Kamloops South BC Liberal MLA Kevin Krueger is, "Way over the line" with comments regarding the BC Conservatives.

Late yesterday afternoon, Kamloops South Thompson BC Liberal MLA Kevin Krueger, launched a verbal attack on BC Conservatives.

The following is a media release, sent out by BC Conservative candidate Peter Sharp, in reponse:

KAMLOOPS: Yesterday, BC Conservative Party leader John Cummins called on Premier Christy Clark to suspend Pat Bell, the controversial Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training, from the Executive Council.

Peter Sharp in media scrum, following election as the
Kamloops South Thompson BC Conserrvative candidate

"We asked this because there have been allegations made in public, and through a CBC news report that he was involved in “breached protocols, broken promises and misrepresentation” with regards to the proposed Wood Innovation and Design Centre in Prince George", stated Kamloops South Thompson BC Conservative Party candidate Peter Sharp.

Sharp continued, "At no time did we state that he 'was' involved, only that allegations have been made, that should be examined and looked in to."

BC Conservatives, and all residents of the Kamloops area, should have real concern with the response of current Kamloops South Thompson MLA, and former Cabinet Minister, Kevin Krueger.

Sharp went on to say, "His comments are completely unacceptable behavior for an MLA!  He went way over the line with his caustic comments aimed at all members of our party -- not just the leadership."

"In fact, using an official government MLA email account, to hurl these insults at people who are some of his constituents, could be looked at as further arrogance by a party already being questioned by the electorate for it's integrity and accountability."

"If there is any silver lining to this whole situation, it is only that with the retirement of MLA Krueger, the people of our province will no longer be subjected to this kind of bullying.", Sharp concluded.

CONTACT:
Peter Sharp, candidate

BC Conservative Party

Kamloops South Thompson

 

 

The following is a full & complete copy of the email sent by Kevin Krueger:

From: Krueger.MLA, Kevin <Kevin.Krueger.MLA@leg.bc.ca <mailto:Kevin.Krueger.MLA@leg.bc.ca> >
Date: Tue, Feb 26, 2013 at 4:01 PM
Subject: The Honourable Pat Bell

To: "conservatives@bcconservative.ca" <conservatives@bcconservative.ca>, "Krueger.MLA, Kevin" <Kevin.Krueger.MLA@leg.bc.ca <mailto:Kevin.Krueger.MLA@leg.bc.ca> >


Attention: B.C. Cons:

Mr. Cummins, and everybody involved in this news release, are "Unmitigated" MORONS to have published such crap as this.

Pat Bell is beloved in Prince George, for good reason. There is not ONE of you scum worthy to tie his shoes - nor tall enough.

You have just blown whatever support you might have hoped to muster in Prince George, and many other places.

What idiots you are.
Kevin Krueger, MLA

 

Original media release from the BC Conservative Party:

Suspend Bell and expand investigation, Cummins

LANGLEY, BC, FEB. 26, 2013 – John Cummins, leader of the BC Conservatives, today called on Premier Christy Clark to suspend Pat Bell, the controversial Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training, from the Executive Council.

The call follows reports by CBC News alleging that Bell, the MLA for Prince George-Mackenzie, was involved in “breached protocols, broken promises and misrepresentation” with regards to the proposed Wood Innovation and Design Centre in Prince George.

Cummins also said that the Premier should expand the mandate of Jane Shackell, Q.C., the “fairness advisor” retained to oversee the bid process for the Wood Centre, so she can investigate the CBC News allegations.

“Pat Bell has been involved in one controversy after another under the current Premier,” said Cummins. “From botching a deal for the BC Place Stadium naming rights, to wasting millions of taxpayer dollars on television advertisements extolling his failed Jobs Plan, to inappropriately sending confidential emails to a lobbyist, to the Wood Centre in Prince George, he’s been an unmitigated disaster.”

The CBC News reports were based on allegations by two Prince George-area business men who claim they were not short-listed for the Wood Centre project, despite earlier discussions with Bell and other BC Liberal government representatives.


