DAY SEVEN ... a look at the week of January 12th to 18th

Welcome to the first edition of Day Seven, for 2020.  We did take a bit of a hiatus over Christmas and New Years however as they say on TV, “We now return you to our regularly schedule program”

Beginning with #10, we actually have a 3-way tie for the week, our first ever!  Let’s begin:

#10A ... ’20 for 2020’ ... The carbon tax, which adds hundreds of dollars a year to the cost of living for each of us ... and untold thousands of dollars to BC businesses and industry ... must end

#10B ... BCs argument was a wretched effort to maintain that provincial environmental law is paramount over federal constitutional authority

#10C ... We have all been witness to a government that is working in the best interest of ‘politicians’ for far too long

#9 ... Forestry job placement co-ordination offices open, however forestry critic John Rustad says governments done nothing to address the core problem of bringing down costs and helping get the industry back on its feet

... I asked BC Liberal Forestry critic John Rustad about his thoughts on this, and he was quick in stating that while he was happy to see this type of help, for struggling forestry workers, he wondered why a press release now? His question to me was, “Did it really take them a year to respond to the forestry crisis, and take this step?”

#8 ... ’20 for 2020’ -- The public should be able to hold the BC Medical Association (and its members) accountable for their policies and practices

... I can’t say how serious an issue this may be, and in fact I have never had need to consider it. Given however this was suggested, as I mentioned, by a number of people, it tells me it is something which needs to be resolved ...

#7 ... Employment should have been at year-end high; instead, thousands of jobs were lost, and many British Columbians simply give up hope of finding work

... while the Labour Minister was telling British Columbians about having the lowest unemployment rate in Canada, there were in fact 1,200 fewer full-time jobs available … and over 7,500 fewer part-time jobs. Worse hit were those aged 55 and over who saw an incredible 6,500 job losses!

#6 ... Former leader Andrew Weaver to step aside from BC Green Caucus to sit as an independent

... Weaver went on to say, “As the leadership race unfolds, I believe that it is important for the BC Green Party to develop a new vision and voice independent from mine. My presence in the BC Green caucus could hinder that independence” ...

#5 ... FELDSTED – Posturing doesn’t change the facts faced by families other than to raise hopes of compensation that may take years, or may not materialize

... the notion that compensation will ease the sense of loss and grief overwhelming victim’s families, friends and loved ones is cynical. Each of us processes the sudden and unexpected loss of a loved one differently. There is no magic elixir that can deal with lives turned topsy-turvy in an instant ...

#4 ... David Eby has forgotten the NDP government, of which he is a part of, has had plenty of opportunity to make changes to legal services long before now

... what will happen in a year from now – in two years – or whenever the grant runs out? They’ll have to go, cap in hand, to ask for something that should instead be funded on an ongoing basis; they should not have to wonder where the money is going to come from, so that they are able to continue providing this much needed service ...

#3 ... Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Selina Robinson promised short-term solutions last fall - three months later we have not heard anything even close to a plan

... Todd Stone, Official Opposition Critic for Municipal Affairs and Housing, is continuing his call for the NDP government and Housing Minister Selina Robinson to immediately implement legislation that will enable local governments to allow for split-zoning, before more small businesses are forced to close their doors due to skyrocketing property taxes ...

#2 ... RUSTAD -- I hope the rule of Canadian law will be respected and that Coastal GasLink can get back to building this nation building project, and all of the benefits that come with it

... illegal buildings were constructed on crown land. Heavy equipment was operating in a salmon bearing river during spawning season, to build a water intake for the buildings. If anyone else had done this, the equipment would have been seized, the operators or company would have been fined $1 million+ and potentially someone would have been in jail. But no action was taken ...

AND NOW ... here is the article which you the reader found of most interest this past week ...

#1 ... Obviously, there are concerns about vulnerable people and ensuring protection of conscience rights, which will be issues she (Conservative MP Cathy McLeod) will be watching for

... since the September ruling, the Prime Minister (Justin Trudeau) has stated that he accepts the court ruling and will amend the federal law accordingly,” said McLeod. Under the court ruling, it has until March to amend the law. I suspect that the government will have to ask for an extension, six weeks is not sufficient to meet the courts deadline ...

Thanks again for being a part of this journey ... we’ll be back tomorrow to start all over again.  I hope you’ll join us then.