Thoughts on BC Politics and More

Canada’s safer supply programs are “selling people down the river,” says a leading medical expert in British Columbia. Dr. Julian Somers, director of the Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addiction at Simon Fraser University, says that despite the thin evidence in support of these experimental programs, the BC government has aggressively expanded them—and retaliated against dissenting researchers. Somers also, controversially, raises questions about doctors and former health officials who appear to have gravitated toward businesses involved in these programs. He notes that these connections warrant closer scrutiny to ensure public policies remain free from undue industry influence ... CLICK HERE for the full story

... Two wins and three losses, with the two wins pre-dating commercial aviation, makes for a poor historical precedent for Justin Trudeau. But it’s a small sample size. What if we expand it to include provincial premiers? By my reckoning, there have been 33 prime ministers and provincial premiers who have attempted a fourth consecutive victory under their leadership. It’s a mixed record — particularly when we look at more recent cases ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Instead of fixing the housing crisis or cracking down on the crime that is terrorizing communities, Eby is spending taxpayer money to keep his caucus loyal and distracted. If he wants to buy their loyalty, he should use his own wallet—not yours.” — John Rustad, Leader of the Conservative Party of British Columbia Conservative Party of British Columbia Leader John Rustad is blasting Premier David Eby for turning 42 of his 47 BC NDP MLAs into cabinet ministers or parliamentary secretaries—a move Rustad calls “a taxpayer-funded loyalty program for a premier desperate to cling to power.” “At a time when families are struggling under David Eby’s tax on everything, when crime is spiraling out of control, and housing is increasingly out of reach, the Premier’s priority is padding his political payroll with fake titles and pay raises for his MLAs,” Rustad said. “This bloated, expensive government isn’t designed to serve the people—it’s designed to serve David Eby’s political su

The federal government issued a new passport to an admitted human smuggler after he was ordered to surrender the travel document as part of court-imposed release conditions, CBC News has learned. The new passport was discovered in June 2023 by RCMP investigators executing a search warrant at the Montreal home of Thesingarasan Rasiah during a probe targeting an international human smuggling network that Rasiah allegedly headed, according to court records obtained by CBC News ... CLICK HERE for the full story

... When Eby took office as premier two years ago, his priorities were addressing the cost of living, housing affordability, access to health care, public safety and a sustainable economy. He also promised to deliver “results that people can see and feel and touch and experience” before the next election. The Eby government spent billions, launched myriad programs, held uncounted news conferences, and never wavered in promising results. When the election rolled round another set of results told the story: The New Democrats came within one seat of being reduced to a minority government and it secured that one seat by a mere 22 votes. Surprising that it took the premier an entire month to

  Regarding " Are Poilievre and the Conservatives headed towards a "loveless landslide "? The challenge isn’t going to be winning the election, it’s going to be making sure that Canadians don’t regret who they vote for in the election. I am not buying the BS from the Opposition or the some of the Media, but I am concerned that there seems to still be too much focus on finger pointing, sloganeering, and trying to bring down the government through a non-confidence vote, rather than the building a substantive plan to get the country back on a positive path. This seepage of US Republican style politicking is not a good look for those of us Small 'c' conservatives. Regarding that, a friend said to me, " The plan is there " ... however he then asked ... " But is anyone seeking it out ?" I am wondering if there is a plan though. I have spoken to a number of Conservative Party of Canada candidates about Veterans issues, for example, and still get the

Ongoing emergency room delays at Abbotsford Regional Hospital have prompted the city’s police department to turn to a private health company to handle basic medical needs for jail prisoners. The move is meant to free up police officers who are required to wait with prisoners in the hospital’s emergency department—sometimes for as long as eight hours. But one expert notes that the use of private medical services by public bodies, if it becomes widespread, could further aggravate the issues facing Canada’s health system ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Keir Starmer , Prime Minister of the United Kindom There’s always value in watching what’s going on in other countries to learn something about what is happening in your own. As someone fascinated by British politics, I’ve been closely watching the political developments in the United Kingdom over the past year, particularly Labour’s 2024 electoral victory. In a recent analysis in the New Statesman magazine, Ben Walker described Keir Starmer’s electoral success as a “loveless landslide built on quicksand”—a victory not born of enthusiastic support for Labour’s vision but rather of frustration and disillusionment with the previous UK Conservative government ... CLICK HERE for the full story

The Conservatives are committed to fighting for common-sense solutions to make life better and more affordable for British Columbians    ... Just 18 months ago, our party was on the outside looking in. We had no MLAs, no money, few volunteers and less than two per cent support in the polls. The political establishment looked down on our party and our supporters. But we did have hundreds of thousands of British Columbians who were tired of the same old politics and hungry for common-sense change. Thanks to the dedication of our supporters, a shared common-sense vision and the leadership of John Rustad, our conservative movement elected 44 MLAs in the Oct. 19 election — the best election result for our party in nearly 100 years ... CLICK HERE for the full story