The summary shows quite clearly that under both NDP and Liberal governments, in the province of British Columbia, we are NOT doing well

The Centre for the Study of Living Standards released a rather technical report (http://www.csls.ca/reports/csls2011-03.pdf) in April of last year.  In the summary however, it shows quite clearly that under both NDP and Liberal governments in the province of British Columbia, we are NOT doing well.

The key observations of this analysis are:

There was wide variation in labour productivity growth rates across provinces. Newfoundland had the highest labour productivity growth rate (4.8 per cent per year), followed by Manitoba (2.1 per cent), Saskatchewan (2.1 per cent), Nova Scotia (1.9 per cent), New Brunswick (1.8 percent) and Quebec (1.8 per cent).  Alberta (1.0 per cent) had the lowest growth rate in the country, and British Columbia (1.2 per cent), Prince Edward Island (1.6 per cent) and Ontario (1.7 per cent) also experienced a lower growth rate than the national growth rate.

Capital intensity growth was the main contributor to labour productivity growth nationally and in six of the ten provinces.  Capital intensity made its largest contribution to labour productivity growth in Alberta (2.43 per cent per year), followed by Saskatchewan (1.60 per cent per year), Prince Edward Island (1.42 per cent per year), New Brunswick (1.13 per cent per year) and Manitoba (1.12 per cent per year).  The lowest capital intensity growth rate was attained by Newfoundland (0.39 per cent per year), followed by Quebec (0.54 per cent), Ontario (0.56 per cent), British Columbia (0.62 per cent) and Nova Scotia (0.64 per cent).

In four of the ten provinces, multifactor productivity was the largest contributor to labour productivity growth.  The highest multifactor productivity growth rate by far was enjoyed by Newfoundland (4.14 per cent per year), followed by Nova Scotia (1.12 per cent), Quebec (0.94 per cent), Ontario (0.82 per cent), Manitoba (0.62 per cent), and British Columbia (0.48 percent).  Four provinces experienced multifactor productivity growth lower than the national average; Alberta had the lowest growth (down 1.58 per cent per year), followed by Prince Edward Island (down 0.18 per cent), Saskatchewan (up 0.11 per cent) and New Brunswick (up 0.37 per cent).

The absolute contribution of labour quality growth to labour productivity growth was highest in Saskatchewan (0.37 per cent per year), followed by Prince Edward Island (0.35 per cent), Manitoba (0.35 per cent) and Ontario (0.32 per cent).  There were six provinces that experienced labour quality contributions to labour productivity growth below the national average; British Columbia (0.08 per cent) had the lowest contribution by far, followed by Nova Scotia (0.15 per cent), Alberta (0.23 per cent), New Brunswick (0.26 per cent), Quebec (0.27 percent) and Newfoundland (0.27 per cent).

An Analysis of British Columbia’s Productivity (1997-2007) begins at page 135 of this report.

NOTE:
The Centre for the Study of Living Standards is a non-profit, national, independent organization that seeks to contribute to a better understanding of trends in and determinants of productivity, living standards and economic and social well-being through research

I heard that he was in the process of writing a book dealing with his life, and time, in politics – well it has been completed!

The Honorable Brain Peckford, former
Premier of Newfoundland & Labrador

The Honorable Brian Peckford, former Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador left politics in 1989, and now calls the Vancouver Island community of Qualicum Beach home.

Some time back I heard that he was in the process of writing a book dealing with his life, and time, in politics – well it has been completed!

“Some Day the Sun Will Shine and Have Not Will Be No More” is being released shortly by Flanker Press.  After the initial launch of his book in St. John's on September 12th, Mr. Peckford will be doing book signings in several locations in Newfoundland. 

Mr. Peckford has also booked space at the Parliamentary Press Gallery on September 19th, for a press conference addressing the section of the book that deals with the Constitution; particularly the Patriation of the Constitution in 1981.  This press conference will deal with how 30 years later, the spin of how it came about, is erroneous.

Another area of note, in the book, will be a section entitled “Some Interesting People”.  Here, Mr. Peckford takes the opportunity to describe some of his experiences with Trudeau, Levesque, Crosbie, Moores, and Jamieson.

Don Jamieson, as you may recall, had been External Affairs Minister in the Cabinet of Pierre Trudeau, and was persuaded to come back to Newfoundland and lead the Liberal Party.   Peckford called his first election in 1979, and in it, his Progressive Conservative Party took 60 per cent of the popular vote, winning 44 of the 52 seats in the legislature.

I’m looking forward to having a read of Brian Peckford's new book; afterwhich it will go alongside other books I already have on politics from Preston Manning, David Crosbie, J.S. Woodsworth, Phil Galardi, and a few others.

Meantime … I’m still trying to find a good biography on Ralph Klein.  I know one was written but it’s out of print, and haven’t been able to find a copy in any used book stores so far.  If anyone finds one, let me know and maybe I can arrange to have you pick it up and mail it to me.

In Kamloops, I’m Alan Forseth.

Yeah I know, I’m still posting.  I promise, I’ll take that promised break soon :)

John Cummins not only has what it takes to lead the BC Conservatives in the next election; he is best suited to be the next Premier of our province

Today, my friend Sean Smith posted what I think is the best take on the differences between BC Conservative Party leader John Cummins and Premier / BC Liberal leader Christy Clark.  He said:

BC Premier Christy Clark

"It's the difference between having a leader with no experience working hard in BC industry, and one that had an active part in it. Christy Clark hasn't worked a hard day as a labourer in her life, while Cummins helped build the WAC Bennett Dam, was a commercial fisherman AND was a teacher. Experience in leadership is everything!"

