Thoughts on BC Politics and More

Every summer since I was first elected, I have traveled throughout every community in my riding as part of my annual summer listening tour. Citizens deserve to be heard and meeting with people directly in their home communities is a very important part of being a Member of Parliament. The feedback and concerns, that I hear, are part of the focus for when the House of Commons resumes typically in September. This year, the House is not expected to resume given that the next federal election will be in October. I am frequently reminded at how far away the "Ottawa bubble" is when it comes to those who live in Canadian rural communities. In several parts of my riding there are no public transit options. Where there was once Greyhound service in some areas, it now no longer exists. Some areas have no access to natural gas for home heating. There is also a lack of internet access in many areas and in some cases no wireless signal whatsoever. For this reason, both...

In a recent study for MNP Ltd, based on a survey they had conducted by Ipsos Reid, it was found that 44% of all British Columbians are $200 or less away from insolvency.   “ This horrifying stat needs to change, for far too long governments have allowed its citizens to just survive instead of thrive ”, stated BC Conservative Party leader Trevor Bolin yesterday online in social media. In speaking with me, on the subject this morning, Bolin showed an alarming concern regarding this issue; “ This is a terrifying truth of years of mismanagement of our education, our schooling and our governments, both provincial and federal. Yes, the extremely high costs Carbon Tax plays a factor, yes taxes at every turn play a factor, but at the end of this day report tells me people need to be better equipped to handle the struggles of real life in British Columbia ”. . .. half of British Canadians (49%) say they would be embarrassed to get help if their ...

Political parties exist to acquire and maintain political power through governance. They have no interest in serving the electorate. They have an interest in maintaining relations with people who have or have access to money. Raising funds is critical to success. Donations buy the advertising and strategic advice they need, pay for polling, pay for media advertising, cover payroll and operating expenses, and fuel more donation campaigns. Every political party has a circle of insiders who donate $1,000 or more to the party annually. They receive special treatment from the party and access to party officials. Those party officials are a gateway to parliament and MPs – either the government or opposition side. This happens behind the scenes and rarely makes the news. Ineptness brought two examples to the forefront this spring – the SNC-Laval...