"This is one double header horror show that no one should have to live through again!" John Cummins says of the Liberals and NDP

Newly elected BC Conservative
Leader John Cummins

Former Reform Party and Conservative MP John Cummins is now officially the leader of BC's Conservative Party ... and in a speech to a large crowd of cheering members he fired the first shots in any upcoming election.

He announced that a BC Conservative government will abolish the Carbon Tax which will put more money back into schools and hospitals.  No longer will they be rebating money back to the government for tax credits--- money that should be going to students and to hospital patients.

Eliminating the Carbon Tax will also save everyday British Columbian's hundreds of dollars on the everyday items they purchase ... clothing, food, homes, heating, and for the gas and diesel British Columbians outside the main urban centers need to get around taking care of everyday responsibilities.

John Cummins stated clearly ... "The BC Liberals are going to try and claim we are pulling support from them ... BUT Christy Clark and the BC Liberals are driving people away with self-serving government ... inept government ... and dishonest government."

Government has a SPENDING PROBLEM ... not a revenue problem!

"Government has a spending problem, not a revenue problem!" ... so said Maureen Bader (former director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation) to a large group of BC Conservative Party members in Surrey this morning.

Ms. Bader indicated that while some people believe that government is the answer to all problems, a large portion of the population is fed up, and will elect a political party running on a platform of small government.  What is needed however, is to have a clear platform that will allow voters to give a mandate for change.

"Hello" from Surrey

It's 9:08am and I am now in Surrey --- bright eyed (yah right) and bushy tailed.  This morning came WAY too early (4:55am) but after several cups of coffee and some tunes on the radio I am here for the BC Conservative Party Special General meeting.

This morning will see us approving the party Principles, and the Contract with British Columbia.  After much hard work the parties policy document (20 pages) has been put together and we will be looking at, and discussing that as well.

Just before lunch we will have the opportunity to have a guest speaker; Maureen Bader (former Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation).  Then ...lunch --- thank goodness as I have not had lunch yet.

After lunch we'll hear from Hamish Marshal on the state of the election readiness ... and we'll be electing John Cummins as our party leader!

Well Wayne McMath has started the meeting so time to focus, and I'll be back with more later.

In Surrey (not Kamloops), I'm Alan Forseth.

Common sense is not a political philosophy of the left or the right

John Cummins speaking
in Kamloops (May 26)

In the past few days, soon to be leader of the BC Conservative Party, John Cummins, has been meeting and talking to people in the Thompson Okanagan region.

In Vernon just the other day he stated, “People are tired with the choices they have and the last election is proof of that when 48 per cent of British Columbians stayed home, they didn’t like either choice”

This morning I spoke with Jim Harrison from CHNL Radio who asked about some of the things the party is looking at with regards to policy – one of the things I mentioned is that policy is going to be common sense, and that people will be able to support it because of that very reason.

Ex-Liberal MLA backs Conservative candidate

Great story today in the Terrace Standard ...

Dennis MacKay, elected as a BC Liberal MLA for the riding of Bulkley Valley-Stikine in the 2001 and 2005 provincial general elections, has declared his support for John Cummins and the BC Conservative Party.

“I am pleased to receive this endorsement from Dennis,” responded Cummins. “To be supported by someone who has worked tirelessly for his community is a true privilege.”

The full story can be read by clicking HERE

This “FIX” to the HST could have easily come from the NDP --- no wait, even Adrian Dix and the NDP wouldn't have come up with a plan this ridiculous.

Whatever was Christy Clark thinking ???  The news is out about fixing the HST ... and as I joked the other day … it is more like “The FIX is in on the HST”. 

As noted in the Victoria Times Colonist, here is Christy Clark’s plan in a nutshell:

The B.C. government is promising to cut the 12 per cent harmonized sales tax by two percentage points, provide rebates to millions of British Columbians and hike corporate tax rates in a last-ditch attempt to save the unpopular tax from defeat in a summer referendum.

Put those ideas forward John ... but be prepared to fully back them up ... because that is what we are asking to see happen!

It has been said that the only political poll that counts is the one that takes place on election day – I agree.  That said however, when two polls come out the same week, showing the political party you support is increasing, well you have to like that.

I recent years the BC Conservative Party has been found lumped in with a group called “Others” -- not so any more!  In the last week or so two polls have come out that show the BC Conservatives gaining in popular support.

In the poll taken by Ipsos Reid they show the party at 10%, while the one by the Mustel Group poll had the BC Conservatives at 18%! These results have to be encouraging for John Cummins who will soon become leader of the party – they show BC voters are responding in a positive way to a message of change, government accountability, and electing a government that puts

folks ahead of the special interests.

The Ipsos Reid poll, which can be found HERE, shows that compared to the May 2009 election, voter support for the BC Liberals is down 5 points from 46% ... and the NDP are down 3 points from 42%.  (NOTE ... both of these polls have of course been conducted since the Liberals and New Democrats elected new leaders.)

Will the Liberals and NDP will merge -- what does that mean provincially"

The call for a merger of those who lean to the left side of the political spectrum has been raised again, or this time actually an analysis of why it is likely to take place.  I'm just wondering though why the thought / idea keeps getting raised?

Are these trial balloons being floated to see the response, people seeing that a merger simply makes sense, or ??

Another call came forward over the weekend for a merger of the Liberals and the NDP on the federal front, and you can read that story by clicking HERE.

On the provincial side of things Christy Clark has allowed select party members (ie: Colin Hansen) to see what appetite there is for the BC Liberals to have a name change -- given the fact that Liberal party is Liberal in name only that may not be a bad idea.


The other day Bill Tieleman called for suggestions, and there have been some great ones :) ... but I don't think any suggestions came forward that Christy Clark would appreciate.


Politics is BC is starting to get interesting again --- and I am looking forward to seeing what kind of repositioning, if any, the NDP and Liberals look at now that the BC Conservative Party, under John Cummins, is gaining traction in the province.


I'm Alan Forseth in Kamloops ... with a a few thoughts from one conservative, and a few other folks.

BC Conservatives, NDP, slam new CareCards

... meanwhile, John Cummins — leader designate of the BC Conservatives — has called for an immediate review of the issuing of CareCards. "The Liberals are handing out CareCards like candy," he said in a written release.

"The Ministry of Health is issuing out more than 40,000 new CareCards a month — that's more than 120,000 since Christy Clark became premier. This Liberal incompetence is costing millions because old cards can be used to defraud our health care system. The Clark government talks about cracking down on fraud at some point in the future — but is doing nothing about it right now."

Click HERE to read the full story.