UPDATE:While not an apology, I'm glad to Kamloops South Thompson MLA Kevin Krueger indicating that perhaps he had a poor choice of words in his attack on the BC Conservatives 
http://www.cknw.com/news/vancouver/story.aspx/story.aspx?ID=1899792

BC HYDRO Part 3 (AKA) Does "No" actually mean "No" to the BC Liberals? To all of them? Some of them? And on what day?

Today's Conservative Thoughts commentary is a guest op / ed.  Unfortunately I am unable to include the name of the writer, but this is a person I have known and have respected for nearly 20 years.

 

As B.C. Hydro and Corix installers roll out across the province, targeting people who’ve refused the Hydro smart meters, the message changes constantly.

“I’ve been ordered to put a meter on every house
and I’m doing it.”, he replied ... and he did.

From 85,000 to 140,000 British Columbians have registered with Hydro to refuse the smart meters. Reasons include health, safety, privacy, time of day billing and, as one man put it, “the jack-booted way it’s being imposed”.

On January 22nd Energy Minister Rich Coleman reassured the hold-outs that meters wouldn’t be forced upon them.

On January 29th Liberal MLA Gordon Hogg issued a statement, telling people pressured to accept new meters, to notify their MLA’s.

On January 30th a Kamloops reporter wanting to confirm the government’s position, phoned several MLAs.  BC Liberal MLA and Energy Minster Rich Coleman wasn’t available, but his office sent a copy of the Jan. 22nd statement that Smart Meters would not be forced on them.

Gordon Hogg’s office replied “Mr. Hogg is no longer speaking to the media on the smart meter issue.” 

Kamloops South Thompson MLA Kevin Krueger, the only Liberal MLA who would speak, said “..We always have some people who think everything’s bad for them. …however there are some people with really unique health conditions.  I don’t want to have smart meters anywhere near them."

People felt reassured.  It didn’t last long.

Between January 28th and February 1st, the city of Kamloops was targeted for a final installation blitz. Corix, the company doing installations, employs mostly young men who are paid by piece work.  Every morning they held a team meeting during which they’re told where to go, what to say and what to do.

On January 28th, a 72 year old woman insisted to the installer that she didn’t want a smart meter.  “What part of ‘no’ don’t you understand?” she asked. 

“I’ve been ordered to put a meter on every house and I’m doing it.”, he replied, and he did.

Another woman, who has medical problems, explained why she was refusing. “Now I’ve talked to you can I be confident no one else will come install a meter?” 

"We’ll be back”, was the response.

“When?”, she asked 

The response?  ... “Maybe tomorrow.” 

One man became so exasperated, after he was asked three times why he was refusing, that he grabbed for the smart meter.  In the scuffle a Corix employee fell to the ground.  The RCMP arrived within 15 minutes and told the householder he would be charged.

You are right Kevin (Krueger), "None of this happened by accident". These things happened on the watch of the BC Liberal government

Yesterday on Facebook I posted the following that I came across from the Victoria Times Colonist, "Editorial: Stagnant B.C. needs renewal". 

Part of the editorial stated that:

Real wage rates for low-income earners in B.C. have stagnated and now lag the rest of the country. That’s one reason we have the second-worst child-poverty rate in Canada. That is both a shame and a failure.

So what is to be done? There are warnings here for whichever party wins the provincial election in May. Policies that divide us, whether by favouring one group or hammering another, have not worked ...

It prompted my Kamloops South Thompson BC Liberal MLA Kevin Krueger to come back, taking a swipe at the BC Conservative Party, which I support:

Maybe you folks would benefit from a name change, in line with "truth in advertising." I know, how about "The Black Cloud Party."

If the world is in recession, and has been for 5 years, once-powerful European countries are insolvent, the USA is running $trillions in debt, but BC will have a balanced budget April 1 and has hundreds of thousands more jobs than ever before, with hundreds of thousands becoming available, isn't that a GOOD thing?

