Thoughts on BC Politics and More

Former mine site which was to have re-opened as the Ajax open-pit copper and gold mine near Kamloops Ajax Mine has been a divisive topic in Kamloops.  I am proud to say however that BC Conservative Party has, and will continue to, stand up for responsible resource development in British Columbia. Jobs in the mining industry pay over $100,000 per year.  In addition to that, these jobs create an additional 2+ spin-off jobs from every one of those mining jobs! Thousand of young people have gone through Thompson Rivers University here in Kamloops, and other schools of training through-out the province, to learn jobs in the resource industry.  These individuals are our children ... our husbands and wives ... friends ... and other family members.  They need jobs that will match the skills they have trained for! We cannot expect to have the social services we desire ... nor health care services ... nor schools ... hospital buildings ... road con...

Last week the media was all over the fact that BC's unemployment rate had dropped.  I am asking why? BEFORE we get all excited about the Unemployment news however (the rate in British Columbia was 4.8% in November -- down a minuscule 1/10th of one percent from October), please note the following: " ACTUALLY, there was NO good news in latest unemployment figures " The increase in the number of part-time jobs was three and a half times the number of full-time jobs (4,100 full time vs. 14,200 part-time). More telling however was the fact that 4,200 jobs were LOST in the private sector . (see https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/data/statistics/infoline/infoline-2017/17-162-labour-force-survey) Meantime public sector jobs (ie: government jobs ) increased by 9,600 .  That's well over double the number of jobs that were lost in the private sector! It looks very much like our BC NDP Premier, John Horgan, is taking a ...

This coming Sunday (November 19th), BC Conservatives in the Kamloops Thompson Nicola region, will be holding a first meeting, in preparation to reorganize Riding Associations in the area. Long-time Kamloops resident and conservative campaigner, Alan Forseth, stated, " Having returned from our party's recent AGM in Langley, I am delighted to have taken on the role as Regional Director for our area.  I look forward to being a part of the growing momentum for conservatives across the province ." Interim BC Conservative Party Leader Scott Anderson of Vernon The gathering of members and guests, which gets underway at 2:30pm at the meeting room of the Accent Inn, will feature guest speaker, and current Interim Party leader Scott Anderson. Mr. Anderson, who is also a Vernon City Councillor commented,  “I am so excited about the energy and enthusiasm I’ve heard from members across the province, and the Kamloops area is no exception.”  ...

This weekend, the BC NDP held their annual AGM in Victoria.  While reading up on it, I diverged for a few moments to look back on comments, and posts, from earlier this year.  That little side trip led me to come across these words from my friend, and BC political colleague, Ben Besler .    Read what he had to say, and then tell me whether you agree, or don't, that NOTHING really has changed " ... they (the BC NDP) have become a party on cue to simply state “no” when the other says “yes”. They at one time were the labour party. A party of the working class. A party that stood for better employment opportunities and fair wages. Now they are running amok, appeasing the lunacy that the environmental apparatchiks have become. Killing jobs, stopping progress. They have partnered in solidarity with folks that do everything in their power to bring ruin on the job seeker and the middle class. They stand in the way of progress fo...

EARLY YESTERDAY, I the following information out by email to several individuals -- letting them know we (the BC Conservatives) had every intention of being a viable alternative in the next provincial election in BC. I also posted a much briefer edit on Social media (Facebook and Twitter).  Here is the text of the email which was sent: Greetings friends ... I would like to let you know, if you are unaware, that just a few short months ago I rejoined and became a member of the BC Conservative Party.  Additionally, I attended a very successful AGM which was held a few weeks back in Langley.  I believe in small 'c' conservative ideals, and I believe that the well-being of our province will not happen with either our current GreeNDP government ... or with the Liberals, who are INDEED Capitol "L" Liberals in both name, and in governing style! This email is to advise you that initial prep work is underway to restart the Kamloops North T...

Just the other day, Keith Baldrey, in an opinion piece stated, " A number of party veterans I’ve talked to are somewhat worried about the party’s long-term prospects of stability ." And well they should be. It takes a lot to hold together a fractious group of people that really, other than trying to keep the NDP out of party, are not really comfortable being together in the same bed. Now don't get me wrong ... I am sure I'd be correct in saying that likely the vast majority of BC Liberal MLA's do truly want what's best for BC ... however if that is indeed true, how can any grouping of them stay together for long given the differences they also have in beliefs on ways, and how, to govern?  The current field of prospective leadership candidates do of course run the gamut from one end of the political spectrum, to the other -- Left to Right.  The problem is that, as stated, they have such diverse beliefs -- and at times it really must be like...

