John Cummins, “Treaties are supposed to resolve conflicts, not aggravate them”

Michael Smyth (Vancouver Province) had an interesting blog story today, on the sudden instant conversion of Blair Lekstrom.

As you will likely recall, he had indicated he would vote against approval of the Treaty with the Yale First Nation.  I guess being out of caucus once was enough for him as he was ‘whipped’ into line to vote his approval.  Come next election, it will be interesting to see how that goes over with residents in his riding.

Meantime, as Smyth said:

“Now that the Liberal government and the NDP Opposition have both voted for the treaty, Cummins is left alone to oppose it.  It's a perfect issue for him, and his upstart Conservatives, in their bid to break through with voters.”

To read the full Blog story click HERE

Is Christy Clark preparing to add a second carbon tax?

While those of us who live in the interior of BC face a far greater tax bite with the Carbon Tax --- there are benefits to NOT living in Greater Vancouver -- such as a transit tax that sits around 15 cents / liter.

Now however Christy Clark and the BC Liberals are considering a second carbon tax (AKA "tax grab" -- OR -- 'fleecing' of the taxpayers). 

Oddly enough this is a policy even further to the left of the NDP -- and additional fuel to an op-ed written by former Canadian Taxpayers Federation Director Maureen Bader.

Disuniting the provincial right

Here's an interesting article from the Ottawa Citizen.

John Cummins and the BC Conservatives are working to bring about a small 'c' conservative party -- and yet some who would have / were called conservatives have chosen to support the leader of the BC liberal party. While Liberal in name it was considred a party with what many had said were conservative leanings -- until the arrival of Christy Clark.

This article takes an interesting look at why that is happening, and the possible results.

Read the full article: Disuniting the provincial right

Bits and Bites

It’s a busy week so just a few bits and bites for the moment --- hopefully I will have a full blog story tomorrow.

Minister of Transportation Blair Lekstrom will vote with his government today in support of the Yale First Nation Treaty, the Vancouver Sun has learned.

Environment Minister Terry Lake provides us with “political baffle- gab” at its finest

Did any of you have the unfortunate luck to hear Terry Lake, our Minister of Environment, this morning on the news with CHNL?  He was on the news defending the Carbon Tax and the Pacific Carbon Trust --- incredible.

He blasted John Cummins and the BC Conservative Party for saying this regrettable and regressive tax grab should be eliminated, and will be under a BC Conservative government.  We are the only political jurisdiction in North America with a tax like this.  Has Terry, my own MLA Kevin Krueger, or Christy  Clark and the rest of caucus ever stopped to wonder why no one else has a tax like this?

Our government has each of us paying a carbon tax to offset our use of carbon based fuels.  When we drive our cars it costs us more --- when we heat our homes it costs us more --- when we buy our groceries it costs us more. 

Everything we buy, and do, costs us more!

Bill Tieleman says, "Christy Clark Has Trust Issues"

Interesting column today on the HST by Bill Tieleman --- a comparison of voters being Charlie Brown, getting set to kick a football held by Christy Clark, who is playing the role of Lucy.  I think most of us know what would always happen when Charlie Brown trusted Lucy. 

Click HERE to read the full story.

John Cummins speaking at the BC Conservative leadership convention

John Cummins was elected as leader of the BC Conservative Party last Satutrday, May 28th, in Surrey.  The following video was his speech to members at the Special AGM and Leadership Convention.

BC Conservatives will not be splitting the vote --- the BC Liberals are driving their supporters away.

I generally find it interesting to hear Jim Harrison’s editorial point of view on CHNL radio in Kamloops, however today I was puzzled but what appeared to be an acceptance of the Liberal mantra that that BC Conservatives are going to ‘split the vote’

If you listen to Christy Clark and her Liberal MLA’s, it seems that their only reason for being, and why people should support them, is because ... “We’re not the NDP”.

Regrettably, that is also the thought coming from a few former MP’s like Stockwell Day, who once believed in government reform by the grassroots … and that accountability, honesty, and responsibility to the voters was paramount.