Well folks ... what do you think ... is it a good thing we have been getting from Christy Clark led BC Liberal government?  I think I know the answer I would receive from many -- but I did have to follow up and ask my friend Kevin;

Why is it that you treat the truth with such disdain? The content of this piece (from the Times Colonist) simply echoes what has been reported elsewhere, by several other publications, and writers, that are well know.

Not only are we falling behind in income earned by British Columbians, compared to most provinces in Canada, our employment rate is also NOT increasing. This despite millions being spent, by your BC Liberal government, on highly partisan ads that are blatant distortions of the truth.

You claim that what I say is untruthful, Kevin? Would you say the same of Stats Canada? You should know by now that I research what I say. I do NOT make things up, unlike the ads you and Premier Christy Clark are so proud of.

NOW ... lets quote Stats Canada ... December 2012:
"In British Columbia, employment was LITTLE CHANGED in December and the unemployment rate declined 0.3 percentage points to 6.5%. COMPARED WITH 12 MONTH EARLIER, EMPLOYMENT WAS LITTLE CHANGED.

I have added the caps on the parts which are pertinent, but other than that, the above is a direct quote in the section marked "Gains in several provinces"

Ever vigilant to comments I make on social media, about his government, Kamloops South BC Liberal MLA Kevin Krueger was there to respond

BC Premier Christy Clark - Families First?

With regards to the pathetically partisan / self congratulatory advertising the BC Liberal government is running, using $15 million of our tax dollars. While the following, from the Competition Act applies to businesses only, it is the spirit of what is written in to the act that is of interest to me.  It is also something the BC Liberal Party brass has never given a second thought, or concern about.

False or Misleading Representations:
The Competition Act provides criminal and civil regimes to address false or misleading representations. Section 52 of the Act is a criminal provision.

It prohibits knowingly or recklessly making, or permitting the making of, a representation to the public, in any form whatever, that is false or misleading in a material respect.

I wonder if they have ALSO read this section?

False or Misleading Representations:
Paragraph 74.01(1)(a) of the Act is a civil provision. It prohibits the making, or the permitting of the making, of a representation to the public, in any form whatever, that is false or misleading in a material respect.

Ever vigilant to comments I make on social media, about his government, Kamloops South BC Liberal MLA Kevin Krueger was there to respond:

Kevin Krueger:  Have you been to the web-site which the ads refer job-seekers to? Probably not. Do you know or care that the B.C. Liberals have built an economy which has added hundreds of thousands of jobs for British Columbians? Or that we have vastly ramped up skills training in B.C.?

Alan Forseth:  Yes I have actually been there Kevin --- and there is much self-congratulatory rhetoric there ... along with of course useful and helpful information.

Where I have the biggest issue is the out and out lies being told about the fiscal record of this current government --- its tax policies that have negatively impacted and affected middle-class families struggling to make ends meet -- and the impossibility (given ever-rising annual deficits) that it can possibly deliver a balanced budget next year.

This has been the worst partisan advertising -- rivaling even that done by the NDP in the dying days of their government -- and to ad insult to injury, its is we that taxpayers who are funding this BS advertising.

Shame on your government!

Kevin Krueger: Your continual disparaging of British Columbia's economic success is false and destructive. Name a non-socialist economist in Canada who agrees with you! We have the lowest income taxes in Canada, and with Alberta, the most robust economy in the country, which is world-leading. Ontario is running a $14 billion deficit this year; B.C.'s deficit will be eliminated on March 31. Most western countries are running deficits, Al. You should stop your fear mongering and deception.

Alan Forseth:  On this we will just have to agree to disagree Kevin ...

I am part of the shrinking middle class that continues to see nothing but increased government costs whittling away at resources that should instead be used for not just necessities, but even a little entertainment and relaxation. Those things, for low and middle class British Columbian's, are getting harder and harder to do, under the BC Liberal watch.

The TOP 10 "Conservative Thoughts for the year 2012 -- beginning with #10 to #6

Over the next 3 days I will be presenting the most read commentaries that I posted on the Conservative Thoughts blog.

