Good government is important to us all ... especially for the future of our own kids and grandkids

Recently, a classmate from my school days in Williams Lake said to me:

“Facebook is supposed to be a pleasant social networking site to share your daily life, keep track of old friends and family. It is not a political forum to share all of your beliefs with the world. I'm sure you have a nice life besides politics but no one would ever know that”

I thought about that for a while, and then responded by saying,

I appreciate your comments.  There is a lot that makes up my social life ... music I love ... family ... daily things like the paint job currently underway ... getting out on my bike … and ... politics which is bred into me cause it goes back 3 or 4 generations. Politics is a big part of what I talk about ... but it is important to me and that's why I talk about it. Until a year ago I had become part of the 50% that had pretty much given up --- BUT when we end up with those kind of numbers that keep growing, eventually we will end up with anarchy or a government we are surprised to have and that dictates everything we can or cannot do. I hope you can humour me in my passion ... good government is important to us all ... especially for the future of our own kids and grandkids :)

I have been thinking about this brief conversation since then, and I know why.  When it comes to having a social conscience, a lot of what this government is doing is wrong, and I believe it is important that people know about it.

And it’s not just me thinking and saying that what they are doing is wrong; the following are just a few of the voices that are trying to get that news out to each of us.  I hope you’ll take a few minutes to read on …

Question from Independent MLA Bob Simpson -- is BC's Forest sector back??

Cariboo North Independent MLA, Bob Simpson, had quite a thoughtful post today on BC's forest sector. 

I grew up in the Cariboo (Williams Lake) and know what it was like in the 60s, 70s, and even the early 80's. Mills are running a great capacity again, and more shifts -- BUT less workers and mills in smaller communities are generally a thing of the past. 

I agree with his comment that there needs to be, "... a rethinking how we manage our forests and what products we create from forest biomass ..."

Click HERE to read Bob's Blog

Prosperity Mine proposal shot down again.

"The Tsilhqot'in view Taseko Mines Ltd.'s so-called "New Prosperity" proposal as equally dangerous as the first"   Read the full story -- click HERE

Well no sooner did the people at Taseko Mines put forward a new proposal to try and get approval for the Prosperity Mine project, west of Williams Lake, than First Nations leaders with the Tsilhqot'in shot it down.

I personally believe it is pity and a shame they would turn this project down point blank. Call me whatever you want, however it is hard to see that any thought has gone in to the future well-being of First Nations People.

Without opportunities such as the one a project like this would offer, they will continue to sit on the sidelines of society -- instead of being side by side -- and getting out of the emotional, physical, and financial poverty they have been in for far too long.

Would most individual First Nations people in the Chilcotin be in support of the project???  It's hard to know because there is probably a strong likelihood individuals may fear reprisal or retaliation if they speak in favor --- or wish to at least explore the opportunity of having the project go ahead.

Christy Clark weighs in on Prosperity Mine project

First things first --- I support the Prosperity Mine project, and thought it insane when it was reported the federal government was using the environment as the excuse for not approving the go-ahead of the mine.  

There was no issue with fish and fish habitat -- Fish Lake is a hole in the ground filled with water that supports fish.  The mine said they needed the current lake area for the mine, and would create a new lake.  I personally don’t see that as a big deal.  I believe however that the federal government took the cowards way out on an issue they knew was going to cause huge problems with some in the First Nations community. (Read the Summary of Panel's Conclusions HERE and then tell me why it didn't go ahead)

That said the decision was made several months ago, and now the folks at Taseko Mines are looking at new ways to try and make the Prosperity Mine a reality by coming up with changes to meet the environmental concerns that were raised. 

So with the initial decision in, why would anyone want to go stir up the pot and mess things up, while Taseko / Prosperity are working on new ways to get the mine approved?  Seems to me the logical thing would be to let that play out, and then if the answer is still “no”, then everyone will have a pretty clear indication why.