Thoughts on BC Politics and More

My apologies folks, however I got busy last Sunday and missed putting up the list of Top Ten most read articles and stories of the week.   So ... without any further ado ... let’s get things underway and take a look at things for this past week starting with the first of three posts from John Feldsted: #10 ... FELDSTED: Canada cannot be allowed to be held hostage by a minority of foreign subsidized, self-styled environmentalists determined to destroy the Canadian economy Click here:   http://acuriouslookatpoliticsinbc.blogspot.com/2019/03/feldsted-canada-cannot-be-allowed-to-be.html #9 ... FRANK LEONARD: I never asked Larry if he indeed did remember Ken because it doesn’t matter. Larry had given a priceless gift to Ken and his family and that was all that mattered. Click Here:   http://acuriouslookatpoliticsinbc.blogspot.com/2019/03/frank-leonard-i-never-asked-larry-if-he.html #8 ... FELDSTED: The stench of unethical a...

VANCOUVER — Long wa its for surgery and medical treatment cost Canadians $ 2.1 billion in lost wages last year, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non- partisan Canadian public policy think- tank. It’s estimated more than one million Canadians waited for medically necessary treatment in 2018. “ Waiting for medically necessary treatment remains a hallmark of the Canadian health -care system, and i n addition t o increased pain and suffering —and potentially worse medical outcomes— these long waits also cost Canadians time at work and with family and friends , ” said Bacchus Barua, associate director of health policy studies at the Fr aser Institute and co- author of The Private Cost of Public Queues for Medically Necessary Care, 20 19 . The study finds that the estimated 1,082,541 patients who wait ed for medical ly necessary treatment last year each lost $1,924 (on average) due to lost wages and reduced pr...

'They both have lost any right to be a part of this team' - Liberal MP Alexandra Mendès Hannah Thibedeau ~~ CBC News ~~ Mar 29, 2019 A growing number of Liberal MPs say they're prepared to boot Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott from caucus next week, according to a survey of dozens of Liberal MPs by CBC News ... Liberal MPs from all regions of the country tell CBC News they feel the two former cabinet ministers can't stay . "I've come to the conclusion that they both have lost any right to be a part of this team," Quebec MP Alexandra Mendès wrote in an email. She said serving in a party caucus requires "loyalty and team spirit." Many caucus members who once said they thought Wilson-Raybould and Philpott could remain now say they don't understand how they can continue to identify as members of the Liberal Party given the damage done to the government by the SNC-Lavalin affair. CLICK HERE to read the fu...

It was a big week in the legislature. The BC NDP put an income tax amendment act on the table which legislates the tax regime for LNG Canada. It is just one part of a $6 billion expansion of the corporate welfare program first offered by the BC Liberals.   LNG Canada site rendering They are also giving them breaks on PST, cost of electricity and the carbon tax. It's a pretty sweet deal for a brand-new industry that will become the single biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the province. I, and my BC Green Caucus colleagues Andrew Weaver and Sonia Furstenau, took as much time in second reading debate as we could muster. Each of us proposed amendments to the Bill, and then spoke to the amendments. It's corporate welfare gone crazy! As time wore on, we could see our work was having an impact. But, every time we got to the end of the debate and called a standing vote, only three Greens stood in opposition to this generationa...

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals say, “ everyone has had their say now, time to move on .”    I however, disagree, and I say this because they haven’t.   The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Many of the players in the SNC Lavalin scandal have not been called on to speak and they are still hiding. Also, Jody Wilson-Raybould (Liberal MP for Vancouver -  Granville) has said everything about what she is allowed to address, but she is still muzzled on some topics. Regardless, her introduction of a taped recording between herself and Michael Wernick is incredibly damning proof of the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) interfering in our judicial system. Jody Wilson-Raybould has tried to play nice, to correct the Liberal course, but the gloves are off now ... and she has all the evidence. Secondly .... even if everything was said, we can’t move on until the consequences are done....