RICK PETERSON: "What this sector needs is clarity and decisive action from the government"

Today on the Conservative Thoughts blog, I am posting an update from BC Conservative Party leadership candidate Rick Peterson. 

 

To be clear, I have not yet endorsed either Dan Brooks, or Rick Peterson. I will for the moment however, continue to provide information from both campaigns as they progress.  With that out of the way, here's Rick.

I’m just winding up my third day here in the Peace River Country – which I know very well.

 

BC Conservative Party Leadership candidate
Rick Peterson (L) with Peace River Country
Campaign Chair, Oliver Steward

I was raised in Grande Prairie, just over the border into Alberta, and have spent a lot of time in Dawson Creek, Fort St. John and the whole area with friends, family, business partners and BC Conservatives. 

 

I help finance exploration companies that are active up here in the gas sector, so I know very well the challenges and opportunities in this very dynamic area of BC for businesses – large and small – and families. 

Amazing to see.

This is strong BC Conservative territory, as you know. Kurt Peats ran a strong campaign in Peace River South, and every BC Conservative I talk to says that we will absolutely take this riding in 2017. Peace River North is absolutely winnable, and given the reception I’ve received here from BC Conservatives, they are looking forward to us running a well-financed and well organized campaign under my leadership in four years’ time.

I made it a point to come here on my first visit outside the Lower Mainland after our September 23^rd launch. North-eastern BC is an important region not only for our Party, but for the Province. The energy produced here will power this province and support our health care, education and other areas of our economy for decades to come.

 

Strong, vocal and proud support of the Resource Sector is one of the key themes of my Leadership campaign – and it will become a trademark of the BC Conservatives under my Leadership.

As you may have seen on my Twitter account @RPetersonBCCP, I met with mayors, business leaders and a strong group of BC Conservatives here over the past three days. Our membership sales and fundraising for the campaign are now ahead of plan, because of the strong support I’ve received here. We are really on a roll.

I’m attending the final few sessions of the three-day BC Energy Conference. They key message here from every single one of the companies involved in the sector is this: the LNG window of opportunity will not last forever. Global competition is fierce, nimbler and opportunistic.

 

What this sector needs is clarity and decisive action from the government.

 

Tough to see how that can happen with Christy Clark playing pipeline politics with Alberta, the Legislature closed so there will be no debate on these key issues, and private sector leaders waiting to see the BC Liberal government tax plan for this sector – long overdue.

Promise made, delivery delayed.

There is absolutely need for a New Voice, A New Direction and New Leadership in the Peace River Country. Exciting times for our campaign, and for BC Conservatives up here.

 

Rick Peterson,
BC Conservative Party Leadership Candidate

You told us that today's' BC Liberal government is, "using resources wisely to give children the start they need in life"

Up to the election writ being dropped, the BC Liberal government found it necessary to spend millions of taxpayer dollars in what many called highly partisan advertising.  

Well the election campaign ended two and a half weeks ago, the Liberal were re-elected, and since then not ONE single ad has been run on the balanced budget ... the BC Jobs Plan ... or about the security of our economy due to careful government strategies and planning. 

Does that not clearly confirm these ads were not necessary, and were ONLY run for the benefit of the BC Liberal Party in the lead up to the election?

Again, the lack of integrity by the BC Liberal Party is there for all who wish to see it.

I mean no disrespect to the many hard working journalists out there, but why is it that no media news outlet is raising this issue? I would hate to think it comes down to a matter of dollars and cents, but then again the media owners were the direct recipients of this spending extravaganza, by the BC Liberal government, which wasted millions of dollars of resources entrusted to them by the people of BC. 

I had a Letter to the Editor published the other day in the Kamloops Daily News -- it included the following direct quote from a then opposition MLA by the name of Christy Clark:

“People don’t want the government to spend $700,000 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?” 

So Christy ... how many firefighters -- how many police officers aren't on the street because YOU decided it was more important for your government to be re-elected.  

Better yet; how many nurses and other medical staff aren't available that could have helped reduced surgical wait times -- or shortened wait times in ER's?

