Wouldn't you agree? Is this a legitimate expectation we should have?

Once upon a time a popular opposition firebrand named Christy Clark, stood up in the BC Legislature, to rip the NDP government for spending tax dollars on shameless, self-promoting advertising. 

“People don't want the government to spend 700 grand of their money so they can find out how to access services; people want this government to spend their money so that those services are there for them to access. That's what British Columbians want,” Clark railed. “How many firefighters, how many police officers will not be on the street because [the Finance Minister] is spending… on her advertising campaign?” 

The above is from an opinion / editorial piece by BC Taxpayers Federation Director Jordan Bateman (November 2012) entitled, "Government Ads Use and Abuse Taxpayers’ Money".  

For month prior to the May 14th provincial election campaign, the BC Liberals took hits from all quarters, on this clearly wasteful and partisan adverting campaign.  

Sadly, during the four week election campaign, it was all but forgotten ... even by former radio co-worker Bill Good who on November 16th, over the airwaves of CKNW had stated:  "Those are very partisan ads. They should be bought and paid for by the Liberal Party of BC." 

The election is of course ended a week ago, but perhaps the major political commentators such as Keith Baldrey, Vaughn Palmer,  Bill Tieleman, Michael Smyth, etc, will now ask this question which I now pose: 

"Will the Premier comment to ending this kind of self-promotion and stick to truly informative ads providing BC residents with 'needed' information?"  

I believe if she does this, it really will help to put her on a more solid footing with a large number of British Columbians who still sit in two distinct camps; those who didn't vote for her ( over 55%) ... and those who again for a number of reasons(including a belief it doesn't make any difference) didn't cast a vote at all (approximately 48%).  

By the way, this is equally a fair question to ask of Adrian Dix and the NDP, as he himself had also pushed for a ban on partisan information being presented in government advertising being paid for by taxpayers, and had indicated that if elected he would put forward legislation to stop this from happening again.

So I put the question forward to both leaders then; are you against partisan political advertising which is paid for by taxpayers, and will you put forward legislation / support legislation, that would see this in place and enforced?

It's fair question to ask this, and the taxpayers of BC should have every right to know the answer ... wouldn't you agree? 

Is this a legitimate expectation we should have of government?

I'm Alan Forseth in Kamloops, with the thoughts of one conservative.  The floor is now being turned over to you ... and I welcome your thoughts on this.

Misleading the public isn't the same as lying … but it sure comes close

BC New Democratic Party leader Adrian Dix

"I'm going to be bold," he (Adrian Dix) told the NDP convention in Vancouver.  "But I'm going to be modest in my agenda, recognizing that we cannot accomplish everything in the first term of government."

Vancouver Province opinion writer, Michael Smyth, called that ...  “confident, or overconfident”.   

Smyth then went on to say that, “… before Dix starts campaigning for a second term in office, he's under increasing pressure to say what he would do in the first one, and how he would pay for it. How much would that cost? He didn't say, though he repeated a promise to hike corporate taxes to help pay for it.”

This tour, of questionable value to the people of BC, is indeed a mystery.

I have to say I am looking forward to approval of BC Conservative policy platform, this weekend, at the parties AGM being held in Nanaimo.  This is a document that has substance and common sense, and one the party can feel good about taking to the people of BC!!

Why do I say that?  Well it was tongue in cheek I know, but I started off on Monday calling this week’s jobs strategy blitz, by Christy Clark, the "Can You See My Now Tour".  Given we are now on day number four of the tour … and given the lack of substance so far … I think I am going to have to come up with a new name. 

Enough is enough … I'm not going to take this anymore!

I really don't give a rat’s ass if Gordon Campbell gets the Order of BC or not.  Why??  Because whether he is given this award of not, I know that ‘at this moment’ he does not deserve it!

Province newspaper columnist Michael Smyth stated what many of us think, and believe, when he said:
“ Campbell's appointment to the Order of B.C. was rushed with unseemly haste. While the written eligibility rules are fuzzy, the unwritten traditions around these type of recognitions stipulate a waiting period. That's why it took former premier Bill Bennett 21 years to receive his Order of B.C., while other ex-premiers are still waiting … Campbell's appointment was rammed through faster than the HST. The fact that Campbell's ex-deputy, Ken Dobell, who pleaded guilty to illegal lobbying just three years ago, was appointed to the order along with his old boss only makes the timing look worse.”

I do not wish to join the other loud chorus that says. 'he does not deserve it, period'.  That's because I will readily admit that while I TRY to do my best, I often fail miserably … but then I get up and try again to accomplish the things I am trying to do.  I want to think that of others as well … including the man many are at the moment demonizing – Gordon Campbell.

John Cummins, “Treaties are supposed to resolve conflicts, not aggravate them”

Michael Smyth (Vancouver Province) had an interesting blog story today, on the sudden instant conversion of Blair Lekstrom.

As you will likely recall, he had indicated he would vote against approval of the Treaty with the Yale First Nation.  I guess being out of caucus once was enough for him as he was ‘whipped’ into line to vote his approval.  Come next election, it will be interesting to see how that goes over with residents in his riding.

Meantime, as Smyth said:

“Now that the Liberal government and the NDP Opposition have both voted for the treaty, Cummins is left alone to oppose it.  It's a perfect issue for him, and his upstart Conservatives, in their bid to break through with voters.”

To read the full Blog story click HERE

The only “rats” are one that deliberately and maliciously spread poison.

Given the fact that British Columbians overwhelming indicated, late last Fall, that they were tired of politics as usual, I have to say I am amazed that anyone else (or numerous others) would continue on the same track just months later.  Have those who aspire to lead us not learned anything from how the Liberal Party has failed to provide accountability and honesty?

This is why over the weekend I was appalled to see a story posted in a blog that I believe was intentionally misleading and inaccurate.

As in most blogs, the opportunity to post a response was provided, which I did (see my comment below the following story).  Regrettably, the blogs author chose to not post my reply, and so I would like to let you know what I had to say in response.  Please note my comment was posted at 7:28am on February 19^th.  I will leave up to you to decide why the comments I had to make were not get posted as of this going online two days later at 4:30am (Monday).