I wish I could have been there, but our Salmon Arm fair was hosting Adrian Dix, and I needed to warn him that we were at his heels

It's in the news -- it must be true (NOT)

Some folks subscribe to the theory that if you post something that isn’t true, or that is misleading, enough times … people will believe its true.  There was a lot of that happening this past week … and on social media as well.

Now, I am NOT prepared to call anyone a liar, however many were happy to post about “fireworks” and a “bloodbath” they seemed to have some special knowledge would be happening … happening at the BC Conservative Party Special General Meeting which took place on Saturday.  Here’s just one example:

Bernard Von Schulmann (Yesterday at 8:07pm via Twitter )

Looks like I will have an inside source texting me the blow by blow of the #BCCP blood bath in Victoria tomorrow.  They have a special general meeting on Saturday in Victoria to sort out the shit going on

Al Forseth

Actually ... the meeting is to approve a new party constitution that was put together by a committee of party members. It was reviewed and approved at a full face to face party Board Meeting in Richmond a couple of months ago ... and this is the final step now with membership to approve it.

QUOTE:

The purpose of the Special General Meeting is to consider the passing of a Special Resolution providing for the repeal of the current By-laws of the Party and the adoption of the By-laws set forth in the Proposed Special Resolution a copy of which together with Draft no 9 of the By-laws dated the 16 of July 2012. 

This information is available to members and non-members directly on the party website.

Bernard Von Schulmann:
So I should be getting texts tomorrow about infighting and such?

Al Forseth
I don't see why --- pretty basic stuff. The meeting as I said is only to approve the constitution. You can read for yourself from the link. Nothing earth shattering that I saw previously when we went over it at the face to face provincial board meeting we had in Richmond earlier this Summer

Well folks ... CONTRARY to the tweets of BC Liberals, social media folks, and some media commentators, today was a great day for the BC Conservative Party!

When, and who, made former BC Liberal leader Gordon Wilson the spokesperson for the BC Conservative Party?

WOW … today in the Georgia Straight I read that; “Former B.C. Liberal leader Gordon Wilson has bad news for John Cummins”

Former BC Liberal Leader & NDP
Cabinet Minister Gordon Wilson

According to Wilson, there is agitation in influential business circles to ditch Cummins as the BC Conservative top honcho, and replace him with someone like Stockwell Day. “If voices that are currently rumbling on Howe Street have their way, Cummins will be gone and the Conservatives will have a new leader with a big bankroll,” Wilson told the Georgia Straight in a phone interview.

Many of us, that are small ‘c’ conservatives, were greatly disappointed to see a man who espoused Reform / Conservative values, seemingly totally betray them, with his full support of Christy Clark and the BC Liberal Party.

I have no idea where Gordon Wilson is getting his information, but I find it hard – very hard – to believe that rank and file members of the BC Conservative Party would follow the leadership of Stockwell Day of any party me may possibly lead.

For those who may have forgotten … here are just some of the words Stockwell Day spoke, and said, just a year and a half ago:  

Only in British Columbia would former Conservative stalwart Stockwell Day work for the Liberals

Whatever the party name, Day has vowed to "volunteer" for the party and help them defeat the New Democrats in the next election.  As an interesting aside, Day will be supporting the B.C. Liberals against his former colleague in the House of Commons — John Cummins.

Day backs B.C. Liberals

In an interview airing Saturday on CBC Radio's The House, Day said he will campaign for Premier Christy Clark's party … Day called Clark a "smart and engaging person"

Stockwell Day backing BC Liberal by-election candidates

"There are positive reasons to support the BC Liberal government. The fact is that a vote for the BC Conservatives will only serve to elect the NDP," said Day.

Can there be any credibility to what Gordon Wilson has said?  With all due respect, I think not.  Rumors and speculation feed the news media frenzy – and that is all this is.

I’m Alan Forseth in Kamloops, with the thoughts of on conservative.


FOLLOW-UP since this morning:
Are the rumors of a Stockwell Day BC Conservative Party takeover ... and the undermining of John Cummins ... an attempt by some BC Liberal power brokers working to undermine the party?   I know it sounds like a conspiracy theory, but I'm starting to smell a rat.

I don’t know where you sit within those wage averages, but I know where I do

I had to do a bit of digging to find out the following information about recent BCGEU contracts negotiated with the provincial government.

For starters, here’s a reminder of what the BCGEU negotiated with the BC Liberals in 2006:

1. an average wage increase of 10 percent over four years
2. additional market and recruitment and retention pay for targeted classifications
3. AND a signing bonus of at least $4,019.40 for full-time employees (pro-rated for part-time employees)

The BCGEU also negotiated to have:

• improvements to health and welfare benefits
• improvements to premiums and allowances
• additional wage increases for positions that had led to recruitment and retention problems
• additional wage increases for workers the union & government agreed had been undervalued

The current two year agreement, which is now ending, was indeed for 0 and 0% wage increases … but again that was following what many would consider a very generous offer they had received in the 2006 contract.

Today the BCGEU members went out on a one day strike because … wait for it … they want more.  More than the 3.5% wage increase the government has offered for the coming 2 years.

IF this offer does eventually get accepted, this will mean that the average BCGEU member, for the time period of 2006 to 2014, will have received average wage increase of 13.5% … or 1.7% annually.  PLUS … don’t forget that $4,000 signing bonus.

Okay, I know this has been a bunch of number, but it is leading to something, and here it is:

... the average annual wage for workers in BC is $44,749

... the average salary for a BCGEU member is currently $62,252 per year

I don’t know where you sit within those wage averages, but I know where I do – and I think that BCGEU members are getting a good deal now, never mind an increase of 3.5%.

What are your thoughts?

I’m Alan Forseth in Kamloops, with the thoughts of one conservative.