We are counting down to the #1 post -- today we look back at #5 down to #2

Today I'm continuing to take a look at the Top 10 commentaries which were most read here on the Conservative Thoughts blog.  We are counting down to the #1 post -- today we look back at #5 down to #2

The 5th most read blog post comes from October 11th, and it was entitled "Someone is pulling the strings from behind –and whoever they are – they are cowards for not showing their faces"

From July 4th comes the 4th most read post; "TwiddleDee, and Twiddle Dumb. That’s what we have with the BC Liberal Party, and the BC New Democrats"

The third most read story, "What they believe, and stand for, are the things that will guide them in government",  comes from April 26th

Some in the media and public believe that the BC Conservative Party has viewpoints that would be opposed by the majority of British Columbians, and has no clearly defined plans and ideas.  Given that, I thought that I would do a side by side comparison

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And our last look back today will be the 2nd most read commentary from 2012.  It comes from January 16th, and was entitled, "Hiring Ken Boessenkool is for the partisan purpose of making the BC Liberal government look good" 

Is the Premiers Office a non-partisan part of the government of BC --- or is it an extension of the BC Liberal Party?  I ask this question because it is becoming increasing unclear what it’s exact 'political' purpose is.

That's all for today ... tomorrow we'll find out what the most read commentary was from 2012, on the Conservative Thought blog.

I'm Alan Forseth in Kamloops ... with a look back at the thoughts of one conservative.

In essence they were saying my democratic right, to choose the party I support, is irrelevant

A comment was made on social media yesterday (April 24) that because I and thousands of others like me, do not support the BC Christy Clark Party, then somehow we do not care about BC.  They went on to say that if did support her, then BC and the people would come first not the party (meaning our support for the BC Conservatives)

In essence, they were saying that MY democratic right to choose the party I support, and that best fits with my beliefs, is irrelevant.

This is the same talk as we hear from the BC Christy Clark Party. It is arrogance to the extreme and just one more example of why I personally cannot vote Liberal. I would spoil my ballot first, to show my disgust at the options presented, if I did not have a BC Conservative option.

That kind of arrogance doesn’t just come from supporters of the BC Liberals however … it that comes from the top down.  Here are the words of Christy Clark herself

"I am the leader of the free-enterprise coalition in this province and I'm going to lead us into the next election."

Chilliwack Liberal MLA John Les … lashed out at the Conservatives calling them spoilers.  “All parties on the centre right have to carefully consider the greater provincial good ahead of the specific good of any individual or party.”

Sorry John … but this is not a dictatorship, and in a democracy we have a right to choose the political party, and candidates, that best meet with our beliefs.

Meantime, in another interview, Christy Clark went on to say that she is not prepared to merge with the BC Conservatives. "I don't think British Columbians respond very well to back door deals.”

Well that’s an interesting comment to make, given calls that were made by BC Liberals right after the by-election, to some within the BC Conservative Party, as reported by the Victoria Times Colonist:

THIS WEEK … in BC Politics

Wow what a week it’s been --- and I’m talking about the weather --- it’s probably been the biggest news story in the past seven days.  That aside, there has been much going in and happening in the world of BC politics.  If you missed some of these stories, or would like a refresher, well read on …

An opportunity to enact real health-care reform

… the 2004 health accord did nothing to improve access to medical services or help governments attain a sustainable level of health spending … may have worsened the health-care landscape in Canada … failed to create any incentives for provinces to introduce meaningful reforms … simply relied on the feds to bail them out with more cash …

BC announces $40-m funding hike for disabled adult services

… following widespread criticism of its operations, the BC governmental organization that provides services for disabled adults will receive a $40 million funding hike … Christy Clark … acknowledged it fell short of the $70-million some critics, including client families, have called for …

• You can read the BC Government media release by clicking HERE

Presto change-o and poof! Christy Clark is practically a Conservative now!

… once national director of the Young Liberals of Canada. Forget her work for a federal Liberal cabinet minister. Disregard how she used to trash Harper on her radio show … all just her caterpillar phase … has emerged from her cocoon as a glorious Conservative butterfly … that’s the message Clark hopes will get through to angry voters flocking to John Cummins and the B.C. Conservative party …

Was his hiring as Chief of Staff in the interests of BC … did the bloated Premiers Office need another political appointee paid for by the taxpayers of BC?

In recent days, John Cummins, leader of the BC Conservative Party has raised a number of questions, and points of concern, regarding Christy Clark’s new soon to be Chief of Staff, Ken Boessenkool

BC Conservative Party
Leader John Cummins

While Christy Clark has publicly stated she is against using a per-capita basis for health care transfer payments, as Cummins pointed out, that very idea was championed by Ken Boessenkool.

“Ken Boessenkool championed the idea of transfer payments being allocated on a per-capita basis, the very idea his new boss is campaigning against,” said John Cummins, Leader of British Columbia’s Conservatives. “Mr. Boessenkool was a super-lobbyist with significant influence in Ottawa – so it was no surprise that the move to per-capita funding was included in the 2007 federal budget.”

A Toronto Star story in December of 2010 in the Toronto Star had the following quote from Boessenkool … “If the past is any guide, this meeting will quickly degenerate into provinces begging the federal government for more money to fund their own programs. This makes sense: Wouldn’t we all want to spend someone else’s money?”

That being the case, Cummins has rightly asked, “Does he still stand by what he wrote … has Mr. Boessenkool already lost his first battle in the Premier’s office before he has taken office, or will the Premier’s position change when he becomes Chief of Staff in February?”

What is the answer to this question? Yesterday, John Cummins asked another important question of the Premier:

"Why did Premier Clark appoint a Chief of Staff who in her words 'share[s] a lot of views in common' with Quebec separatists?  Does Premier Clark still believe that standing up for provincial rights is the same as Quebec separation? Has she discussed these views with Mr. Boessenkool … how does Mr. Boessenkool feel about his new boss lumping him in with the Bloc Quebecois?"

Again, these are important questions, and it appears only one person is asking them … the leader of the BC Conservative Party, John Cummins.

Hiring Ken Boessenkool is for the partisan purpose of making the BC Liberal government look good

Is the Premiers Office a non-partisan part of the government of BC --- or is it an extension of the BC Liberal Party?  I ask this question because it is becoming increasing unclear what it’s exact 'political' purpose is.

Ken Boessenkool -- Christy Clark's new Chief of Staff

A story in the Globe and Mail on Friday, stated that:

 …. Ms. Clark has announced that, effective Feb. 15, Ken Boessenkool will take over the job … As chief of staff, Mr. Boessenkool will lead day-to-day operations at the Premier’s Office. Mr. McDonald will become principal secretary. “Ken brings a ton of skills as a manager, and he brings a lot of skills in terms of the relationships he has right across the country, so I think his addition could make a real difference for us,” Ms. Clark said in an interview.

There is no denying that Christy Clark needs and should have someone at the top, in her office, directing operations. But, what exactly are the operations of the office to be?  It is very vague and hard to find out, but here is a bit of insight from an official BC Government document.