What kind of Deputy House Leader was Rich Coleman, if he knowingly let discussions from the BC Liberal caucus be leaked?

BC Liberal Deputy House Leader Rich Coleman

QUESTION:  With friends like this, who needs enemies? 

Shortly after the announcement by Abbotsford South MLA John van Dongen, that he was leaving the BC Liberal Party (of which he sat as a member for nearly a decade and a half), Deputy House Leader Rich Coleman took out the knives.

Oh he put on the concerned friend game face, saying how faithful he had been, staying at Van Dongen‘s side during ‘personal’ (?) issues he had gone through in the past.  A story in the Vancouver Sun on March 27 (John van Dongen swaps parties from Christy Clark's Liberals to B.C. Conservative) quoted Coleman saying:

"I've been concerned about John as a friend for some time. He's been struggling with his role in public life and I wasn't particularly overly surprised because I've had lengthy conversations with him about some of his own personal issues."

Then began the criticism of his ‘so-called friend’.   

And why?  Because he had allegedly broken ranks with fellow members of the BC Liberal caucus for saying he could no longer support the direction of the government —and how it was being led.

Abbotsford South MLA
John van Dongen

John van Dogen rose in the legislature to make his announcement, and he had many things to say about his reasons for resigning from the BC Liberal Caucus – here however are the words that stood out as the most important to me:

"There have been other lapses in proper accountability and I expect more to come. When more and more decisions are being made for the wrong reasons, then you have an organization that is heading for failure."

For the first time since Christy Clark took over the reins of the BC Liberal party, a member of her own caucus expressed, in public, what many in BC have been feeling for some time now. 

RCMP and city police have been warning the public, for thier own safety, to 'STAY AWAY" from know and dangerous criminals

I found the following story (details of which I became aware of yesterday), to be of note, which is why I am passing it along.  The writer of the story is Kim Bolan from the Vancouver Sun.

Jaspal Singh Atwal, convicted
of attempted murder in 1986

Convicted gunman attended B.C. budget speech --Complaint filed after invitation-only event

A formal complaint was made to the speaker of the B.C. legislature last week after a would-be assassin received an invitation to attend the budget speech, The Vancouver Sun has learned.

Jaspal Singh Atwal, who was convicted of attempted murder for shooting a visiting Punjabi cabinet minister in 1986, attended the invite-only event in the B.C. legislature Feb. 21.

He sat in the public gallery, while the legislature was locked down and only invited guests, MLAs and accredited media were allowed inside.

Shane Mills, Premier Christy Clark's director of communications, said Monday that Atwal only made his way onto the guest list when another person invited by the premier's office asked for an extra ticket to attend.

"His name was on a list. It was put on the list at the request of an invited guest," Mills said. "If we had known his background, he would not have been invited."

BOB SIMPSON: “These are not hypothetical dollars going to hypothetical projects”

Here is just one brief exchange from the BC Legislature this afternoon (February 20, 2012), which you can read for yourself in Hansard

Independent MLA Bob Simpson:

Contrary to the Minister of Education's characterization of this, these are not hypothetical dollars going to hypothetical projects. These are real dollars from operating budgets within the public sector that could go to other things — to classrooms, to surgeries, to seniors care. The government has had a long time to look that at this. The Minister of Education is indicating that the firewall has to be built. My question to the Minister of Environment is: will school districts and public authorities have to contribute to the Pacific Carbon Trust at $25 a ton this year — yes or no?

And the response from the Environment Minister, Terry Lake?

Well, as I mentioned, we have been engaging school boards, health authorities, public sector organizations. We have had some very good meetings. As we move through, as a leader on this file, we expect to improve our policies as we move forward. We intend to continue to improve all of our policies, and this is one that we will see, I think, an improved result moving forward.

It seems fairly obvious, given the waffled answer of the Environment Minister, that the 'unwaffled' answer to this question is, "yes".  

Yes, the government will continue to raid the Education Ministry to pay into Pacific Carbon Trust, which in turn gives that money to profitable business such as Encana.

What does that tell you about how important children and families are to this government?

The argument of last resort … the one of desperation … “Don’t split the vote”

Randy White speaking to BC Conservatives

The Saturday, Parksville Qualicum News had a story from writer Neil Horner;  one he had written after spending time in an interview with former Reform MP Randy White. 

With Randy Whites reform background, the following observation from Mr. Horner came as no surprise to me:

Like the NDP, he (Randy White) said, the B.C. Conservatives have come to a point where they can no longer act as a protest vote, but rather, must come across as a government in waiting.

