Thoughts on BC Politics and More

Drop by the Elections BC official website, online at http://www.elections.bc.ca/index.php/2017-provincial-general-election/ ... and you'll find the following information: The next provincial general election in British Columbia is scheduled for May 9, 2017. In February and March, Elections BC will be updating the voters list to get British Columbians ready to vote. Our website will be updated regularly from now until after the election. You can also follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook to receive regular updates. Register to vote You can get ready to vote by registering or updating your voter information now. It’s easy to do online or by phone: ** Register online using our Online Voter Registration system **  Register by phone by calling 1-800-661-8683 In just over 3 months we will be headed to polling station across the Province to elect our next government ... and in our local ridings for our MLA. Where I liv...

Today (January 23rd) is the day.    The BC Liberal Government said, " Cheers! New, modern liquor laws are now in effect. " ... the reality however is that the biggest cheer went up from our BC Liberal government. Why?  Because outside of those now having the opportunity to dispense beer, wines, ciders, etc, the only ones who will be benefiting from the new regulations, will be the Ministry of Finance. More locations and opportunities to dispense alcohol, means more tax revenue to government coffers -- PERIOD!  Under the guise of freedom of when, how, and where to drink, the real reason is for increasing the gradual pull of money from the pockets of British Columbians. If you haven't already, it's time to face reality. The amount of liquor consumed by individuals will not simply be distributed over more places ... it WILL increase the amount of alcohol consumed, and hence revenue to government.  Don't even try to...

Seriously, the BC Liberal government decided in it's wisdom (and of course the wise stewardship of our tax dollars) that there had to be a media release to announce the purchase of 4 palliative care beds for Kamloops . While the beds cost $30,000 each to purchase ... I wonder how many people it took to write, re-write, and approve each step through draft to finished product, and how many hours were needed to get quotes from MLAs Terry Lake and Todd Stone, along with Interior Health board chair John O’Fee.   And remember too that the Media Relation official for the Ministry of Health ... along with David Weir the Communications Manager (BC Centre for Palliative Care) ... and Tracy Watson, (Communications Officer Interior Health) all had to be available for what must have been back to back interviews about this earth shaking announcement . Sounding suitably somber, and specific to the situation, Terry and Todd had this to say: “ This funding...

A BC government media release today, from Public Safety and the Solicitor General, had the following headline: " Year-End Illicit Drug Death Numbers ".   What they neglected to add, at least in my personal opinion (this is an editorial after all), were the following words ... " Continue to Spike Due to a Lack of Meaningful Action to Stem Production of Poison Drugs !" I say this especially in light of the fact our provincial BC Liberal government has failed dismally in making it illegal to order / own a pill press for anyone other than a legitimate medication manufacturer ... and to demand that those manufacturing this poison are guaranteed to be charged with Murder when someone dies ... or attempted murder in every other case. And why do I say this?   Because the government media release went on to say: Provisional data show that a total of 142 persons died as a result of illicit drug use during the month of December, an average of nine every tw...

Following the 2013 provincial general election, and Adrian Dix's flip-flop on Kinder Morgan (aka the Kinder Morgan Surprise), Tom Sigardson (the head of Unionized Trades in BC) stated the decision not to support the Kinder Morgan expansion was … “a disaster”.  He went further saying it was a key moment that changed who many of the 23,000 BC and Yukon Territories Building and Construction Trades Council members voted for. As the old saying goes Adrian Dix, and the NDP, managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.  Even Harry Lali, one of the longest serving NDP MLA’s was quoted saying : “ When the announcement about the Kinder Morgan pipeline was made, it basically decimated Interior and northern BC for us — rural BC basically .” Former BC NDP leader Adrian Dix So the KEY thing Adrian Dix is known for is … he blew the 2013 provincial general election with his Kinder Surprise. In the coming weeks though, I wonder how many...

Why does the provincial government want to make it easier for alcohol to be accessible?   Well I don't wish to be cynical, however here are a few things you may wish to understand and be aware of.   Let's start with this ... According to the Provincial Sales Tax Act , businesses are obligated by law to charge 10% Provincial Sales Tax (PST) on sales of liquor with an alcohol content higher than 1% (beer, ciders and coolers, mixed drinks, spirits and liqueurs, and wine).   As well, they also are required to charge 10% PST on chill charges, or other extra charges, included in the selling price of liquor. That makes the sale, and consumption, of alcoholic beverages a huge revenue generator to BC's provincial government ... in fact to the tune of hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars.   And any loss of those revenues would be viewed with (I believe) a great deal of alarm. So I ask you then, "Is it possible that the loosening of regula...

Happy (?) New Year ... and from the " Just in case you missed it " files, news of what you'll be paying more for ... As of January 1st Medical Services Plan (MSP) premiums increased by about 4 per cent, thanks to our BC Liberal government.   ON TOP OF THAT, MSP premium rates, paid by over half million couples, will increase by an additional $14 per month (on top of the above noted 4 per cent increase). BUT THERE'S MORE ... Property Tax revenue is expected to grow by an average of 4.3 per cent during the next three years. And of course there's the three we were already well aware of: ICBC ... an average increase of 5% Fortis ... increases by 2.76% BC Hydro ... increases by 3.5% The Carbon Tax was expected to increase annually by an average of 1.6 per cent per year, over the next three years.   Facing an election, and the heat the Federal Liberals were taking over the Carbon Tax, Christy Clarks BC Liberals decided ...