Are we prepared to give the time needed to see if benchmarks for success can and are being met?

The Guiding Principles of the BC Conservative Party start off by stating the party has:

A belief in clearly defined public policies and programs that are affordable and effective and for which delivery is accountable to all the people of British Columbia.
 

Maybe it's also time for an idea that is LONG over due, and which would be a fit with that statement; long term plans for social programs, health care, and education that look forward over 5 to 10 year terms.

That would allow government, and the people of BC, to see whether programs are indeed effective, and it would show government is willing to be accountable for the resources we entrust to them.

I recall thinking about this idea a number of years ago ... and I was reminded of it again by a political commentator, Alise Mills, this afternoon on CKNW.

We do indeed need to see that there are measurable targets and goals which are being met by government, and government agencies like Community Living BC for example.

Here's the rub though. This needs to be done with the understanding, by each of us, that programs will need time to prove and show they are working.

Sometimes that is NOT going to be seen in a year, 2 years, or even the 4 year cycle of a government.

In today’s society, where instant gratification is expected more and more, this is an idea that may be hard to come to grips with. 

So ... if this makes sense, are we prepared to give government, and agencies, the time needed to see if benchmarks for success can -- and are -- being met?

I'm Alan Forseth in Kamloops, with the thoughts of one conservative ... care to share your thoughts on this idea?

Well this is it … post #500 on the Conservative Thoughts blog

Well this is it … post #500 on the Conservative Thoughts blog.  This blog first went online on December 20^th, 2010 … the first two posts were stories on the Board of Directors for the Kamloops South Thompson Constituency Association … and Kamloops North.  That was a year and a half ago.

Since then, I have written dozens of stories on John Cummins, Christy Clark, and Adrian Dix … along with dozens of stories on the BC Conservative Party, the Liberals, and the NDP.  Rather than look at those stories however, I thought I’d take a quick look though at some of the ‘topics’ that have received the great number of mentions during that time.

Here’s five of the topics that, in looking back, were mentioned and featured the most:

The HST … mentioned in 48 stories … including this one; “Now maybe we have what could be the real reason why it is taking so long to end the HST”

The Carbon Tax … mentioned in 39 stories.  Here’s just one of them; “In my honest opinion this program was poorly thought out, poorly implemented, and it definitely unfairly impacts the people of BC … depending on where they live”

BC Hydro … it was mentioned in 37 stories.  Here’s one you might remember; “BC Hydro used to say, ‘The power belongs to us’. If that’s the case, how come we don’t have a say?”

BC Rail … it was mentioned in 25 stories, generally referring to the Basi / Virk case, as this one did.   “The report Krog and Bond were referring to was just about future indemnity on legal costs”

Health Care … mentioned in 25 stories, including this one with regards to a bathing tub that IHA was shamed into repairing; “And this is something to be proud of?”

Finally, I thought it would interesting to take a fresh look at the ten most read posts, out of the 500 written to date.  Starting with number ten, here they are:

Leave no authority existing, not responsible to the people

Providing quality and affordable health care … education … and social programs, for all British Columbians, must be one of the top priorities of government.

For that to happen, I also believe that government needs to provide us with the opportunity to have real input into the planning and implementation of programs and services.

Further … for government to have the money we need for these programs and services, it must reduce its debt, so we can stop paying millions of dollars, each and every day, just to make the interest payments.

Paying nearly $7 million dollars a day just in interest payments is bad business! 

Plain and simple, this is a waste of the financial resources we have entrusted to the government.  What we need is a smaller, less intrusive, government that lives within its means.

It is apparent to almost everyone, that our current provincial government is indeed living way beyond its means. 

Every new dollar government borrows increases our debt … adds to interest payment to service the debt … and means less money available for education, health care, social services, and other needs of the people of BC.

Only one political party has recognized the insanity of a carbon tax that takes from health and education -- and gives it to big business

The Carbon Tax, initiated by the BC Liberal government, robs much needed money from the education needs of BC children ... and from medical care.

