Thoughts on BC Politics and More

BC quarterly carbon-tax credit is combined with federal GST rebate | BC Family Benefit already in place “Eligible people will get some help with their holiday bills with benefits and credits arriving in the new year,” says the BC finance ministry in a news release today. Neither of the credits is new — and neither is targeted or earmarked in any way to “help with holiday bills”. But the BC government is promoting them ahead of the new year as a way to remind low-to-middle income residents about the ongoing supports that the BC NDP government facilitates ... CLICK HERE for the full story

For a time in the 2010s, it looked like Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government was committed to investing in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF.) In 2017, as part of a major foreign policy statement, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, announced a new defence policy: “ Strong, Secure, Engaged ”. Canada was to be strong at home, secure in North America and engaged in the world ... ... The CAF, as it stands today, is a depleted, demoralized and nearly shattered force. The neglect and deterioration, which I explored in Part I of this series, is unforgivable. But it’s not irreversible. How should Canada begin to rebuild the CAF? ... CLICK HERE for the full story

David Eby and Brenda Bailey are touting temporary cost-of-living relief while families are facing more, permanent, carbon tax pain in just three months" ~~ Peter Milobar, MLA – Kamloops Centre, Finance Critic of the Official Opposition Yesterday’s cost-of-living announcement by British Columbia NDP finance minister Brenda Bailey is no more than a shell game designed to distract families from the big carbon tax increase coming on April 1st, according to the Conservative official opposition. “ It’s ironic that Brenda Bailey is touting a temporary boost in the BC Family Benefit that runs out next June, when she’s planning another permanent hike in the carbon tax on April 1 st ,” said Peter Milobar, MLA – Kamloops Centre, Conservative finance critic. “ And she didn’t say a word about the $1,000 per household in ‘immediate’ tax relief that David Eby promised during the election campaign .” “ It’s tough to see how the NDP are serious about the cost of living, when they plan ...

... data obtained through a Freedom of Information request indicates how many provincial government workers are doing their jobs from home and how quickly their salaries are increasing. In 2022, there were 10,734 BC Public Service employees working from home in Victoria either full-time or a hybrid of at home and in the office, and in 2024 there are more than 20,000. That's now half the BC government workforce in the provincial capital. The average salary has increased from $63,704 in 2017 to $81,718 in 2024 ... CLICK HERE for the full story

The current levels of control that local governments in BC currently enjoy could be on the verge of being eroded, thanks in part to the dysfunction at Kamloops City Hall. “ We are contemplating…we are considering changes because of challenges that have arisen in Kamloops, but also in a handful of other communities ,” said Ravi Kahlon, BC’s latest Minister of Municipal Affairs, in a one-on-one interview with Radio NL ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Global BC's Richard Zussman and Keith Baldrey look back on the biggest political stories of 2024, and try to predict what might be coming our way in 2025 CLICK HERE for the full story

LANGUAGE WARNING: WOW … a few seconds – 8 words -- of uncouth and vulgar speech has brought about a firestorm of opposing opinions across social media. Those 8 words?  “ Get the f--- out of BC. You suck ”, were spoken by twice failed School Trustee (Nelson 2022 and Castlegar 2024) Emily Duggan, who is also, apparently, subject to a peace bond and ordered to stay away from an elementary school. I posted a story about this on my own political Facebook page , this morning (Sunday December 29th), and boy did it start a raft of comments, agreeing with her right to say what she did, but also firmly opposing her comment.  Here’s just a few examples: •    He has it coming. The narcissist •    Why? They're getting old enough to know that their Dad is well, well past his governing expiry date. He is genuinely hated in many corners of this polite land of ours . •    Trudeau is trash and he wrecked our country. You’re part of the problem! Peopl...

In what has been a challenging year for the business landscape in British Columbia, several prominent companies have found themselves navigating through financial distress, leading to insolvency proceedings. This follows a record-breaking 65.4% increase in British Columbia businesses declaring bankruptcy in 2023 ... CLICK HERE for the full story

As 2024 fades into the history books, now’s a good time to take stock of our government so we can look forward to a new year that brings change and stability. The dying days of the old year brought chaos to Parliament Hill, caused by the resignation of Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and procedural wrangling over the government’s refusal to hand over documents related to a green slush fund ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Nineteen-seventy-five was the last time the (Conservative) party managed to send anyone to the legislature in Victoria in a general election. Since then, they’ve rolled around on the obscure fringe of BC politics, occasionally popping up in popularity to the single digits in opinion polls, but mostly flat-lining. Until this year ... CLICK HERE for the full story

As Canada looks ahead to 2025, it stands at a crucial juncture, facing both unprecedented challenges and emerging opportunities. The nation’s evolving relationship with China, ongoing concerns about money laundering, the upcoming federal election, and its delicate position in US-Canada relations present an intricate web of issues that will shape the country’s future. How Canada navigates these issues in the next year will determine not only its global standing but also its domestic harmony ... CLICK HERE for the full story

