JOHN HORGAN and the BC NDP’s answer to every problem ? ‘It’s the BC Liberals Fault – they had 16 years to fix it’

IF a tree fell in the forest, would the NDP be there to hear it fall?  Probably and likely it would be the fault of the BC Liberals (and again let me remind people I am not a Liberal supporter).

It does seem that whatever the provincial issue is, or what ministry, it can be blamed on the previous decade and a half of government by the BC Liberal Party – first under Gordan Campbell, and then Christy Clark.

We can start with the issue of government spending --- the cry of “The Liberals left us with a bigger deficit to climb out of than they claimed”. 

Whether true of not, the NDP LOVE TO SPEND MONEY – OUR MONEY!  And so, despite the claim of a balanced budget, and now even a large so-called budget deficit, the debt rises at an ever-dizzying pace (estimated at $67.9 billion for 2018 / 19 ... $72.5 billion for 2019 / 20 ... $77.6 billion for 2020 / 21 ... and finally at $82.4 billion for 2021 / 22)  

Not enough low-cost housing is being built --- the BC Liberals had 16 years to fix that

People are dying from drugs poisoned with fentanyl and carfentanyl ... and a host of other poison by creators of death? It should have been ended 16 years ago -- but the reality is that sunny-ways over in Ottawa could slow the supply down.  It’s the Chinese, in large part, that knowingly allow the poisons to be shipped here – but Trudeau has done little to nothing about it.

The Liberals didn’t increase the Carbon Tax high enough and now CO2 levels are still rising.  NDP cranks up the carbon tax BUT it largely goes into General Revenue to be spent on a host “Wow aren’t we great” announcements or pay-out to a ‘select’ number of unions to ensure building / construction project costs increase into the double digit’s

BC forests are burning up?  ... again, we know who to blame. The lumber dispute would be one as well I suppose –- one which the BC NDP government of John Horgan has done nothing (it appears) to alleviate but which in reality if a federal government issue to solve.

And now, yesterday (Thursday July 18^th) came a BC Government media release which began with the following:

Public feedback invited on new approach to Interior forest sector ... Provincial government is accepting public input in shaping an Interior forest sector that will innovate, create jobs and support communities for generations to come.

“The previous government failed to help the forest sector when it had a chance, eroding the public’s trust in B.C.’s forest sector operations and diminishing its competitive advantage,” said Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development.

“We are taking action and making different choices by asking for local input and insight into how we want to shape a prosperous, competitive and culturally sensitive Interior future forest sector.” ....

My Green Party friend, MLA Adam Olsen, although not speaking directly to this issue, did have an interesting analogy as part of a commentary which also came to me yesterday, and which is posted on the blog

Ever heard the saying "can't see the forest for the trees?"  It's when you are standing too close to something and lack the broader perspective and are not able to see the big picture. Or, if you are looking at things one at a time, you might not see their connection with all the others.

You can use this saying as an analogy for literally any situation ...

It seems it is the way of politics however, and even looking back at things I have written and commented on, I stand guilty as charged.

Therefore, it is also no surprise that the BC Liberals are stating the NDP are missing on the forestry file, and that there needs to be a government-wide response to the crisis in the forestry sector.

I for one however believe that BC Liberal Forestry critic John Rustad can be looked upon as someone with a deep knowledge of the industry ... especially given that he actually does in the BC interior – prior to being elected as an MLA in 2005 he spent two decades working in the industry – and also provided consulting services to the industry beginning in 1995.

I asked him yesterday about this new BC NDP approach of public feedback into forestry issues in the BC Interior.  Here’s what he had to say:

“What I want to say is completely unparliamentary and that I’d be required to withdraw or apologize for (if spoken in the legislature)”.

He then went on to say ... “Why is it a community like Fort St James declared a local state of financial emergency? Because this government is SO arrogant, out of touch and without any sense of apathy or understanding of the damage they are doing.

Where are they? Why don't they realize their policies are hurting workers, families and communities?

Is it because none of the ridings being hurt are NDP ridings? Do they only care about their voters and ridings? Absolutely shameful to see their lack of response and sense of fairness”, he concluded.

The electoral map of BC shows where the strength of the NDP is ... the lower mainland, and Vancouver Island. 

Therefore ... rural, interior, and northern BC are going to get the short end of the stick because the NDP has to appease their support base in the cities, and do everything they can to appease the environmental groups. 

Small-town rural BC is going to continue to decline, and as someone who grew up in a small interior community, that is a sad thing to see because not everyone wants to live in the big cities

And, as Canadian singer Paul Brandt says in one of his songs, “The best things around, that I have ever seen, came from small towns and big dreams.”

I think perhaps that John Rustad’s has probably heard that song, because of these words he also spoke:

 “There is crisis in the forest industry that is having ripple effects throughout the entire provincial economy.”