My soon to be retiring Kamloops South BC Liberal MLA, Kevin Krueger, came back to say:

What you say is not true. Christy worked in the hospitality industry as a young person. She is so obviously bright, and politically astute, that she was drafted into political activities very young, and ran a pan-Canadian political organization for youth. She is well into her second year as the Premier of British Columbian, while looking after her little guy as a single Mom. You think John Cummins' challenges stack up better than that?

    

Christy is a leader; she is kind to people, and knows how to enable a team. Her team's results are the best in Canada, with Alberta's. John Cummins has a history of scrapping, not leading, as far as I have seen. It is ridiculous to suggest that he is the more accomplished person.

Not wanting to miss out on a good discussion Sean responded by saying:

Seriously!? You are going to compare her time as a hostess / waitress to Mr. Cummins time in construction / commercial fishing/education? The only reason she was drafted into politics was because of her father’s connections! For cryin' out loud, how out of touch do you think the people of British Columbia are!! Next you will be talking about her education at SFU, the University of Edinburgh and the Sourbonne, none of which she actually graduated from! Perhaps you would like to put that up against Mr. Cummins 2 degrees!

John Cummins DOES have a better connect with the people of BC – he knows what it means to work hard – he knows what it means to put food on the table, and a roof over the head of his family.

Why do I say that?  Well here’s the facts:

Break Time

Well we are well into Summer, and I have still been posting something nearly every day on the Conservative Thoughts blog.

Now it's time to take a break.

Next weekend I'll be headed off my annual week and a half motorcycle trip, so today is as good a day as to say, "I'll be hit and miss with posts for the rest of Summer".

If something peaks my attention, or a see a news story of importance, I'll post it, but it will not be with any regularity now until the Fall.

I'm Alan Forseth in Kamloops saying ... "Take care my friends ... and have a great Summer."

POLITICS 101 … the wacky world of British Columbia

In British Columbia we do things differently when it comes to politics.  Anywhere else, the topic of politics and politicians can come up, and a civil, even occasionally heated, discussion can take place.

NOT in British Columbia.

Mention the words ‘politics’, and / or ‘politicians’ and the fight is on.  Either that, or folks tune out entirely.

Thoughts that come to mind for many are money grubbing … power seekers … looking out for number one … unaccountable … unresponsive … and a host of other things that can’t be repeated.

That’s because, as I mentioned, we do things differently here in BC.

W.A.C. Bennett

We generally have one party that’s in power for a long period of time, with one sitting on the wings … waiting to take over when voters get sick and tired of the governing party.  We’ll say, “Well at least these guys can’t do any worse than those jerks”.

This really began in 1951 when W.A.C.  Bennett, “Wacky” as most people called him, took over what was then called the Social Credit League, and renamed it the Social Credit Party.  Social Credit really was a big tent party that keep both small ‘c’ Conservatives, and small ‘L” Liberals, all under one roof. 

Bennett reviled the NDP with a passion, calling them the Socialist Hordes, and so it must have been with a great deal of anguish and upset that he turned the reins of government over to Dave Barrett and the NDP following the election of 1972.

That government was short lived however, only staying in power for one term.  The ‘socialist hordes’ as Wacky called them, tried their social engineering much to fast -- overtaxed industry – raised debt dramatically -- and scared the hell out of the majority of people in BC once they realized what they had voted for.

Then Wacky’s son Bill Bennett took over the leadership of the Socred’s, winning the next election, and became Premier in in 1975.  The Socreds then remained in power again, for another 15 years.

What led to their downfall, and demise, after those 15 years? 

Most people would say it was due to a disconnect with the people … and an arrogance where they believed themselves to be the natural ruling party (much like the federal Liberals used to be).  Another issue was Bill Vander Zalm, who took over leadership of the party once Bill Bennett resigned.   With Bill Vander Zalm as leader, many also objected to what they considered to be his right wing, socially conservative, policies.

Bill Vander Zalm

Vander Zalm was ridiculed in the media … and he took a tongue lashing from voters in Letters to the Editor, and phone in talk shows.  He too was forced to resign, and Rita Johnson then took over the reins – not for long however.

Does any of this sound familiar?

In 1991 voters returned the NDP to office.  This time they governed a little more slowly with their social policies, and taxation, and managed to be re-elected several times.  Again however, a disconnect with voters, and a number of scandals (the financial debacle of the Fast Ferry’s, and Bingo-Gate, spring to mind) which saw the leadership of the party switch from Mike Harcourt, to Glen Clark, and finally to Ujjal  Dosanjh.  Changing leaders was no help however, and they were soundly trashed at the polls in 2001; retaining just 2 seats in the legislature.

Again, the ruling party was tossed from office by the voters who no longer believed anything they said, and who were tired with the scandals that surrounded them.

What also happened, in the time between 1991 and 1996, was the growth of a third party following the decline of the Socreds.  Just prior to the 1996 election, four Socred members, led by Jack Weisgerber, moved to the populist BC Reform Party.  In 1996 Reform duked it out with the BC Liberals, who had a much better organized and better financed machine, for dominance as the center right party.

As history shows, the Liberals won for dominance as BC Reform was reduced to just 2 seats, and British Columbia was once again back to a two party system; one big tent center right party (the Liberals) … and a center left party (the NDP).