This Week in BC Politics

It’s the weekend, and I'm off to Vancouver at 4:30 Saturday morning to attend a meeting of the BC Conservative Party … sure hope the rest of you got to sleep in.  As always, another interesting week in BC politics, including this first letter / comment from the Williams Lake Tribune, written by Independent MLA Bob Simpson:

Your next premier is brought to you by …
Recent events in BC should give us pause to consider if it's now past time we put a stop to the influence corporations have on our political process by ...

Also this week we saw the resignation of Alberta Premier Stelmach, and you will find a story on that further below.  So read on and refresh your self on some of the stories that made the news this week.  Just click on the title to go to the full story:

Plenty left for both leaderships
... it's going to be fascinating to watch …..  

Secrecy for secrecy's sake

VICTORIA TIMES COLONIST:  Speaker Bill Barisoff's comments this week give a good sense of the hollowness of the government's commitment to openness and accountability....

Thoughts of the silent majority -- part 2

Yesterday I asked you to let me know what the issues and problems in BC are, the ones that affect you, your family, neighbours and friends.  Well it hasn’t taken long for the first responses to come in, and I can tell you they have covered a number of things – not just a few select items being mentioned over and over.

Those who read my Conservative Thoughts blog know that I will often touch on government accountability – that government and MLA’s need to be accountable to us for what they say and do (or do not do).  A comment that came has already touched on that as well:

“One issue which is very important to me is Transparency. Wrapped up within it we have such elements as Trust and Integrity both of which fit nicely into our core values.  The Basi Virk case has the stench of corruption related, as it is, to the BC Rail case. If we don't go after that one we will miss a huge chance. People around here are utterly disgusted with the matter.”

Many Liberal supporters have indicated that the BC Rail issue is over and done with … that it’s old history … and elections have already been won with that controversy known.  Perhaps that it is true to the extent that BC voters figured it’s a done deal that BC Rail has been sold (and don’t give me any crap about a zillion year lease not being a sale); however details that came out in the rather hurriedly ended Basi-Virk trail were never known previously – and voters ARE upset …

BC, not its teachers union, should run education

GLOBE AND MAIL:: You would think so, but it looks like our BC Liberal government in Victoria is getting weaker and weaker in that belief.  Now it seems they (who is running the ship in Victoria by the way?) are prepared to throw in the towel to the BC Teachers Federation, which of course is allied with the NDP. 

What does the vast silent majority really think?

Politicians and political parties of every stripe are always claiming they represent the majority of people -- the silent minority ... everyday people ... what ever you want to call them.  And each party also has a platform and principles that reflect where they believe policies need to be taken ...

So what does the vast silent majority really think?

I would like to know the top 3 or 4 things you believe are most important in BC, and not necessarily the things that will most impact you directly (could be your children or grand-children, your neighbour that's been out of work for months, someone you know that's been a victim of crime, etc, etc). 

There are all kinds of things to consider from farmland usage ... hydro run of river projects ... mining ... forestry ... the environment ... education ... health care ... law and order ... deficits and debt ... how often the legislature sits ... retaining government services (which) in smaller communities.
 

“The problems are in danger of overwhelming our health service”

The issue of preventative measures in health care, and rising costs to the BC medical system, has generated more comment.  I am not at liberty to disclose the name of the person who has provided the following, however they are well able to make the Guest Comments which follow:

Chronic health problems are indeed a very significant health care problem.  I am not surprised at the comments of Ms. Kaminski.

The 2 problems are firstly dealing with the present situation and at the same time the issue of prevention. At present we have illnesses such as Aides, Tuberculosis and Diabetes all needing life long or extensive drug therapy.   All Transplant patients go on anti-rejection drugs indefinitely.

HST Information

In the words of the BC Government, they have a website available to "put more factual information on the HST in the hands of British Columbians".  Click HERE to visit the website

“Hamlet” ... the BC version

With appologies to Shakespeare, who surely must be rolling over in his grave, here is my version of a portion of Act 3, Scene 1 J

To be, or not to be Conservative, that is the question:

Whether is nobler in the mind to suffer in life with the Liberals or NDP, or to end it all.

To die, to sleep no more; thankfully in death there are no more excessive taxes to pay.

Everyone may wish good things to happen but it will not always happen.

The 3 "R's" ... Rights, Responsibilities, Regulation

Today I thought I would do something a little different, and that is to take a look at just one point from the Philosophy of the BC Conservative Party.

“We value the rights and the responsibilities of the individual and the family above those of governments at all levels. This includes freedom from unnecessary laws and regulations.”

Let’s take a look for a minute, at some of the key words in this one important statement being made by the BC Conservative Party.

·         Value … the worth, importance, or usefulness of something to somebody

·         Rights … consistent with the facts or general belief

·         Responsibilities … being accountable to somebody or for something

·         Individual … a specific person, distinct from others in a group

·         Family … a group of people living together and functioning as a single household, usually consisting of parents and their children

·         Freedom … the state of being unaffected by, or not subject to, something unpleasant or unwanted

·         Unnecessary … not essential, needed, or required

·         Regulations … the adjusting, organizing, or controlling of something, or the state of being adjusted, organized, or controlled

BC Health Care ... follow-up to Friday’s Blog

Since my blog comment on Friday, I have received additional information from a BC medical care professional, which I invite you to read.

Health care costs for the average Canadian is just under $4,000 / year -- and when we reach the age of 65, as our 'baby boomers' are doing right now, these cost rise steeply.  If they make 90, the average is $ 20,000 a year.  This is for chronic disease; diabetes, respiratory etc, then cancer and heart disease come in.  As well the nursing home and chronic care costs are huge. 

As for preventative medicine, well this is the 'Other half', which is an area we really have not done very well in.  One has only to look about and see all the obesity and smoking, never mind the burgers and donuts etc.

My own view is that these foods are a sort of addiction, and treating them is like treating an addiction -- I suspect that starting in BC schools with some rather dramatic teaching, or something like that, is the long term approach.

It certainly seems like a serious review of how we can improve our approach, and application of, "preventative medicine" is well worth it; not only for the health care budget, BUT for our own well-being.

Click the link to see Friday’s full story, Will these health care suggestions be popular?