Both of these men (Peckford and White) bring a huge amount of experience to this important election preparedness position

I was delighted to hear an announcement today, from BC Conservative Party leader John Cummins.

Brian Peckford, announced to BC Conservative Party "Issues"
Management" committee in preparation for 2013 Provincial Election

Randy White, previously a British Columbia Member of Parliament, Caucus Chairman and House Leader - and Brian Peckford, the former Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador -- have both been named as Co-Chairs of a newly-created Issues Management Committee.

They will be looking at issues and policies for the party, as it prepares for the up-coming General Election in May of next year.

The media release from Mr. Cummins noted that:

Randy White first won election to Canada’s House of Commons in 1993, representing Langley and Abbotsford , and he was re-elected in 1997, 2000 and 2004. He wrote the legislation for the National Sex Offender Registry and the National Victims Bill of Rights both of which are, in part, law today.

Brian Peckford served as a Conservative Member in Newfoundland’s House of Assembly from 1972 until 1989. He held a number of posts in the provincial cabinet from 1974 to 1979, and then was Premier for a decade before leaving elected politics for the private sector.

Former MP Randy White - on new BC
Conservative Party committee

Both of these men bring a huge amount of experience to this important election preparedness position, and will be well able to advise the party during the lead-up to next May’s campaign. 

As John Cummins said:

“I am thrilled that Randy and Brian – who between them held senior public office for 30 years – have agreed to play important roles on our campaign team.  Their knowledge and experience will be invaluable in electing a Conservative government next May.”

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

This week in BC Political News

Another week has passed … and along with it came many stories regarding, and around, politics in British Columbia.   Among them has been the on-going saga of problems with Community Living BC … last week’s Angus Reed poll … questions about what is and will be acceptable in BC’s off-share tourism marketing … the impact of the federal crime bill on BC … and much more.

Here are some of the stories that made the news this past week.

No home for man, in jail 7 months -- Community Living unable to find place for 19-year-old with developmental disabilities       Victoria Times Colonist

… said jail is becoming the default home for disabled young people when there is no support in the community. "Basically we're using jail as the services for him," she said. "CLBC has not been able to find a placement for him."  …  said she fears for the safety of the young man, who has the developmental age of a six-year-old child and is vulnerable to abuse in the criminal justice system … said the government is paying far more to keep the man behind bars than it would cost to care for him in the community, and officials could be at risk if he comes to harm …

Poll delivers bad news to Clark and Liberals   BC Local News

... people often say they support parties with limited chances of success between elections, before returning to the fold … several things might make this different ... Cummins the main one.  He’s an experienced, skilled campaigner, as shown by his six successful campaigns to be an MP … attracted others with experience and knows how to do the basic stuff that other fledgling political efforts tend to mess up … been quick off the mark and effective in issuing news releases critiquing the Clark government … Cummins has a chance, with some credible candidates, to make a pitch to voters who aren’t happy with either of the two main parties, a significant group these days..

De Patie killer violates parole – again  BC Local News
… Doug De Patie, whose 24-year-old son Grant was killed by Pratt in 2005, did not expect Pratt to last long outside prison.  "He is not ready for the outside world," said De Patie, who was informed that Pratt missed his 8 p.m. curfew Saturday.  "He is making a mockery of the parole system. He is not showing any remorse. He is not showing any respect for the loss of Grant."

Take a stand against … Boredom … Lack of Uniqueness … Lack of Originality … Poor Quality

Today on my way to the mailbox I happened to really notice something that normally only gets a passing glance -- it was a vehicle by Eagle called a Summit.

Now I am indeed old enough to recall that at one time Eagle was its own company.  Then as things were getting bad financially for them, they were taken over by American Motors. 

Does any of this sound familiar to anyone???

What happened to American Motors?  Well they in turn went through a decline only to be swallowed up by Dodge / Chrysler who out of the deal ended up with the Jeep brand, the last thing of value in American Motors.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

As I looked at that old Eagle Summit I was reminded that there is also no longer the Pontiac brand … or Oldsmobile … Hummer is gone … as is Saturn.  Other than Saturn, which for the life of me I am unsure why it did not continue, I think I know what happened to the others.

Boredom … lack of uniqueness … no originality … poor quality … etc, etc.  They all became too much the same!

Okay so this is a political blog … what do a few old car companies, that no one remembers anyways; have to do with anything today.

John Cummins to lead the BC Conservatives -- deals a blow to Christy Clark's Liberals

Former MP
John Cummins

This morning at a news conference in Vancouver, former Conservative MP John Cummins announced his intentions to lead the BC Conservatives. Cummins is the first to announce his intentions to seek the leadership, and will give the party a real boost in public – and in the media.

John Cummins first ran federally as a Reform Party candidate in 1988, but was not elected until 1993 when he went to Ottawa as the MP for Delta. He won re-election each time since then through the transition of the Reform Party to the Canadian Alliance – and then the Conservative Party.

A look at his biography shows a man that in 1988 earned an M.A. from University of British Columbia ... and who received a B.A. from University of Western Ontario in 1966.