We live in interesting times ... Christy Clark is desperately trying to build her conservative bona-fides

Over the past week or so there have been several excellent story that have come out regarding John Cummins and the BC Conservative Party.

For Christy Clark the same is not true. While much was said previously about how good Christy Clark and the BC Liberals are for BC, some are starting to take a deeper look. Today, I'll let their stories speak as to how well Christy Clark is doing ... and by comparison, how John Cummins is doing.

Transparency hard to find in B.C.'s shoddy bookkeeping

Doyle cited the Liberals for a range of accounting errors, some major, some minor, some debatable, others falling under the heading of just plain wrong. One of the latter concerns prompted him to brand the B.C. public accounts with the most damning label in the auditing lexicon - a "qualification," meaning that in one key respect, "the information is not auditable or is misleading."

Oh ... but wait a minute … it does actually make sense after all.

How can anyone think that a having new Municipal Auditor General (MAG), imposed on municipalities by the provincial government, will be anything more than a way to deflect from the BC Liberal governments own poor management of taxpayer resources???

Kamloops city councilor John DeCicco was quoted in a Kamloops Daily News story saying, "It's going to be given to us whether we like it or not. The resolution is to disagree, but for the UBCM executive to work with the province on it ... concerns we had ... costs for small municipalities ... shouldn't be a burden."

He also indicated another big sticking point with the whole concept and idea; the related costs for this new position, and the costs to do the audits.

"Who's going to pay for it? It starts from the province, but it goes down to you and I”

The actions being prepared by the BC Conservative Party, are what the BC government should be doing.

Brian Peckford (L) & John Cummins (R)

A news story in the Vancouver Sun, "Feds threaten to withdraw B.C. RCMP services as contract talks break down", mentioned a comment from BC Solicitor General Shirley Bond that indicated if … the province can't get Ottawa back to the table it may look at a "Plan B" scenario of reconstituting the former provincial police force.

I hope you noted the wording of that comment … BC Solicitor general Shirley Bond, and the government of Christy Clark, “MAY look at plan B scenario”. 

So where do BC Conservatives stand on this?  BC Conservative Party leader John Cummins stated the following in a media release which went out earlier today:

"Let's have a real debate over a BC Provincial Police Force. We should not lock into another 20 year contract without understanding the potential costs and benefits that a BC Provincial Police force would bring to British Columbians."

BC Conservatives are beginning to acquire the trappings of a credible force

"... BC Conservatives are beginning to acquire the trappings of a credible force ... ", so says Vancouver Sun commentator Vaughn Palmer.  And what else did Vaughn have to say about the party?

"Money ... the party has raised $115,000 this year with almost $90,000 socked away in the bank."

He told readers of a quote spoken on Saturday from fomer Newfoundland Premier, and now BC resident, Brian Peckford who said, "John Cummins is "the best thing that happened to this party ... "

It’s been an interesting journey writing this blog … enjoyable, frustrating, educating, annoying, and much more

There are many people who write commentary on blogs ... on a wide variety of topics and subjects ... one of which is my favorite; politics.  Some, like my nephew Steve, have been writing for years and have hundreds and hundreds of postings … while some like me have only been at it a short while.

Earlier this week I hit my 250^th posting, and so I thought, I wonder what has been of the most interest to people reading my blog??  Here‘s the results:

2) In the words of John Cummins … or … “You’ll find that I’m not really a trained seal”  from April 19th, 2011

There's not going to be 100% agreement ... on the left or the right ... but we should agree to be civil

During the past while, a so-called conservative commentator has made it his life’s work to call anyone with a pro-life belief -- or a belief that marriage should be between a man and a woman -- some of the following … a bigot, unenlightened, a complete idiot, whiner and a hypocrite.  Those are the tip of the iceberg.

His comments and responses to people asking that he, and others, at least consider their point of view has been, and I quote:

That a religious discussion is even necessary with you people is outrageous. What’s bunch of kooks.

Just be happy I have lots to write about. Otherwise, if you continue to offer us bullshit I will train my sights on you. Call Sam Sullivan and ask what happens when you poke me.

I like it when Rex Murphy calls Al Gore a dimwit. I like it when George Jonas refers to Jack Layton’s replacement as dense.

I have no more tolerance for pinheads.

Here is the REAL John Cummins … here is the REAL BC Conservative Party

In recent weeks Christy Clark and the BC Liberals … some political commentators … along with others … have presented a warped, twisted, and often times curiously edited version of the party, and the leader.

Last Saturday at the BC Conservative AGM in Nanaimo, John Cummins presented a number of reasons for the strong growth of the party … what it stands for … where it will be going … and a vision of how we are going to get there.

This is a powerful message that I would encourage you to share, not just with party members, but with friends and family as well.    

The message is presented in 3 parts, which you can access using the links that follow.

Here is the REAL John Cummins … here is the REAL BC Conservative Party

• John Cummins speech (Nanaimo AGM) … part #1
• John Cummins speech (Nanaimo AGM) … part #2
• John Cummins speech (Nanaimo AGM) … part #3

I’m Alan Forseth, In Kamloops

If British Columbian's want an optimistic future, hire the only true free enterprise party

Today in the National Post the “Full Comment” editorial from Kelly McParland was headlined … “Ontario election ignores the gathering storm”

Given I have some concerns about BC’s economic future I have to admit I was intrigued, and so decided to read on.  What I found were similarities to BC that have me both concerned and relieved; but first here is just a bit from that story.

The promises, the predictions, the pledges, the vows by the Tories to clean up the mess the Liberals have wrought, the assurances by the Liberals that they can abandon their spending addiction and run the province with a new, low-cost, tight-fisted approach (even while they suddenly discover half a billion dollars to pay for university subsidies) — don’t bet on any of it.

It’s not that the party leaders have been fibbing any more than usual. But the election thus far has operated like tourists on a beach, standing around watching a massive wave head towards them. Rather than race for higher ground, they’re ignoring the approaching peril and pretending the afternoon cocktail hour will proceed as scheduled.

Do any of the three have any sort of plan? Have they even given a passing thought as to how they’d keep the provinces fragile economy from cracking down the middle? There’s no indication they have. And that should have people worried.

Change the names of the political parties … the names of the leader … and the election date … and this Ontario election story could be here in BC.  That’s because it seems that both the Liberals and NDP seem to be unaware we must get our house in order.

John Cummins, "Justice a high priority for BC Conservatives"

September 24, 2011 (Nanaimo) At the annual general meeting for the BC Conservatives today, John Cummins made two policy announcements; both addressing justice gaps in the province. "As Conservatives we believe in the law - that it should be applied evenly, fairly and without discrimination," said Mr. Cummins. "Today I am announcing two important changes a new BC Conservative government would make to uphold the law in BC." British Columbia is one of only a small number of provinces where the police cannot lay charges. This means that when the police arrest a criminal, they recommend charges to the crown prosecutors who then decided if the case merits charges. A consequence of this is that prosecutors, who are overworked, pick and choose the cases with the highest chance of conviction that fit into their heavily booked schedules.  As a result many criminals go free, or lesser charges are dropped. This is one of the reasons BC has what is described as a catch and release justice system.