In 2010 (2011 not available) the BC Liberal government required School District 73, Kamloops/Thompson to pay the Pacific Carbon Trust a total of $106,496 in carbon taxes.

That same year, the BC Liberal government also required the Interior Health Authority to pay the Pacific Carbon Trust nearly $1 million dollars ($965,891) in Carbon Taxes.

And Thompson Rivers University?  Well they ended up shelling out $103,310 as well.

Good grief, even the Pacific Carbon Trust itself got hit for a carbon tax of $170

(Find the cost your School District and Health Authority paid by CLICKING HERE)

And what do these carbon taxes do?  They allow the provincial government to, only on paper, claim that British Columbia is carbon neutral.

And this is something to be proud of?

Liberal MLA Kevin Krueger

In a news story Sunday (February 12) with CFJC TV7 News in Kamloops, Kamloops South Thompson  MLA Kevin Krueger was quoted as saying that he is "...proud of the government’s record on providing health care and education."

That anyone could be proud of the government’s record in these two areas seems a little strange to me.

We have had multiple stories in Kamloops media in recent weeks about overly long waits by patients for surgeries ... along with ongoing issues with Emergency Room services.  But that almost seems common place now – the following isn’t however.

Most people take for granted they’ll be able to have a shower or a bath each day – don’t expect that if you’re in a care home facility.  Here in Kamloops, the resident of one care home facility ended up being shipped from one side of town to other to find facilities they could use. 

The Kamloops Daily News outlined the reason in a story on January 13^th headlined “IHA too cheap to fix donated tub”.  The story began by saying:

It seems inhumane that if Al McQuarrie wants a bath, he has to wheel himself onto a bus.  The resident of Greenfield Place says the twice-weekly baths he used to receive in a tub in his apartment complex were the only times he felt relief from the non-stop pressure created from sitting in a wheelchair all day.

But that ended in November when the tub was deemed as worn out by the Interior Health Authority, which runs the community bathing program.  The IHA said it's not worth fixing the broken Century tub lift system in Greenfield and to replace it would cost $25,000, an expense that cannot be supported with other facilities touting tubs down the road.

The authority has suggested McQuarrie can catch a HandiDart Bus to have a bath at another location in the city. According to Google Maps, it's a 14-16 minute drive from his Brocklehurst building to Ponderosa, located across the bridge and near the hospital downtown

IHA ended up agreeing to make the necessary repairs – but they were shamed in to it. 

Punishing residents in the interior, is NOT a decision that will help BC families

News has been released that the Interior Health Authority (IHA) will end up with less funding this year … in fact the amount is substantial … three point four million dollars.

The reason??  

Management of the Interior Health Authority has been unable to ensure hospitals, in its jurisdiction, provide needed patient service, within a reasonable amount of time, for hip, knee and cataract surgeries.

I think most people would agree it should be the job of those in management, to ensure that health care services are provided with no long or undue delays.   

If management is unable to ensure this happens, then it should be THEIR salaries that get clawed back, by the Health Ministry.

Health care delays hurt --- they hurt real people

Yesterday I posted about the thousands of news stories that have been written about BC medical system … and the systemic delays in care in emergency wards.   

I also mentioned that in the middle of writing that piece, I received a telephone call from a friend that has personal experience with the system.

Their story is one that caused me to go through a wide range of emotions, emotions which ended in anger … anger in wonderment at how one of the worlds best medical systems could get to this point.

I have asked to share their story, and they agreed … here it is in part:

3 years I was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease. The third neurosurgeon gave me hope, and said my operation was to be in the fall, meaning October, or November 2011.

That date has come and gone

This operation is needed to relieve the nerves that affect my legs.  The nerves are severely pinched to such an extent that my legs feel like they are on fire and I just writhe in pain. My quality of life has got to the point where must days I can only go from my bedroom to the living room couch, where I stay until I return to go to bed in the evening.  Like I mentioned this is no quality of life. 

Which BC leader would you hire to cut the lawn?