Randy White also commented on vote splitting during the interview say;

“The people have lost confidence of the people, so in desperation, what you have is Liberal supporters saying we are splitting the vote, in an effort to hang on at any cost, but it’s not going to happen for them. It’s just not there. The days are gone where you can scare someone into voting for you.”

Reporter Tom Fletcher posted a link, on Facebook, to the Parksville Qualicum Beach News story – and included this quote from Randy White:

“I had some surprising calls over Christmas and I can say with some assurance it is very likely the Conservatives will be a party in the legislature before the next election.  I think there are enough disgruntled members in their caucus and I don’t know if Christy Clark can hold all that together.”

That led someone to ask … “Are they actively promoting an NDP government or are they so sure there is going to be one that they've moved on to competing with the Liberals for who comes next as right of centre?”

Here is what I believe … even without the emergence of the John Cummins led BC Conservatives, Christy Clark's Liberals would have lost the next election. 

A farewell from Barry Penner

Retiring BC Liberal MLA Barry Penner

BC Liberal MLA, and former Cabinet Minister, Barry Penner was first elected to the British Columbia Legislature in the general election of 1996.

His MLA website has this information, “About Barry Penner”

Barry served as Attorney General for the Province of British Columbia from December 1, 2010 until August 18, 2011 when he announced that after four successful election campaigns, he would not be seeking re-election to the British Columbia Legislature. Barry also stepped down from his ministerial portfolio to spend more time with his young family.

Barry Penner previously served as BC’s Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation from October, 2010 to March, 2011 and Minister of Environment from June, 2005 to October, 2010. He was BC’s longest serving Environment Minister.

Barry was raised in Chilliwack, BC. He received his Bachelor's degree from Simon Fraser University after studying government and economics, and subsequently earned his law degree from the University of Victoria. Barry was employed as a BC park ranger during his summer breaks. In 1991, he worked for an International law firm in Bangkok, Thailand and then practiced law in Chilliwack until his election to the Legislative Assembly in 1996.

Barry was first elected to the BC Legislature in 1996 for the electoral district of Chilliwack. He helped lead the charge against the Sumas Energy 2, Inc. (SE2) power plant, which would have added 2.5 tonnes of air pollution every day into the Fraser Valley. He also helped rally community support which resulted in the new Chilliwack Courthouse. Barry was re-elected in 2001 to represent the riding of Chilliwack-Kent, and was re-elected in 2005, and again in 2009

I for one would like to say thanks for his work and dedication not just to the constituents of Chilliwack Hope … but to all of BC

CLICK HERE for a farewell video from soon to be former Chilliwack Hope MLA Barry Penner

Now there is a credible choice -- what a great Christmas present!

I recent days and weeks, I have written a couple of pieces, regarding recent polls showing the growing strength of the BC Conservative Party.  I for one have been delighted to see the continuing momentum, as more and more people look to see what alternative there is to the BC Liberals and the New Democrats.

A few people have emailed, and sent me a few notes, regarding what is happening politically, and so I thought I would share a few of them with you.  The first is from former Reform MP Jim Hart who said:

The recent pre-Christmas poll has indicated continued growth for the BC Conservative Party. It has also clearly shown declining support for both the Liberals and the NDP.

As indicated by this poll the Liberals use of attack ads against BC Conservative Leader, John Cummins has been a dismal failure. In fact, the strategy has had the opposite effect, boosting the support of the BC Conservative Party and leader John Cummins.

The other major issue exposed in this poll is that support for the NDP is declining.

Both BC Liberals and the NDP policies have proven detrimental to BC’s economy, and this history has buttressed the BC Conservative case that British Columbians have no appetite for either of these parties tax and spend policies.

BC Conservatives are offering tax RELIEF by conducting a complete review of taxes, licenses, fees and permits within 18 months of becoming government this will result in a prioritized list of taxes to be removed, reduced and amended.

It is time to support a party that will bring conservative values to the BC Legislature.

Jim Hart, Former MP 1993-2000

Resident of Vernon, BC

Many of them are among the creative ways MPs have found to accuse their opponents of lying

Apparently there are 106 things that MP’s cannot say in our Canadian Parliament … that information from iPolitics, by way of my nephew Steve. 

According to the Speaker’s office, Beauchesne’s Rules & Forms of the House of Commons of Canada, 6th edition (1989) contains the most recent summary of insults, insinuations, epithets and allegations that have been made in Parliament over the years and ruled to be “unparliamentarily language” – a list that runs more than four pages.

Many of them, such as “deliberately misstated the truth” or “intentional deceit” are among the creative ways MPs have found to accuse their opponents of lying. Others, such as “inspired by forty-rod whiskey” or “dim-witted saboteur” are rather biting observations on the character of other MPs.