What do you think about this story, " Fragile Mike Pence Walks Out of 49-ers Colts Because of Anthem Demonstration " Regardless of who it was, that opposed what was happening, I agree it is hugely disrespectful.  Sporting events (and similar gatherings) are intended to be entertainment -- not political events, rallies, etc.   In my opinion, those attending, and who are likely in the majority, should not have to be have this kind of disrespect shoved in their face. Political activism, in Canada, has a long and proud history.People, and organizations, however have been responsible to a large degree for their own events It's a free and democratic country, and these athletes are certainly welcome to ho ld an event, where the topic of discussion is clearly understood.   There is NO COMMONALITY however with where they are currently doing this (protesting).   Instead, they are simply take advantage of who they are -- complete with puffed up eg...

Conservatives, in British Columbia, continue to jockey for support throughout the province. Dianne Watts, former Mayor of Surrey, who had been recently elected to the house of commons with the Conservative Party of Canada, as MP for South Surrey - White Rock; and appointed as critic to workforce development and labour, has now stepped away from Federal Politics to seek the leadership of the BC Liberal Party. Former Conservative MP Dianne Watts -- can she lead the BC Liberals to victory? Dianne is an outsider to both the BC Liberal Party, as well as, an outsider to Provincial politics. Yet, Dianne may be just what the BC Liberal Party needs to recover from the aftermath of the recent election. A campaign that left Premier Christy Clark's BC Liberals in a minority government, and defeated by a vote of non-confidence, in the legislature after a throne speech that would have the most ardent socialist jumping to their feet in boisterous applause. Clark subseq...

On Monday (October 2nd) I posted on social media, rumors that the BC Conservatives might be announcing an Interim Leader.  That did indeed come true at 7am this morning. The Executive and Board of the BC Conservative Party announced that Vernon City Councillor, and four term BC Conservative board member, Scott Anderson would take on the role. Vernon City Councillor Scott Anderson has been announced as the new BC  Conservative Party Interim Leader In an early morning media release, Anderson was quoted stating: " Having been on the inside through both the hard times and the good times, I can say with complete candor that I have never seen the party so united and energetic as it is now. My intention is to help brand the party as a home for all fiscal conservatives, including the thousands of former BC Liberals who were betrayed and left out in the cold by the recent Liberal Throne Speech ." He continued, " I believe that this is the time for ...

On Saturday (September 30th) the BC Conservative Party, a continuously active political party in British Columbia since 1903) held its' annual general meeting in Langley.  Unlike the last one held in Langley a number of years ago ... and knowing how troublesome trying to make changes can be ... the whole process went very smoothly. New BC Conservative Party President Ryan Ryan Warawa takes over the helm A new president and board were elected, as Ryan Warawa took the helm as President.  Elected as Vice President was Jeff Bridge, who like myself, recently returned to the party.  Bob Bray will continue as the Party Treasurer, as does Bob Brown as Secretary. Nearly all motions for changes to Constitution and By-Laws were passed, with two notable exceptions.  First was the vote against changing the name of the party from the BC Conservative Party -- to the Conservative Party of British Columbia.  Additionally, one which many individuals ...

A BC Conservative Party Annual General Meeting is about to get underway this Saturday (September 30th) in Langley.   The last AGM I attended for the party was four years ago -- and it was also held in Langley.   That was the one just months before the 2013 Provincial Election -- and the one that spelled the end of the party fortunes, which until then had them neck and neck, in the polls, with the BC Liberals. A lot has happened since then, and while nothing is perfect, there are a number of people working hard to rebuild the party, and former members (who left for a number of reasons) are beginning to rejoin the party, along with many new ones. Policy -- principles -- beliefs are the basics needed to create an entity -- it's the people who lead it however that can create -- or destroy that said entity. What draws people to the BC Conservative Party are a belief in low taxes, small government, and efficient service delivery. Party spokesp...

I have just struggled through Cheryl Ashlie's column ( MacDuff’s Call: A political novice with a sizeable ego ), in the Sept. 22 edition of The Maple Ridge News. To say the least, Ashlie's comments are naive and show just how totally out of touch she has become with political reality. Ashlie lauds the decision of Darryl Plecas to accept John Horgan's invitation to become the Speaker of the House, a move described by almost everyone else as self-serving and a betrayal of the trust of the constituents who voted for him. Ashlie claims Plecas' turncoat move will help provide good governance but in making this claim, she fails to explain how he will achieve this lofty goal.

