclear, but the stance of unions is not.  "My read is, whatever the government says, that zeros are done in this province — that they couldn't get collective agreements by offering zeros again.  The government is going to have to get real and realize wages will have to go up and they'll have to pay for it."

Of course there were lots of interesting things in the news this week, but those were just a few that kind of caught my attention. 

It’s the Thanksgiving weekend, and so I hope that you have a safe and wonderful time with family and friends.  Till next week then, I’m Alan Forseth in Kamloops; with the thoughts of one conservative on this round ball we call planet earth.