Today I'll begin by taking a fresh look at the posts counting down from #10 to #6.  Let's begin:

#10 ... "BC Liberal MLA Kevin Krueger should read these words; 'Vitriol' … extreme bitterness and hatred toward somebody or something" -- May 9th 

Two stories tied for the #9 spot ... they were: 

"If you decide to read on, make sure you have some Tylenol, and an antacid, handy" (April 30th)

And from October 6th: "All logic, reason, and unbiased comment,flies out the window when it comes to anything he writes and says about Cummins and the BC Conservative Party" 

#8  ... "We live in a democracy Kevin; that's how it works"  June 13th 

From March 2nd comes the #7 commentary of the year ... "The ineptitude of this government hurts people -- real people!"

And our final post today comes from March 10th.  It stand as the #6 most read post of the year ... "It may talk like a duck ... but it sure as heck doesn't walk like one" -- March 10th

Tomorrow we'll continue as we take a look at more of the Top 10 Conservative Thoughts posts, counting down from #5 to #2.

I'm Alan Forseth and Kamloops ... with the thoughts of one conservative.

Whatever Kevin (Krueger) thinks, many are INDEED concerned with the downgrade ... and much has been written about it by mainstream media

Kamloops South Thompson BC Liberal MLA Kevin Krueger

For some reason, my friend Kevin Krueger (and Kamloops South Thompson BC Liberal MLA) keeps insisting that all is well with the provinces finances, that they have a handle on the annual and ongoing budget deficits ... and that we should have no concerns about the doubling of debt.

I ... and many others ... would beg to differ.

Kevin on the other hand has gone so far as to say, and I quote:
The BC Conservatives have never done a positive thing for B.C. I have yet to see an apology from John Cummins for the lie he published about BC's Triple A credit rating; we still have it; it is the highest rating in the world, and our interest rates are COMPLETELY UNAFFECTED by Moody's debt warning. All the BCC's have ever accomplished is to elect NDP MLA's.

For starters I MUST remind Kevin that the BC Conservative Party has really only come back to the forefront of BC politics in the past 2 years -- so we have actually played NO role in NDP MLA's being elected.

Those reading Kevin's comments may or may not agree with him -- its up to you. That said, BC Conservative Party leader John Cummins was quite clear in his thoughts on the downgrade of BC's credit rating by Moody's:

“Shocking” was the response last evening from John Cummins, leader of the BC Conservatives, as Moody’s Investor Service downgraded British Columbia’s credit rating to Aaa negative.  “BC’s debt is rapidly rising, even as our economic growth is dramatically slowing.  Meanwhile, the BC Liberals are spending tens of millions of taxpayer dollars on feel-good, pre-election advertising in the hope they can mask British Columbia’s deteriorating fiscal problems.”

The Moody’s down-grade of B.C.’s debt was accompanied by a sober assessment of the province’s economic and fiscal position.

1) The province’s net debt has grown from “roughly” 65 per cent of revenues in 2008, to 82 per cent in the current fiscal year. That number is expected to grow to approximately” 94 per cent by 2014 / 2015.

2) The fiscal deficit for 2012/13 is forecast to grow by at least 50 per cent (from less than $1.0 billion, to nearly $1.5 billion) – or 3.5 per cent of revenues

3) BC’s economic growth is slowing (according to B.C.’s Economic Forecast Council), to an expected 2.1 per cent in 2012, and 2.2 per cent in 2013.

“B.C.’s total debt will double in just over a decade under the BC Liberals from $33.8 billion, to $66.4 billion,” said Cummins.  “Now, as a result of the credit down-grade, our borrowing costs will rise ever higher. Even though the BC Liberals claim to be superb economic and fiscal managers, the evidence clearly proves otherwise.”

Well of course my Liberal friend Kevin wasn't going to see eye-to-eye on that assessment.  His retort was that:

Who’s out for the BC Liberals? The question should be, “Who isn’t”?

