Here are the top 5 “Conservative Thoughts” blog stories ... so far

It’s the weekend and I should be working hard on my chores, but I thought I’d take a break for moment to check several email accounts, Facebook, and my Conservative Thoughts blog.   Don’t you find it funny how you can start to wander once you get going on something?

I was looking at Blog stats and realized it has now been pretty much 4 months that I have been doing this, and in that time I have written 129 pieces.  This stuff (good or bad depending on your point of view) has been viewed 3,450 times.  Given that, I wondered which postings have been the most popular.

If you missed any of these in the past, here are the top 5 blog stories that I have posted to the Conservative Thoughts blog since in began on December 20^th:

#5 from January 5^th … 'Cause I’m the taxman, Yeah, I’m the taxman.

#4 from March 21^st … How will BC Conservatives govern? ... that's a goo...

#3 from March 9^th … A decade after taking power, the NDP are still to ...

#2 from April 11^th … It’s admirable but ...

And the blog story which has been read the most number of times (#1) is from March 24^th … Dear Christy ... the legislation is NOT open to ad...

This has been an interesting exercise for me, doing this blog, and I hope it has caused you to ask questions, think about things from another point of view, or perhaps even firmed an existing point of view.  That’s what this blog is about, so as long as someone is reading it, I’ll keep writing.

In Kamloops, I’m Alan Forseth, and those are the thoughts of one conservative.

This week in BC Politics

It’s the end of the week and time to take a look back at a few of the political stories that made the news this past week.  Sunday evening we’ll also find out who will be leading the provincial NDP into the next general election, which some people are now speculating may be held this Fall. 

So who will lead the NDP?  My guess is that it will be Mike Farnworth, although not because he is the most traditional of all the candidates.  Farnworth will be elected by members of the NDP because he is the most middle of the road candidate, and the one most likely to lead the party closer to Liberal policies. 

That being the case, again I ask the question – why do we need to have an NDP party when they could merge with the BC Liberals to become Liberal Democrats?

Anyway … enough of that … as mentioned, here are a few of the stories that made the news this week … along with a quick flashback to the past.

BC Lieutenant Governor responds in one day!

All I can say is WOW!  Yesterday I sent an email to the Lieutenant Governor of BC and I have received a reply in just one day. 

Last Spring / early summer I contacted my MLA’s office with regards to the HST and he never did get back to me.  I also tried the Ministry of Finance, and it took them 2 and a half months to send me a ‘cookie cutter’ response.

I have never had any kind of dealings with the office of the Lieutenant Governor before so I have nothing to compare this too – however I think it’s wonderful they responded that quickly.

I posted my question to the Lieutenant Govenor in a blog story earlier today entitled, What requirements are there for someone to be called / declared the Premier of BC?  If you are interested in the response I received then read on …  

Dear Mr. Forseth:

Your email of April 13, 2011, addressed to the Lieutenant Governor has been directed to me for attention and response.

What requirements are there for someone to be called / declared the Premier of BC?

Its letter writing time … here is another email, this one sent yesterday, as I was pondering, and wondering, how someone is declared to be the Premier of the Province.  The following is a copy of what I sent to the Honourable Steven L. Point, OBC, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia:

Your Honour...

I am hoping that as the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, you could help me with a question I have regarding the premiers office.  The nature of the questions is, what requirements are there for someone to be called / declared the Premier of BC?

BC HYDRO and the Site C Dam



Conceptual design of the proposed
Site C dam on the Peace River

Recently there has been a lot in the news with regards to BC Hydro.  There has been talks about possible rate increases of up to 50% … numerous proposed and coming online Run of River projects … and Hydro looking at existing power streams and ones that were / are on the books.

One of these happens to be the proposed Site C Dam on the Peace River.

I did have some one ask about this, at which point I emailed BC Hydro to make a few inquiries?  My email of March 24^th follows below …

From: Alan Forseth [mailto:alfman55@hotmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 4:15 PM
To: Project Team, Site C
Subject: BC Hydro site "C" project

Good afternoon ...

There has been lots of talk in the media in recent months and years with regards to new hydro projects, possible rate hikes, run of river proposals etc.   I noticed more on the BC Hydro website regarding Site "C" and that the project is now in the Stage 3 -- Environmental and Regulatory Review -- process.

Bill Tieleman comments on Vancouver Point Grey

In a story on Bill Tieleman blog, he states:

A research firm closely connected to the BC Liberals has been polling heavily in Vancouver-Point Grey, the riding where Premier Christy Clark confirmed Monday she will run in a by-election, likely by mid-May.  And 24 hours has exclusively obtained all the questions being asked last week, which show Clark is concerned about the upstart B.C. Conservatives under leadership candidate John Cummins, a former Conservative MP, and the Harmonized Sales Tax.

The story goes on to say ...

Vancouver Island University Professor Allan Warnke says Clark should be worried.

“John Cummins adds some credibility right away to the BC Conservatives,” he said, adding that the party's advisory group of former Reform MPs will also help.  "Randy White is a good organizer," Warnke noted.

But BC Conservative spokesperson Keith Roy says Cummins won’t run in Vancouver-Point Grey.  “We’re the biggest threat to their government right now,” he said. “I’d like to thank the BC Liberals for finally showing us some respect.”

To read the full story Click Here

BC Conservatives to hold Leadership Convention and Special General Meeting

If you are a member of the BC Conservative Party, you have hopefully received the following notification that went out yesterday from BC Conservative Party President, Wayne McGrath.

As a member of the BC Conservative Party, you are cordially invited and strongly encouraged to attend the Leadership Convention which will acclaim John Cummins as the new Leader of the Party. The attached link Registration Form provides the details of this Convention which will be held in Surrey on May 28, 2011. You may also register online at www.bcconservative.ca.

TimberWest to be acquired by Pension Funds

Yesterday when I wrote todays blog story (see below), I mentioned Jack Layton's NDP seem to forget that many pension funds have a big stake in the very companies he wishes to increase taxes on.  Now in todays news is a story about a couple large pension funds about to make a major acquisition of a forestry and land company.

It’s admirable but ...

A person close to me heard Jack Layton on the 6 o'clock news Sunday evening, where he was talking about all the wonderful things he planned to do when the NDP was elected government in Canada.

“It's admirable he'd like to do that” this person said, but wasn't it France that just had riots when they had to increase the retirement age because they could afford paying pensions at such an early age?”

“Yes” I replied, “and other countries around the world have been having no end of grief, and near financial meltdown, because others have had to prop them up when their treasuries were facing bankruptcy.”

Most of us can list off at least several of them such as Greece and Portugal – but there have been many others.