Looking back at the year – Conservative Thoughts from 2011

I began this blog in late November of 2010 – so Conservative Thoughts has been online line for nearly 14^th months.  In that time I have written and posted just under three hundred and fifty (347) stories and opinion pieces.  My hope is during that time there have been many, or even just a few, that have made you stop and think about where our political process has been … where it is now … and where it can and should be in the future.

I consider myself to be a small ‘c’ conservative, and as I have always be clear about, I am a member of the BC Conservative Party.  What I write and think comes from that background, but the thoughts, ideas, and questions I post are my own.

So, back to those 347 opinion pieces I have written and posted … I wondered which ones struck the biggest note with those who read them. 

Today I will post the most read ones from 11 to 20 … and then tomorrow will be the ones counting down from ten to #1.  Following each of the headings, which have links to the full story, I will include a brief paragraph or two on what the story was about.

Let’s begin …

Former Liberal leadership candidate Ed Mayne is right, “We don't have a carbon tax we have a consumption tax …”

Today in the BC News Group family of newspapers was a story about the death of the “carbon emission trading plan” … which last week I also mentioned hearing about. 

The BC News Group story indicated that, “BC's carbon emission trading plan died last week at the age of four. No service was announced ... came as BC capital hosted politicians from neighbouring U.S. states and western provinces for their annual economic conference... BC the only jurisdiction in North America with a carbon tax, and an emission reduction target twice as ambitious – 33 per cent by 2020 ... all B.C.’s border states and provinces have an economic advantage for emitting industries...”

Story after story --- year after year --- we've had editorials, studies, papers, and a multitude of opinions showing the carbon tax initiative, first imposed on us by then Liberal Finance Minister Carole Taylor in the Gordon Campbell government (imposed under the guise of reducing the carbon footprint of British Columbians), is nothing more than a sham ... and in reality it is a consumption tax!

Earlier this year the BC Liberal Party elected Christy Clark to replace Gordon Campbell as their leader … one of the other candidates in that race to become the party leader was Ed Mayne; here is what he had to say to in a note to me today:

“We don't have a carbon tax we have a consumption tax on hydrocarbons that is used to offset income tax reductions so we can say we have the lowest income tax rates in Canada. That's ok but let's call it what it is, a consumption tax and quite trying to pretend that it is to help the environment. If the funds were used to offset costs of projects that reduced usage than it could be called a carbon tax.”

To which I said …

Thank goodness ... someone who will admit he is a Liberal -- and -- that this is in reality a consumption tax!!! People HATE being fed a load of crap ... they can however accept truth and reality --- and when it comes to taxes I beleive they can even accept them if an HONEST case can be made for the necessity of them.

BC Conservatives Plan "Policy" while BC Liberals hold "Fund-Raiser"

It’s Wednesday February 2^nd, and that means the arrival of the BC Liberal Party leadership candidates to the city of Kamloops.  Here for a fundraiser / debate will be former MLA Christy Clark, current MLA’s George Abbott, Mike de Jong, Kevin Falcon and Moira Stilwell, as well as the former Mayor of Parksville, Ed Mayne.

Residents of Kamloops and surrounding area arriving at the Kamloops Convention Center – and hoping to hear real debate, and future plans and policy of the party -- will find this a closed door event however.  The event is being held exclusively for member of the BC Liberal Party.

That’s very disappointing because voters of all ages across the province have been clearly saying they are tired of the closed door policies of the BC Liberal Party, and their lack of accountability with the voters.  This is just one more example, of how it’s business as usual, even with the leave taking of current Liberal leader Gordon Campbell.