The clock is ticking on Christy
Clark and the BC Liberals

Well, as of late Thursday morning (August 30th), here's the list of BC Liberal MLAs that have announced they will not be running in the next election:

• Harry Bloy – the ONLY Liberal MLA that supported Christy Clark
• Kash Heed – former Solicitor General
• Kevin Krueger – former Minister of Social Development … Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts … Minister of Community Development … and former Minister of State for Mining
• Dave Hayer
• Murray Coell
• John Les - Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier
• Bill Barisoff – House Speaker
• George Abbott - Education Minister
• Mary McNeil - Children & Family Development Minister
• Kevin Falcon - BC Finance Minister and Deputy Premier

... and Randy Hawes, as of Tuesday (Aug 28^th) says, “… he is still weighing his options.”

Would you not agree with me in saying that's a very substantial list given the names on it?

Other than two backbenchers (Hayer and Coell) these are all BC Liberal MLA's that have played a major role in the Cabinets of both Gordon Campbell, and Christy Clark. 

For Christy Clark to say this is simply nothing more than a rejuvenation of the party is absurd. 

Who’s out for the BC Liberals? The question should be, “Who isn’t”?  Stay tuned … there will definitely be more to come.

I’m Alan Forseth in Kamloops, with the thoughts of one conservative.

John Cummins not only has what it takes to lead the BC Conservatives in the next election; he is best suited to be the next Premier of our province

Today, my friend Sean Smith posted what I think is the best take on the differences between BC Conservative Party leader John Cummins and Premier / BC Liberal leader Christy Clark.  He said:

BC Premier Christy Clark

"It's the difference between having a leader with no experience working hard in BC industry, and one that had an active part in it. Christy Clark hasn't worked a hard day as a labourer in her life, while Cummins helped build the WAC Bennett Dam, was a commercial fisherman AND was a teacher. Experience in leadership is everything!"

My soon to be retiring Kamloops South BC Liberal MLA, Kevin Krueger, came back to say:

What you say is not true. Christy worked in the hospitality industry as a young person. She is so obviously bright, and politically astute, that she was drafted into political activities very young, and ran a pan-Canadian political organization for youth. She is well into her second year as the Premier of British Columbian, while looking after her little guy as a single Mom. You think John Cummins' challenges stack up better than that?

    

Christy is a leader; she is kind to people, and knows how to enable a team. Her team's results are the best in Canada, with Alberta's. John Cummins has a history of scrapping, not leading, as far as I have seen. It is ridiculous to suggest that he is the more accomplished person.

Not wanting to miss out on a good discussion Sean responded by saying:

Seriously!? You are going to compare her time as a hostess / waitress to Mr. Cummins time in construction / commercial fishing/education? The only reason she was drafted into politics was because of her father’s connections! For cryin' out loud, how out of touch do you think the people of British Columbia are!! Next you will be talking about her education at SFU, the University of Edinburgh and the Sourbonne, none of which she actually graduated from! Perhaps you would like to put that up against Mr. Cummins 2 degrees!

John Cummins DOES have a better connect with the people of BC – he knows what it means to work hard – he knows what it means to put food on the table, and a roof over the head of his family.

Why do I say that?  Well here’s the facts:

Is it wrong to expect that taxes the government imposes on us, should be fairly and evenly applied? The carbon tax is not – period – and it should go!

This morning I posted a link to a Letter to the Editor that had been sent in to Kamloops This Week by John Sternig of Heffley Creek, which is just a few minutes north of Kamloops.  Part of the comments of his letter stated that:

The BC Liberal government also claims the carbon tax is rebated to British Columbians.

Page 66 of the B.C. Budget confirms this claim is true — WITH THE CAVEAT that 59 per cent of the rebate is paid to profitable industries and corporations.

In other words, major polluters in B.C. receive most of the carbon tax collected.

Some of these are the very oil and gas businesses that aren’t taxed a dime for venting megatonnes of greenhouse gasses from their pipelines ...

I didn’t make any comment to the letter, just posted it as something I thought others might be interested in reading.  Well retiring Kamloops South Thompson BC Liberal MLA Kevin Krueger saw the post, and the comments of the letter obviously didn’t sit well with him.