As we close out the year 2024, I thought I’d take a moment to look back at the stories that caught the eye of the most readers during the past year, on my blog site.  Just as an aside, I found it interesting that the implosion of BC United didn't crack the top 10. I guess given that the decline was already well underway, by the time leader Kevin Falcon finally pulled the pin, it was a foregone conclusion to happen. I would like to thank you for spending time on the Thoughts on BC Politics and More site, as well as on the political Facebook page, Politics and More in BC and Across Canada . I would also like to give special thanks to Devon Kruggel for not only providing commentary to be shared, but for also coming on board as a co-moderator with me.  Having an extra pair of eyes, to keep thinks running smoothly, has been a great help. Wishing you all the best … Alan Now, here’s the top 10 most read stories of the past year … #10  GORDON F. D. WILSON: When the Trick Masquer...

It’s been quite the year for BC Conservative Leader John Rustad – his party soaring from less than two per cent of the popular vote and no seats in the 2020 election to nearly winning this year’s election ... ... He insists he’ll support free votes by his members – and what sets his party apart is its willingness to allow such free speech. “That’s a big thing that you’ll see between us and the NDP – you will never see them say anything outside of their message box,” said Rustad. “And that’s not how I want to do politics. I actually think it’s OK to have differences, it's OK for people to disagree. But we do agree on the big things, the things that are important for the people of British Columbia"... CLICK HERE for the full story

Global BC's Richard Zussman sits down with NDP Premier David Eby for a look back on a wild year in BC politics, and a look ahead at what's to come. CLICK HERE for the full interview

The head of Canada’s public broadcaster has been among those serving up lumps of coal to Canadians. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation’s annual “Taxpayer Naughty and Nice list” has given CBC CEO Catherine Tait the top spot in the Naughty column for handing out “Santa-sized” executive bonuses that dwarf the average Canadian’s salary, especially at a time of financial pressure across the country for most people ... CLICK HERE for the full story  

Normally I would not be writing my weekly report on Christmas Eve, as most Canadians are rightly focused on the holidays rather than events in Ottawa. However, these are not "normal" times, and the most frequently asked question I am receiving is "What will happen in Ottawa?" Canadians are generally paying closer attention to Ottawa than usual, given recent major developments: the Deputy Prime Minister's resignation, the NDP leader's withdrawal of support for Prime Minister Trudeau, and a growing number of Liberal MPs calling for the Prime Minister's resignation. Will Prime Minister Trudeau resign? Officially, he has stated he will take the holidays to "reflect" on this decision. It is highly unusual for a sitting Prime Minister to make such a statement, as it both emboldens his opponents and creates a "lame duck" period where critical issues stall and his priorities languish while people await a potential leadership ...

In 1974, the US was consumed by the controversial matter of then-President Richard Nixon and the Watergate scandal ... Nixon, facing the distinct possibility of becoming the first President to be impeached and removed from office, stepped down on Aug. 9. Gerald Ford, his Vice-President, included this famous line in his swearing-in speech, “Our long national nightmare is over.” Fast forward to 2024. Canada is consumed by the controversial matter of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s ineffective and mediocre leadership. Pressure is coming from both sides of the political aisle for him to leave office, along with fellow Liberals, the media and many Canadians. Trudeau, facing the distinct possibility of becoming the first prime minister to face a caucus revolt and be turfed from power ... This means that our long national nightmare in Canada is almost over ... CLICK HERE for the full story

October Nano's poll of potential Liberal Party of Canada leadership hopefuls The turmoil that’s threatening to topple Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has members of his political party poring over the rulebook for replacing him. Trudeau is under mounting pressure from elected lawmakers in his ruling Liberal Party to leave after nine years in power. Some have warned that if he stays, they face the prospect of a crushing defeat to the Conservative Party in next year’s election. But there’s no mechanism to force him out quickly, at least outside of a national party convention. For now, the only thing disgruntled members can do is turn up the heat by publicly calling for Trudeau to go — and quietly organize for their preferred replacements ... CLICK HERE for the full story

BC’s new opposition leader is planning to release a report into the 2024 provincial election early in the new year ... party leader John Rustad said he’s received lots of questions about why the party didn’t question the results. “I did that intentionally for two reasons,” Rustad said. “First of all, I wanted to make sure that I support democracy and the democratic process, but I also wanted to give us time to do some research and to look into the issues and bring things forward at the appropriate time. “I’m looking forward to January because we’re actually going to be bringing forward a report on what we have found from the election ..." CLICK HERE for the full story

