Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

PLACING MY "X" ... 'Do jobs matter more than governing with honesty, compassion, and forthrightness?'



On April 19th, I wrote a piece entitled "I CAN'T support that kind of campaign, or a party that would allow a leadership team to okay that kind of campaigning"

 

In it, I concluded by stating ....

 

Unless something major happens, to turn things around in what and who the BC Liberals are, then I will indeed go to the polling station on election day.  I will however mark a big X through the ballot to show my displeasure with such poor options (at least in political parties) presented to us.

Sadly ... it will be a first for me, but I see no other choice given the current crazy world of BC politics.

 

Since then I have had a raging argument going on in my head about what to do.

Vote for Todd Stone because he is the least bad option?

Vote NDP because I want to show my displeasure with the BC Liberals

Vote Green (NOPE) ... that wasn't going to happen!

How about Beat Klossner, from the Communist Party, as a HUGE protest at having to vote in an election that won't change anything.  An election about how government in BC functions ... or doesn't except with top-down directives that MLA's must fall in line on or bear the brunt of displeasure at the hands of Christy Clark? 

NO ... that's an even more definite "Wasn't going to happen"

During this past week I had decided to vote for Nancy Bepple.  Nancy seems sincere in truly wanting to help the people of the Kamloops area -- and her fight to improve the health care system is one that no one would be able to find fault in.

Problem is ... John Horgan, in his most recent trip last week to Kamloops, flat-out said he do everything in his power to stop the Kinder Morgan pipeline.


I asked Nancy four questions last week; regrettably I did not get a response (I know -- candidates are busy and don't have time to respond).  Having grown up in a small town interior community, this one particular question was important to me however ... and I think it would be to many thousands of residents from the Interior, and Northern BC:

Raw law exports excluded from the discussion, what efforts would an NDP government put in place to end sawmill closures in REAL small town rural BC.  With hospitals, schools, and government services being pulled out in recent years, less and less is holding people in place. Now with logging (and related) jobs also disappearing, what's left for people except to pull up stakes, and make a bad situation even worse for those remaining in these small communities?

I don't believe the NDP do have a real plan for the Interior and Northern BC, and the fact that Horgan has spent very little time in these areas (during the campaign) shows it.  That also shows in the fact that he has come down strong against the Kinder Morgan pipeline twinning, a project that would benefit people greatly in these areas.

Okay so back to the BC Liberals.

While I like Todd Stone, I also have to consider the leadership of the BC Liberals -- and that starts and ends with Christy Clark.  There is a litany of reasons why Christy Clark's leadership is an issue for me ... and it has been for many others as well.  Here's just a small fraction of concerns expressed by news media people, and bloggers:


  • "Top 9 Scandals of Christy Clark", from the Huffington Post

  • The Globe and Mail had a story, "Has Premier Christy Clark had her enough’s enough scandal?"

  • "Christy Clark's World of Alternative Facts", from the Tyee

  • From Global News there was, "Christy Clark is most disliked party leader running in BC election"

  • The Press Progress has, "41 of the sketchiest things that happened during Christy Clark's time as Premier of BC"

  • And from one of my favorite bloggers, Laila Yuile, we have, "50 shades of wrong round deux: Clark government again shows why they’ve lost moral authority to govern"



All of that aside, there was one straw for me however, that broke the camels back -- and it occurred during the televised debate.  Ms. Clark had this question posed to by the nights moderator Jennifer Burke; paraphrased, she asked Clark how she would repair broken trust with the electorate. 

With that sickeningly sweet smile, that never left her face during the entire 90 minutes, she said that people were more concerned about jobs ... jobs was and should be our only concern ... because, it was all about her.  Oooops ... I mean jobs.  

She was saying we ... you and me ... were (or should be) more concerned about having a job than with honesty in government
Let me ask you this question.

Is a government plagued by scandals ... one with the most disliked leader ... that does 'sketchy' things ... that has lost 'moral authority to govern' ... not one we should be worried or concerned about?