In the end, though, it is up to the Speaker to decide whether language used in the House is “temperate and worthy of the place in which it is spoken” so a word that is acceptable in one context may not be in another.

Well by now you are probably wondering what those words are.  Wonder no more as they follow below.  As you read them, note the ones I have highlighted with italics --- those are one that I believe may be applicable to ‘some’ who hold elected office here in British Columbia.

All other parties seem to me to have fostered “prostitution politics”

I got a reply back this morning about my post on Christy Clark’s Year-End Video.  At first the response I received made me laugh … a bit.   

That laugh however soon turned to sadness … but that then turned to hope.  Here is what a Richard, who is a new member of the BC Conservative Party, had to say:

Thanks Alan … I hope smaller government and reduced government spending will be the top priority of the BC Conservative party. All other parties seem to me to have fostered “prostitution politics” with deficit spending and huge government debt the result … Richard

I took a moment to look up the definitions of two words that Richard used … ‘prostitution’ and ‘politics’.  There are of course the basic definitions we would all be familiar with, however here are the two which I chose to use.

This is a government that, after the next provincial election, will be replaced by John Cummins and the BC Conservatives.

It’s back to work today at the legislature in Victoria; today begins the 4th session of the 39th Parliament.  The first session of the 39^th Parliament began on August 25^th, 2009 , over two years ago, with a Speech from the Throne by Lieutenant Governor, the Honourable Stephen L. Point.  Here are a few points from that throne speech:

Former BC Premier
Gordon Campbell

As British Columbia endures its worst recession in 27 years, many are worried about their economic future. Families worry about their prospects. Government shares their concerns. It will dedicate its efforts to improving B.C. families' prospects and economic circumstances. It will not happen overnight and it will not be easy, but government will work tirelessly, so B.C. comes out of this economic maelstrom stronger.  The pace, depth and scope of the economic crisis surpassed expectations.

The BC Liberal government of the day, led by then Premier Gordon Campbell, knew full well the economy of the province was not on its best footing, still the BC Liberals have continued to increase debt and deficit --- WHY???

The government committed to work to make B.C. more competitive, reduce barriers to the economy and protect core public services.

Remember now, this is from a speech given two years ago.  But, does anyone recall part of Christy Clarks big job growth announcement from a couple weeks ago??   I’m pretty sure I recall that she just re-announced the very same thing --- WHY???

The provinces best hope for legislative reform, and accountability, would come about through a John Cummins led BC Conservative government

Oh be still my beating heart – I don't know if I can take all the excitement of the current legislative assembly.

One of the few successes however, at least in my opinion, would be Bob Simpson, an independent MLA from my old neck of the woods ... the Cariboo. I suspect that if Bill Bennett could be welcomed back to the Liberal caucus, then the door would have been open as well for Bob to return to the NDP.

He has stated however, “I believe that as an Independent MLA I'm better able to serve my constituents, as my time is 100% dedicated to serving the people of Cariboo North. I'm also able to advocate for policies and programs which will benefit all British Columbian's, free from the constraints of affiliation with a political party or ideology.”

Christy Clark has responsibilty to get elected as MLA for Vancouver Point Grey

BC Legislative Buildings

Christy Clark is not a member of the Legislature … she has the opportunity to become one

Christy Clark is not a MLA for any Constituency … she has the opportunity to run in one

No one can sit in the BC Legislature unless elected by the people … she has the opportunity

This Week in BC Politics (Mar 27 - Apr 2)

Leadership races … federal election … April Fools jokes and gags (federal election) … Ferry rates go up -- and Hydro rates go down.  All this and more took place this week in the world of BC politics. 

If you care for a fresher, or to catch up on stories you missed read on … this full stories can be read by clicking the headline link.

Is former BC Liberal energy minister Bennett eyeing jump to the Tories?

Bill Bennett, the independent member of the BC legislature seeking to return to the BC Liberal caucus, is not ruling out a move to the BC Conservative Party. The Kootenay East MLA was infamously fired as energy minister by his cabinet colleagues for

Cummins set to lead B.C. Conservatives
… bid to lead the BC Conservatives has morphed from a leadership race into a likely coronation that party officials say will allow him to focus on preparing the party for a possible provincial …

 

John Cummins poised to run for BC Conservatives

Former Conservative MP John Cummins appears poised to enter the race to lead the BC Conservatives with an announcement scheduled for Tuesday. Mr. Cummins, 69, has long been seen as a possible contender for the leadership of the party, which has no official links to the federal Tories and no seats in the BC legislature. Click HERE for Globe and Mail story