Today we have a guest comment / opinion piece from my friend, BC Conservative, and former MP Jim Hart.  An analogy, if you will, of lawn cutting, and BC Politics

Want it done right?  Click HERE for the manual 

Looking at the recent political party polls in BC, one wonders exactly what it all means to the average family, guy or gal when it comes to real life in BC. So I decided I would analyze the recent polls by adding a task that most British Columbians will face in the coming weeks. As the groundhog has haphazardly told us that spring is just around the corner, I pose the question: Which BC political leader would be the best person to hire to cut your lawn? Here's what the polls suggest.

BC Green Party – Jane Sterk, is the most unlikely to accomplish the job as she would want to pass legislation to make Kentucky bluegrass or Canada Green an endangered plant life.

Instead of cutting the grass we would all be transplanting our lawns and relocating them to a government nature site or new provincial park, where grass would be protected and allowed to grow in an effective government-supervised fashion. Cutting and trimming devices would have to be registered in a government database to protect innocent plant life.

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.

Looking back at the year 2011 – Conservative Thoughts – the Top 10

As I mentioned yesterday, since I began the Conservative Thoughts blog I have written and posted just under 350 articles.  I recently looked to see which ones had interested readers the most this year, and yesterday I posted the ones from #20 to #11 that had most interested you.

Today we’re counting down the stories and articles 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.

Here we go …

#10 Three points made by the BC Liberal Party are a beautiful display of spin-doctoring  … we begin with a story from early Fall … September 15th

… I have a HUGE smile on my face however because if the BC Liberals have already started this, they are obviously scared of what a common sense campaign of people powered policy is going to do to their "Top Down" style of government. Their first three points are a beautiful display of spin-doctoring starting with the pension issue …

#9 BC Conservatives will not be splitting the vote --- the BC Liberals are driving their supporters away … from May 30^th

… today I was puzzled but what appeared to be an acceptance of the Liberal mantra that that BC Conservatives are going to ‘split the vote’ … if you listen to Christy Clark and her Liberal MLA’s, it seems that their only reason for being, and why people should support them, is because ... “We’re not the NDP” … once believed in government reform by the grassroots … and that accountability, honesty, and responsibility to the voters was paramount …

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 …

HERE’S THE QUESTION … “WHO, put our province where it is now"?

On the weekend, Chantal Hebert had an op / ed in the Toronto Star entitled, “PM could use premiers like Christy Clark”.  That lead me to question her ‘opinion’ and to share some of my own (what a surprise eh?).  Part of that led to an exchange of comments between me, and a recent Facebook friend, who is a member of the BC Liberal party. 

ME … as an easterner (Chantal Hebert) you make no sense -- given the beginnings and rise of the reform movement in western Canada, and why the reform movement led by Preston Manning came about. And it shows you still have not learned, that the west doesn’t appreciate, being lectured and dictated to by the east ...

FB Friend: Isn't Preston Manning supporting the BC Liberals?

ME … unfortunately it appears he too has forgotten what he once believed was MOST important --- and a steadily declining number of BC voters, at all levels of government, also attests to a lack of belief that anyone running for office has anything in mind other than themselves. BC Reform tried to make inroads in bottom up grassroots democracy in the mid-90's. It wasn't successful then, but my hope is that people are now ready for truth in politics

THIS WEEKS NEWS ROUND-UP

It’s Friday, the weekend is upon us, and here are some of the political stories that made the news this week:

BC Hydro caught in crosshairs of Clark’s populist push
Current Premier Christy Clark has put short-term politics first, ordering the Crown corporation to scale back its plans to the bare minimum to keep rate increases in check.  Trouble is, B.C. is looking at attracting massive investments – billions upon billions of dollars – in mining, shale gas and liquefied natural gas facilities. All are huge consumers in power. 

The decisions made now at BC Hydro will decide if those industries are going to be developed with renewable energy, or if they will burn natural gas, spewing millions of tonnes of greenhouse-gas emissions into the atmosphere.

Penny-pinching B.C. Liberals bank on Clark appeal
The latest polls show Clark is way more popular than her own party, so the Liberals want to capitalize on her personal appeal … her government is broke, and Clark can't go on a spending spree unless she does one of two things: go into debt or raise taxes … here's an even bigger concern for Clark: Going into debt or raising taxes could anger right-wing supporters in her own party, and drive them over to John Cummins and the B.C. Conservatives.