She -- the current Premier of BC -- deflected a legitimate question by answering ... jobs matter more than governing with honesty, compassion, and forthrightness.

That answer alone should infuriate each and every voter ... at least all but the most kool-aid drinking individuals who believe the so-called free-enterprise, big-tent, party can do no wrong.

BREWSTER'S MILLIONS was a hilarious 1985 film
remake starring Richard Pryor (click here for Best Of reel).
The best bits of this film where Monty runs for Mayor
on a 'None of the Above' ticket. 'Don't vote for any of us


So I'm back to what I said on April 19th.  Tomorrow, May 9th, I'll be placing a big "X" through my entire ballot.

I've been told it won't make any difference because no one will know.  Well that's not true because you now know what I plan to do tomorrow.  Each and every one of you reading this.

Just over 50% of British Columbians voted in the 2013 election ... and that's disgusting.  Disgusting yes, but somewhat understandable given the choices we have. 

Regardless, you are obligated by the sacrifices of those from our past, to cast a ballot.  I don't care who you vote for ... or how you cast your ballot ... just get out and vote.

In Kamloops ... I'm Alan Forseth.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BC cannot regulate, redesign, and reinterpret its way to a stable forestry sector. Communities need clear rules, predictable timelines, and accountability for results.

Photo credit:  Atli Resources LP   BC’s Forestry Crisis Continues with Closure of Beaver Cove Chip Facility   As industry leaders, Indigenous partners, and contractors gather this week at the BC Natural Resources Forum in Prince George, the gap between government rhetoric and reality could not be clearer. Just hours after the Eby government once again touted reconciliation, certainty, and economic opportunity under DRIPA, Atli Chip Ltd, a company wholly owned by the ’Na̱mg̱is First Nation, announced it is managing the orderly closure of its Beaver Cove chip facility. The closure comes despite public tax dollars, repeated government announcements, and assurances that new policy frameworks would stabilize forestry employment and create long-term opportunity in rural and coastal British Columbia. “British Columbians are being told one story, while communities are living another,” said Ward Stamer, Critic for Forests. “This closure makes it clear that announcement...
Post a Comment
Read more

Stamer: Hope for Forestry Completely Shattered After Another Provincial Review Driven by DRIPA

IMAGE CREDIT:  Provincial Forestry Advisory Council Conservative Critic for Forests Ward Stamer says the final report from the Provincial Forestry Advisory Council confirms the worst fears of forestry workers and communities; instead of addressing the real issues driving mill closures and job losses, the NDP has produced a report that ignores industry realities and doubles down on governance restructuring. Despite years of warnings from forestry workers, contractors, and industry organizations about permitting delays, regulatory costs, fibre access, and the failure of BC Timber Sales, the PFAC report offers no urgency, no timelines, and no concrete action to stop the ongoing decline of the sector. “ This report completely shatters any remaining hope that the government is serious about saving forestry ,” said Stamer.  “ We didn’t need another study to tell us what industry has been saying for years. While mills close and workers lose their livelihoods, the NDP is focused on re...
Post a Comment
Read more

FORSETH – My question is, ‘How do we decide who is blue enough to be called a Conservative?’

How do we decide who’s blue enough to be a Conservative? AS OF TODAY (Friday January 30 th ), there are now eight individuals who have put their names forward to lead the Conservative Party of British Columbia. Having been involved with BC’s Conservatives since 2010, and having seen MANY ups and downs, having 8 people say “I want to lead the party” is to me, an incredible turn-around from the past. Sadly, however, it seems that our party cannot seem to shake what I, and others, call a purity test of ‘what is a Conservative’. And that seems to have already come to the forefront of the campaign by a couple of candidates. Let me just say as a Conservative Party of BC member, and as someone active in the party, that frustrates me to no end. Conservatives, more than any other political philosophy or belief, at least to me, seems to have the widest and broadest spectrum of ideals.   For the most part, they are anchored by these central thoughts --- smaller and less intru...
1 comment
Read more

Labels

Show more