To fund or not to fund, That is the question. Whether tis nobler to fund, thine own election campaign, or drink of the trough called gluttony, called taxpayers money. No more; and by a sleep (or until the bill is passed), to say we end the heart-ache (to taxpayers). And the thousand natural shocks, as money is siphoned from General Revenue. 'Tis a consummation (of our money), devoutly being wished by the GreeNDP  who never once campaigned on it. With apologies, of course, to William Shakespeare.   I don't know where that came from, but there you go, my very bad poetry will be what gets things underway today. Last week of course came news that the GreeNDP led by Andrew Weaver --- Oooops I mean John Horgan --- (no, wait a minute, who is in charge anyway?) decided that taxpayers would fund political parties to the tune of $2.50 per vote received.   That, my friends, would amount to roughly seventeen million do...

What do I think about the taxpayers of British Columbia chipping in millions of dollars for the election campaigns of Andrew Weaver and his Green Party?   John Horgan and his NDP?   Whoever is the next leader of the BC Liberals?   Or even for the party that I support -- the BC Conservatives?   I was honestly speechless earlier on first hearing, and reading, the news!   Friends of mine on Social media certainly had thoughts; here's just a few of them: ... I'm pretty sure John Horgan explicitly said there is no way that a ban on corporate and union donations would result in taxpayer funded campaigns ..." " ... brutal ..." "... because its so much more important that they take from everybody, rather than just those who are looking for favours ... we are sooooooo screwed ..." " ... the bull shit NDP and Green conspiracy reveals its true nature in their campaign financing rules ..." "....

While I will freely admit that my blog is 'generally' read by people who are centre-right, I actually do have friends right smack dab in the center of things ... and others who I would consider to be center left.   Mondays blog post, " At least those deaths came with the possibility of providing continued life for someone else " was for the most part accepted by all sides of the political spectrum as fairly reasonable, although one of my political friends indicated, " not sure I'd want an organ donation from someone who died of drugs.  Rest is right on ." (this individual is NOT center right :)   One of my friends however, and this individual is in fact one of my many media acquaintances, did take me to task.   One for selectively quoting the article from Kamloops This Week (although I did provide a link to the entire story) ... second that because the pills were stamped Percocet it could be said that Hickson indeed may not have known they...

DAVID CHARBONNEAU, in his Armchair Mayor column says, "Help fentanyl labs make a safer drug" I however, will continue to say, "Arrest, charge with attempted murder, and throw the manufacturers of this deadly poison in jail for a VERY LONG TIME!"     In his commentary he quotes the Dr Tyndale, of the BC Centre for Disease Control, as stating that the, "... manufacturers don't know what they're doing and they're putting out ridiculous concentrations of these drugs ."   Seriously ... that's what a university trained mind comes up with?   The reality is these turds ( I really wanted to use something stronger but held back ) simply do not care, in the least, about the death and misery they hand out in the dark spaces they inhabit.     The Fentanyl crisis really only started to show up, as a possible upcoming problem, in 2011.   Yet in just six short years it has become critical. That despite supervised in...

John Horgan has been peeing all over himself lately, explaining how he ended up in a team photo which included Maninder Gill, a person convicted in a shooting incident. Gill has been sentenced to four years but is out on bail, pending an appeal of his conviction.   Horgan said he'd be much more careful in future about who he is seen with in photos. I wonder if Horgan will apply that standard to turncoat Darryl Plecas, justifiably stripped of his Liberal membership, who accepted the NDP/Green offer of appointment as Speaker of the House. Dr. Darryl Plecas was elected MLA for Abbotsford South on May 14, 2013 Of course, Plecas hasn't been convicted of any crime but he appears to have sold out the Liberal party to pursue his own interests. Do you think Plecas is being truthful about why he didn't accept the first offer from Horgan? I guess Plecas himself didn't grasp how upset his constituents would be with this bit of treachery and deceit. D...

A post on Twitter this afternoon (Sept 10th), from Mike Hudama (@MikeHudama), stated, " BAM! Hundreds out in Vancouver to stand-up against # KinderMorgan # tarsands pipeline. BC says NO " I hate to deflate your big city -- rose-coloured glasses   -- cocooned life Mike, however, BC does not say "No" -- at least not all of BC --- in fact not even the majority. Your are part of the loud a vocal minority of people who by sheer numbers tend to live in the Metro-Vancouver area; ... with hillsides clear-cut to make way for tens of thousands of overpriced homes ... with thousands of acres paved over with concrete for all of your designer stores selling more of the same crap with a different label ... that you drive to in over-priced vehicles with huge engines that can never be driven to capacity (but still burn huge volumes of fossil fuel) ... who live miles, and hours, from work that require huge expensive transit systems to get you around ...