BC Conservative leader talks lower taxes, less government in Dawson Creek
“We’re going to stick to principles. We’re going to emphasize the fact that government in British Columbia has to get smaller and we have to use the tax dollars we have more efficiently and effectively,” he said.

Revisiting some recent poll results by Ipsos Reid

Yesterday I brought up a topic of politics and policies being too much the same, and stated that;

“If car companies died because of … boredom, lack of uniqueness, no originality, poor quality … could the same be in line for politics.”

I concluded by saying;

“They (NDP and Liberals) have become so much the same that indeed, many in BC are now able to say there is a lack of uniqueness and originality.  And given the number of MLA’s who have been forced to toe party line, regardless of constituent or personally opinion, there is also an ever increasing thought we are also suffering from ‘poor quality’.”

“My hope is that they will take a stand against boredom … lack of uniqueness … no originality … and poor quality. If the BC Conservative Party continues to bring forward the best common sense of British Columbians, then the BC Liberals and the BC NDP will be relegated to the trash heap of history where old and out-dated ideas eventually end up.”

So that was yesterday in a nutshell.  Today I decided to revisit some recent poll results that were done by Ipsos Reid two months ago.   

A lot was made back then of the fact that the BC Conservative Party was making great strides with increased popularity.  I think however there are several things that are of far greater importance … and if what I wrote yesterday is of any value, a lot of information from that poll needs to remain foremost in the mind of John Cummins.

How will BC Conservatives govern? ... that's a good question.

So ... when the next general election rolls around in May 2013, and we end up with a BC Conservative government, what is going to happen.  Well just the other day some one did ask me, what is the first thing that a BC Conservative government will do when they take power?

Those are both good questions (first thing they'll do / how govern), and I wish that I had the answers to them. Before they can be answered, there are a couple of very important things that will have to happen first, within the next couple of months.

Both will be happening at pretty much the same time – which will be good for the membership of the BC Conservatives. First will be the election of a party leader – second will be the approval of party policy.

Ensuring that Canadians have access to the care they need, when they need it

Earlier this week my Kamloops Liberal MLA, Kevin Krueger, talked about surgical wait lists and the Interior Health Authority (IHA), in a news story with CHNL 610.  In the story he mentioned that Kamloops is far behind Kelowna in wait times.

I am just wondering what the point was in his story — other than he continues to blames the NDP government from 10 years earlier.

The real story should however be about the personal stories of the people that this situation impacts!

Will that be a double latte --- or a double by-pass?

 

Are you asking the same question I am; is Tim Horton’s part of Christy Clark’s new health care plan for British Columbians?

Just like the Royal City in New Westminster, we have several Tim Horton’s outlets right here in Kamloops where I live.  I just wonder if next time there’s an emergency in our family, if that’s where I should be headed to?

Incredibly, Health Minister Colin Hansen seemed quite okay with a Tim Horton coffee shop, at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster, being turned into an emergency ward on Monday night. 

Prudent fiscal management? ...... "Horse Manure!"

Yesterday the Finance Minister, Colin Hansen brought down the provinces budget --- and in doing so he said:

“We’ve come through a seismic shift in the global economy and we are emerging much stronger than other places around the world.  Business and consumer confidence are growing.  We have a solid foundation for job creation, business development and improvements in health care, education and social services.  B.C.’s future looks bright.”

BC’s future looks bright???  If our future is looking so bright, then I for one would like to know why the provincial debt is headed for $60 BILLION dollars.  The “Honorable” Finance Minister, Colin Hansen, also stated that: 

“Budget 2011 stays the course, keeping the focus of protecting health care, education and social services as British Columbia moves towards balanced budgets beginning again in 2013.

Protecting health care, education, and social services???  Mr. Hansen, would you care to tell us what the interest payments alone are on a debt of $60 BILLION dollars??  Perhaps some of you are saying $60 BILLION dollars – come on Alan, you're making that up.