Thoughts on BC Politics and More

Kerry-Lynne Findlay won the B.C. Conservative leadership race because she is an "authentic champion" of populism within the broader conservative movement, says an analyst who studies modern conservatism in western countries. David Black, who teaches political theory at Royal Roads University in Greater Victoria, said Findlay's victory over Caroline Elliott confirms the party's turn toward populism. "(Findlay) sought to apply purity tests during the debates, as part of her campaign strategy for the leadership, and she won that purity test," Black said. "She was the purest candidate with respect to populist bona fides." He added that Findlay, unlike Elliott, did not have to perform populism because of her credentials while serving under former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper and later Pierre Poilievre, the current federal Conservative leader ... CLICK HERE for the full story 

Kerry-Lynne Findlay won the hard-fought battle to become the next leader of the Conservative Party of BC, but before she can advance on the premier’s office, she must first secure the peace within her own party. The former federal Conservative cabinet minister emerged as the leadership race’s unlikely insurgent. A political pugilist, Findlay cast herself as the grassroots outsider taking on the “insiders” with a “hidden liberal agenda” and “mainstream media gatekeepers" ... CLICK HERE for the full story 

Former MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay has won the race to replace former British Columbia Conservative leader John Rustad on the fourth ballot, beating commentator Caroline Elliott. Findlay won with 51 per cent of the vote, just ahead of Elliott, who finished with 49 per cent. Three other candidates, starting with sitting MLA Peter Milobar, then entrepreneur Yuri Fulmer, and finally former BC Liberal cabinet minister Iain Black, were all eliminated in the three earlier rounds as the last-place finisher was cut from contention ... CLICK HERE for the full story 

It’s been a century or so since surgeon and Burnaby sanatorium owner Dr. Robert ­Telford was opining in the Vancouver Sun about the urgency of launching a facility in BC that ­provided treatment for “drug fiends.” Debate had been heating up about these ­so-called drug fiends for a while. Fueled by racism toward Chinese labourers in the ­country, opium was the new enemy. Prohibition ­politics were in play, and an appetite for treatment was ­building. Everyone in the province had an opinion on whether to manage illicit drug use as a criminal problem or a social concern. But the commonly held view was that drug users were moral degenerates from the ­“underclass” who needed saving from the evil, soulless criminals selling drugs. The world has changed hundreds of times over since then ... CLICK HERE for the full story  

Whoever gets elected the next leader of the BC Conservatives on Saturday will inherit a party largely free of caucus drama—for the first time, perhaps, in its history. They can thank Trevor Halford, who as interim leader has helped stage a remarkable turnaround of the opposition party during the spring session of the legislature. The BC Conservatives have now gone five months without public fights, split votes, controversial bills or unauthorized renegade speeches that exploded into crisis management. That’s no small feat  ... CLICK HERE for the full story

BC’s recreational fishing industry lures thousands of tourists to the province each year generating an estimated $1.25 billion in expenditures, but it could soon be clubbed over the head again, ocean charter operators say. Following a round of public consultation that concluded in March, the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is now set to revise the 1999 Salmon Allocation Policy, which could further limit recreational fisher access to coho and chinook salmon. A revision to the policy was launched in 2018 following a BC Supreme Court decision affirming Indigenous rights to commercial fishing on Vancouver Island. With those new rights legally bestowed and only so many fish to go around, charter operators and sport fishers alike are preparing for the worst—much greater limits on when they may fish and how many fish they can retain ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is blaming Prime Minister Mark Carney’s policies for Canada entering recession territory. Statistics Canada released a report Friday that said the economy contracted slightly for the second quarter in a row to start the year — a benchmark that meets some definitions of a technical recession. Some economists weighing in after that release said the recession talk was premature and argued that while Canada’s economy is soft, the declines are marginal and do not meet the definition of a widespread downturn. Poilievre said Friday there’s nothing technical about rising rates of mortgage delinquency, increased food bank usage and five quarters of falling business investment ... CLICK HERE for the full story 

If Team Canada brings the same gimmicky craftiness to the World Cup that the NDP government displayed in disclosing the costs of hosting it, then by God, we could win this thing! The BC government’s own betting parlour (PlayNow) is currently offering a $150 return on every dollar bet on that outcome. Those government odds makers don’t seem to recognize home-field advantage. But if Team Canada learns ball-handling skills from the way the BC government juggled the hot-potato cost issue, it might be worth taking a flyer on Canada to win ... CLICK HERE for the full story

The BC government provided its long-awaited update on the cost of hosting FIFA World Cup games in Vancouver Friday, showing the tournament is either getting more expensive or more affordable, depending on how you look at it. The gross cost of hosting seven matches at BC Place starting next month is now estimated at between $685 million and $729 million, according to the updated figures the province released Friday ... CLICK HERE for the full story