Those new ideas, John Martin spoke of, must include creative ways for Liberal MLAs to benefit party supporters, at the expense of BC taxpayers

BC Conservative Party leader John Cummins is reminding all British Columbians that taxpayers are footing payment for bills BC Liberal Vernon - Monashee MLA Eric Foster wracked up ... and for which no paperwork was provided.

John Cummins; "What we have here is exorbitant rents being paid, exorbitant renovation fees and the beneficiary of course, is his Constituency Assistant's husband and her family. I just think it is outrageous. I think the public is certainly upset and they want answers."



BC Liberal candidate John Martin. Which of his words
are true? Those spoken last Spring, or from last Fall.

Gosh I hate to do this again, but really I must.

This reminds me of comments that newly minted BC Liberal candidate John Martin made less than a year ago about the party he crassly has become part of:

JOHN MARTIN: "The Liberal government has failed the people of British Columbia and has squandered trust with the public ..."

Then ... after his leap to the BC Liberals in September, John Martin was also quoted saying, "Premier Christy Clark and the BC Liberals have demonstrated to me that they are open to new ideas ..."

I guess those new ideas include creative ways of figuring out how to benefit party supporters ... at the expense of BC taxpayers.

Maybe that's why John Martin also had these words to say last Spring ... words which are just as true today, as they were then, "The best way to hold Christy Clark and the BC Liberal government accountable is by voting for the BC Conservatives ..."

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

This government has found new, and improved ways, to take more from us

Quote from Christy Clark (main page of the BC Liberal party website):

"Since I became your Premier on March 14, 2011, I have been focused on one thing: making life better for B.C. families."

ALSO ... from the BC Liberal Party website comes this statement under the things they believe:

"Government must put families first in all decision-making. This means: making life a little more affordable for everyday families ..."

Hmmmm ... I really have to question that Christy because ...

• The cost of premiums we pay for the Medical Services Plan ... UP
• Hydro rates ... UP
• ICBC rates ... UP
• BC Ferry rates ... UP and service is DOWN
• The Carbon Tax, which is applied to the cost of all fuel so heating, groceries, clothing, transportation costs are all ... UP
• Government budget deficits ... UP
• The Debt (to be paid by our children and grandchildren) -- UP and now approaching $66 BILLION

Is this Christy Clark, overwhelmed at the growing debt?

It unconscionable that this government has to pay borrowers roughly $7 million every day ... just for interest payments on that debt!

And here is something which was just pointed out on Tuesday (Jan 22 / 13) by the BC Taxpayers Federation; "The Property Transfer Tax, along with all of these other taxes, charges and fees that government has added to the cost of a home in British Columbia, is choking the average family."

Here is what Jordon Bateman, BC Taxpayers Federation Director said of the property Transfer Tax, "It’s shortsighted and ultimately damages the long term strength of the B.C. economy."

Over the past few days I have been asking where and what the BC Liberal Plan is --- and there it's been all along -- gouge every last nickel we can from the people of BC.

Don't leave it with us where we can decide where, and how, to spend the earnings from our labors; perhaps on a night out with our spouse, a new pair of skates for one of our children, a few fixer upper renovations to our home, or a simple drive in the country.

No ... instead this government has found new and improved ways to take more from us.

Again ... as BC Conservative Party leader John Cummins has said, "Government needs to spend smarter -- NOT more!"

This BC Liberal government of Christy Clark can crow all they like (in taxpayer funded partisan ads) that they have spending under control, and that they will have a balanced budget this Spring.

I ask ... HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?

Their record over the past several years shows otherwise -- they couldn't even get this years budget deficit right, having to revise and increase the total deficit 3 times!

If people are indeed looking for government accountability -- and a government committed to connecting with the people of BC through common sense policies -- the choice is clear.  On Tuesday May 14th, 2013, British Columbians need to elect, and send to the legislature in Victoria, BC Conservative Party MLA's.

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

No accountability --- No integrity -- NO THANKS Christy!

The BC Liberal Abbotsford South riding association board resigned a few weeks back, saying the democratic selection for a candidate has been circumvented due to manipulation by those in the backrooms of the BC Liberal Party.

Former BC Liberal candidate hoperful Moe Gill

The BC Liberal party had wanted to have Darryl Plecas acclaimed as the parties candidate, despite the fact the Moe Gill had been seeking the nomination. The party won out and the democratic process, of riding members selecting their own candidate, was circumvented.

Now I see, via Vaughn Palmer, that we will be enjoying a sequel to the original story ... stayed tuned for "Moe Gill's revenge". 

Gill has announced he plans to run as independent against Mike de Jong, his former political mentor, in Abbotsford West. Again according to Vaughn Palmer, Mike De Jong had encouraged Gill to run against John van Dongen, but then didn't help Gill when party brass blocked him for getting the Abbotsford South nomination. 

You can read more here if you like in this November 23rd story from the Globe and Mail; "Dirty game of politics gets dirtier with BC nomination"  CLICK HERE
 
This isn't the first time the backrooms of the BC Liberal Party have manipulated things ... or will it be the last ... as this story from the Richmond Review shows: "Gary Law upset Liberals cancelled nomination meeting"  CLICK HERE



Former BC Liberal vandidate hopeful Gary Law

Law said he was upset and shocked by the Liberal Party's announcement on Wednesday that it was cancelling an upcoming nomination meeting, and instead bringing an outside candidate into Richmond to vie to become the next MLA for Richmond Centre, and replace the soon-to-retire Rob Howard. 

"Most of the people in the community know that I have a heart to serve individual groups and also organizations within the community," Law said, adding he hoped to devote himself fully to serve the community by running for office. 