His response was:

Ummm, Conservatives are supposed to understand that income taxes are regressive to job creation; if you leave their earnings as much as possible in the pockets and bank accounts of people and businesses who earned the money, those people and businesses spend it in ways that demonstrate what goods and services the public wants. Then, job creators respond by hiring people to provide them, those new workers pay taxes, and so on, and so on, and so on. Small businesses, (of which we now have over 400,000 in B.C.), employ well over 1 million British Columbians. Big businesses pay dividends on their shares to millions of British Columbians, and their pension plans.

The carbon tax is one of the few taxes that is voluntary; you only pay on what you choose to use. If you make energy-efficient decisions, you pay less. If you want to drive a Hummer to show off, you pay more. Taxpayers don't get to choose their income tax rates. When the BC Liberals cut income taxes to the lowest in Canada in 2001, job numbers began rapidly rising. In spite of the worldwide economic shock of 9/11, they resumed rising, and BC went over 2 million jobs for the first time in history. Now, in the face of a continuing worldwide recession, we have the highest # of jobs ever, (over 2,400,000 and rising). We are beating our own record.

Well the fact that Kevin chose to say the tax was ‘voluntary’ definitely got my dander up, which was why I then responded by saying:

The carbon tax is in NO WAY voluntary to the people that MUST drive their vehicles for work --- it is also NOT voluntary to heat our homes., This of us that live in the interior, and especially in the North, VOLUNTEER a lot more than the majority of British Columbian’s that live in the milder climates of the coast where less is needed for heating, and where there is readily available public transit. AGAIN this is a tax that is unfairly applied across the province to families that see their pockets picked more and more by this government.

Unbelievably my MLA, who I questionably say was elected to represent the interest of constituents in Kamloops South, made one of the most ridiculous agreements I have every heard:

We can choose what kind of vehicles we drive, for fuel efficiency. And yeah, yeah, lots of us need 4x4 trucks, which burn more - but we live in places where people can make $120,000/yr (average) working for mines - salaries most city people can't even dream of - or other well-paying resource industries - and anybody doing so can afford the carbon tax on their diesel fuel. We can choose to live in homes that are well-insulated, and well-maintained. If we are low income British Columbians, we have very generous public support of all kinds, including tax credits, and most pay little or no income tax to BC at all. You are talking through your hat, Sue. And Al, you should know better than to play the city people vs rural people card; getting anywhere in a car in Vancouver or Victoria takes far longer than in Kamloops, let alone small town BC.

The facts are the facts Kevin, and I stand by what I have said

Retiring BC Liberal MLA
Kevin Krueger

I have spoken on numerous occasions about the rapidly rising debt being created by the BC Liberals … and their ongoing annual deficits.  These are not imaginings, they are fact, however retiring South Kamloops BC Liberal MLA Kevin Krueger disputes this; as he stated to me earlier today.

The following is the conversation we had on this … as well as comments he made regarding BC Conservative Party leader John Cummins, and the experience we will be presenting to the voters in next Mays general election 

Kevin Krueger:

NDP debt was credit card debt - borrowed to spend on their friends, and operating. That is very different from debt for capital items: roads, bridges, hospitals, universities, schools... as most people's mortgage debt enables them to live in, and pay for, their homes - but credit card debts are high interest and destructive.

Our free enterprise coalition has had the courage to build what British Columbians need - name one construction project you think was a bad choice? We have also created the conditions for a thriving economy and great revenues to pay those capital debts off. The rating agencies give us Triple A - the highest possible. You B.C. Conservatives have a lot to learn, to be taken seriously at the polls.

Kevin ... I cannot argue with good capital spending ... however wasteful everyday spending is what I cannot agree with -- that is the day to day spending that is creating a never ending annual deficit. That gets added to the also increasing debt and we have a future bubble that will have to burst at some point.

Call it what you will, but debt is debt ... and all of it has to be paid for eventually --- and all of it will have accumulated interest on it.

Over a year ago, when the debt was still in the mid $40 billion range, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation stated we were paying over $6 million EACH DAY just to pay the interest on that every increasing debt.

That's worse than someone who is making the minimum payment on their credit card -- at least they are slowly (very slowly) making a debt in the principle.