Right now at least, it seems the Christy Clark BC Liberals are not a party that believes in anything but desperately attempting to cling to power.  It certainly does not believe in upholding the democratic process; instead they have shown themselves to be heavy handed (as shown by over-ruling their own constituency associations). 

No accountability --- No integrity -- NO THANKS Christy!  Of course I am partisan ... but honestly, can you say this is a party worthy of receiving the support of British Columbians?  

I'm Alan Forseth in Kamloops, with the thoughts on one conservative.

Justin Trottier shows disrespect ... he insults the very foundations of our Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

NO ONE would ever accuse me of supporting Premier Christy Clark; HOWEVER ... Center For Inquiry National Communications Director Justin Trottier is full of crap and showing blatant discrimination by saying:

"The Premier should explain to her constituents which of the many varied Biblical values she follows, how they shape her political views, and whether she is committed to upholding the separation of church and state and the primacy of evidence-based public policy should evidence conflict with her worldview."

Perhaps he, and other like minded people, should be reminded of Section 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms ... everyone has the following fundamental freedoms:
(a) freedom of conscience and religion;
(b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication;
(c) freedom of peaceful assembly; and
(d) freedom of association.

Now, just to be clear, here is how the Centre for Inquiry describes itself:
The Centre for Inquiry is an educational charity with a legal mandate to educate and provide training to the public in the application of skeptical, secular, rational, and humanistic enquiry through conferences, symposia, lectures, published works and the maintenance of a library, and to develop communities where like-minded individuals can meet and share their experiences.  We focus on three broad areas:  1. Religion, Ethics and Society, 2. Pseudoscience, Paranormal and Fringe-science claims, 3. Medicine and Health

They have also been quoted, and commented on, by the Canadian Atheist organization, which is:
" ... a collection of atheists from across Canada. Some of us have been involved in the freethought movement longer than we’d like to remember and others are quite new. We range from the East coast to the West coast. Some are members of national or provincial organizations. A few come from very religious backgrounds, others have never had to deal with religion at all while growing up.  While we all come from different areas and backgrounds we all have one thing in common – we think the Canadian atheist movement is important ..."

I for one have a personal religious belief, I am free to have it, and no one can deny me that right.  Premier Christy Clark enjoys that same right. 

Things that BC Liberal MLA Terry Lake hopes you won't become aware of --- BC Liberals backroom manipulators remain hopeful as well

Today Kamloops North Thompson  BC Liberal MLA Terry Lake is quoted as saying; "What we do see is, as we get closer to election, is that people are understanding what the BC Conservatives are all about ... "

MY hope is that people do indeed fully understand what the BC Conservatives are all about ... what we stand for ... and what we hope to bring to the political stage in British Columbia.  They are the things that Terry Lake hopes you won't become aware of --- and BC Liberals backroom manipulators hope that remains the same.          

That's because BC Conservative beliefs, principles and policies are totally opposite to how the BC Liberals have in reality governed:

BC Conservatives believe in clearly defined public policies and programs that are affordable and effective and for which delivery is accountable to all the people of British Columbia.  We are entitled to full knowledge of services rendered and their costs

BC Conservatives believe in managing the government to the highest standards of integrity and transparency

BC Conservatives believe that governments at all levels are responsible to serve and respect all individuals and their families

BC Conservatives believe that Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA's) are primarily responsible to represent the interests of their Constituents

BC Conservatives believe in a rigorous system of law and order focusing on the rights of victims and the protection of the public

And BC Conservatives believe in smaller government resulting in more liberty and personal property rights, the encouragement of new enterprise and individual achievement striving towards excellence and prosperity

MEANTIME ... what would be our "understanding" of how BC Liberals do things?

With BC Liberals we have had cost over-runs on a number of projects ... the BC Liberal government has raised rates on the Medical Services Plan ... while managers and CEO's of government agencies and crown corporation have given themselves raises and bonuses, rates for ICBC, BC Ferries, and BC Hydro have all been jacked up.  WHY?

Remember that the BC government was going to will allow for naming rights to BC Place Stadium; Telus put in a bid for tens of millions of dollars and then the government rejected it.  WHY? 

Auditor General John Doyle holds the BC Liberals to account for spending waste -- then all of a sudden he is not going to have his contract renewed -- then he is -- then maybe he will be.  WHY? 

Will BC Liberal MLA Eric Foster confirm taxpayers of BC will be sinking over a quarter of a million dollars into a building that cost the owners $189,000 to buy?

BC Liberal MLA Eric Foster seems to have no concerns as to questionable spending of taxpayer dollars to renovate a constituency office he had JUST leased.  I am not surprised -- but all British Columbian's should be --- and they should know this is okay with BC Liberal Party hacks and elected officials.

Regardless ... the people should however have answers.

Why on earth would Eric Fosters lease a building, to be used as his Vernon- Monashee Constituency Association office, when tens of thousand of dollars were going to be needed to renovate that same building?

Why were the costs for this renovation submitted to the government with no paperwork accounting for what the money was spent on?

Why would he have leased a building requiring that kind of expensive renovation when office space was available that did not require anywhere near this kind of expense?

Can or will Eric Foster (or the BC Liberal government) confirm they approved renovations of $78,000 to be made on a building that had only been purchased for $189,000 -- just 4 days before the 2009 provincial election?

Will Eric Foster and his BC Liberal government confirm that the taxpayers of BC will indeed be sinking over a quarter of a million dollars (including the much higher costs of a new 4 year lease) in to a building that cost the owners $189,000 to buy?

Will Eric Foster confirm the owners of the building are indeed BC Liberal supporters?

NO HE WILL NOT ... instead, Eric Foster dismisses legitimate questions saying; "I think [the BC Conservatives would be well served to find out who owns buildings of other MLA's around the province, on both sides of the House."