In this case however the debt continue to pile up every day --- and somewhere down the line the creditors will say, "Enough, no more, start paying down the principle"

Sorry Kevin, but with all due respect, I cannot accept this government has been fiscally responsible. There is nothing responsible about saddling future generations with a legacy that is a mountain of debt.

Both of these things are happening with the Liberals, in the same way as they occurred under the NDP

Last night on Global TV news out of Vancouver, I heard Christy Clark talking about not wanting to go back to the horrible debt of the NDP -- and to the days when people were leaving the province for better jobs and lower taxes.

Is she serious?? Does she really have no idea what her BC Liberal Party's track record is??

She obviously is unaware, or pretends not to know, that the BC Liberals have doubled the provinces debt from $30 to $60 billion. She also seems to be unaware, or not to know, anything about last year’s Fraser Institute report that shows there are now MORE people leaving the province than are moving here.

Both of these things are happening with the Liberals, in the same way as they occurred under the NDP.

It is becoming more and more obvious neither of these choices are what BC needs.

Adrian Dix smiles a lot and doesn't say anything to ruffle feathers - but we are not hearing anything on how he will govern ... what his economic policies will be ... his taxation policies ... his plans to settle contracts with government unions ... etc.

There is only one real choice for smaller common sense government -- and that choice is the BC Conservatives!

I posted the above on my Facebook page last night, which elicited a response from soon to be retiring Kamloops South Thompson Liberal MLA Kevin Krueger who said:

"Fear of a name, increases fear of the thing itself"

Former BC Solicitor General Kash
Heed to retire after just one term

Remember the classic rock anthem from Queen ... Another One Bites the Dust?

Another one bites the dust

Another one bites the dust

And another one gone, and another one gone

Another one bites the dust

Hey, I'm gonna get you too

I was reminded of the song, when yet another BC Liberal MLA decided to call it quits late last week … former Solicitor General Kash Heed.  Heed was only elected as a BC Liberal MLA in the 2009 provincial election, in the riding of Vancouver - Fraserview. 

The fact that he has decided to bow out, after just one term, speaks volumes to the chances of BC Liberals in the next general election.

In an interview with the Asian Journal, Kash Heed laid out several reasons for his decision, including the following:

"...the system within British Columbia is very, very difficult to change and there really was no real, clear action by the government to make those significant changes."

"Unfortunately, our government has decided to move forward on signing a multi-billion-dollar, 20-year contract with the RCMP without doing, in my opinion, due diligence on what the best policing model is for British Columbia.

"I go away from politics, saying that I am glad I had my 31-year career in policing, because had I entered politics as my career, I would have been so, so disappointed.”

Kash Heed is now the third sitting BC Liberal MLA to announce he will not be seeking re-election.  The first, sometime ago, was Harry Bloy.  Last week, Kamloops South Thompson MLA Kevin Krueger also announced he was stepping down and would not run again.

To give credit where credit is due, he did work hard for constituents

Kamloops South Thompson, BC Liberal MLA, Kevin Krueger

News this morning, that BC Liberal MLA Kevin Krueger has decided not to run in the next provincial election, will be a surprise to voters in his Kamloops South Thompson riding.  

Mr. Krueger had indicated, quite strongly in recent months, that he planned to run again next year.

For me personally, I have to say there may be more at play, than Kevin looking at whether he could, or would, win again.  Having run against him as a candidate in the 1996 election, I know that Kevin is not a man to take lightly; he campaigns hard to win. 

To give credit where credit is due, he did work hard for constituents. That said, with a growing list of issues, which are calling in to question the ability of constituents to vote for the BC Liberals, he could well have been questioning his own ability to continue support for Premier Christy Clark.

All that aside, we as BC Conservatives in Kamloops South Thompson, will continue having discussions with possible candidates to represent us in next May's provincial election.  We’ll be holding a meeting to elect a candidate in mid-October, following the BC Conservative Party AGM which is being held in September.

I'm Alan Forseth in Kamloops, with the thoughts of one conservative