BC’s net debt is set to triple, pushing taxpayers to shoulder soaring interest costs. According to the Eby government’s fiscal update released last week, the government will run an eye-popping $9.4 billion budget deficit in fiscal 2024-25 — $2.8 billion larger than the deficit during the height of the pandemic in 2020 (even after adjusting for inflation). The government also plans to run large deficits in 2025-26 and 2026-27, and rack up massive amounts of debt. And that’s bad news for British Columbia taxpayers ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Today, after many weeks of back and forth emails with the Canadian Radio and Television Commission (CRTC), and their request for the owners of Radio 610 CHNL in Kamloops to respond to my concerns (which I outlined HERE ), I received a response from Steve Jones , President of Stingray Radio. To be honest, I was not surprised by anything he had to say. Further, it only backed up my belief that they, and other media conglomerates, have (and will continue to) decimate local radio. Take for example, this comment from him: As an AM undertaking, CHNL is not required to broadcast any local programming specifically . I don’t know about you, however I don’t believe that’s anything to be proud of. In fact, any of the large broadcast companies (Bell, Corus, Stingray, and others) should be ashamed to make that statement. He then goes on to say: Despite having no regulatory obligation to do so, CHNL maintains a local newsroom staffed by three people and provides hourly news updates throughout the br...

It was a routine wait in the grocery line last year when I personally witnessed the true cost of the grocery price spike. An elderly lady in front of me in the lineup did a double take when the clerk told her the total for her bill. “What’s $10?” she asked, looking at the cashier’s screen. The clerk told her it was the handful of potatoes she’d grabbed. The woman, easily old enough to be retired, put the potatoes back ... CLICK HERE for the full story

... Conservatives held 44 seats on 43.28 per cent of the popular vote as the party elected the highest number of candidates in its history. Their third-straight governing mandate also chipped away at the theory that right-of-centre parties are the default choice in B.C. and revived the questions facing all runner-ups: did the B.C. Conservatives 'win' silver or 'lose' gold? Should they feel happy about their performance or sad about their loss? Which emotion prevailed? ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Maria Espedido, a caregiver and victim of a devastating hit-and-run, has been left without a mechanism to receive fair compensation for her severe injuries, which include damage to her lungs, liver, arm, and ribs. The Conservative Party of BC is calling on the provincial government to reverse its deeply flawed no-fault insurance policy, which fails victims like Maria. “ This holiday season, we must come together for people like Maria ,” said Brent Chapman, Critic for Transit & ICBC and MLA for Surrey South. “ She has spent her life helping others, yet now, thanks to this government’s changes, she cannot receive fair compensation for her lifelong and severe injuries. I challenge David Eby to match or exceed my donation to the fund supporting Maria’s recovery. Let’s show her, and others in similar circumstances, that they are not alone during this difficult time .” The Conservative Party of BC is urging the government to revisit the no-fault insurance system and adopt ...

In early November I contacted the Canadian Radio and Television Commission (CRTC) with concerns I had regarding what was becoming an increasing lack of ‘local’ programing being broadcast on radio stations.  While not exclusive to radio station CHNL 610 in Kamloops (owned by Stingray Radio), I used them as my reference. Following several emails back and forth to the CRTC, they advised they had informed Stingray of my concerns, and that they were directing them to respond to both myself and the CRTC about them. I also expressed my concerns through a blog post I shared on December 4th entitled, “ Without a strong local presence, there is NO reason for anyone to tune in to local(?) radio ” which you can read here . This morning Steve Jones (President of Stingray Radio) responded to me with the following … I leave it up to you as to what you think about what they had to say, so please feel free to leave a comment.  For myself, I’ll have a response to share either later today, or ea...

At this time of year, it is important for us to remember the traditions we’ve grown up with, and created, through-out the years. Whether it’s an amazing dinner where family from near and far gather together … festive holiday parties with friends … or a walk through the woods to find the perfect Christmas tree … finding just the perfect gift for someone special … seeing beautiful lights twinkling from house to house and their glittering reflection on the snow … this time of year helps us to reflect on what’s really important. All of that comes to life for me in my favorite song of the holiday season, “ It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year ” That’s why I hope that you and yours have a very Merry Christmas, and that joy fills your heart and every corner of your home. In the coming new year ahead, I look forward to connecting with constituents from Clearwater and Vavenby in the North, to Kamloops, and across to Chase, Monte Lake, Westwold, and every community between. I will also be ac...

There are five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance . Over the course of the last year Liberal supporters, and maybe some in the NDP had begun to realize that their time in government was over. The public was turning against them. They were upset that the time of their parties in government was coming to and end. Thus began the first stage in the grieving process: denial . There was just no way this was happening. I post summaries and explanations of polls. I do this weekly. In mid-2022 the trend was starting, by 2023 it was growing, and in 2024 it was undeniable. The Liberal government and Justin Trudeau were not going to win the next election. Period. Liberal and NDP supporters vehemently denied that. The polls had to be wrong. A string of by-election defeats showed the polls to be accurate. A string of provincial elections showed that the polling companies were competent. Last week Justin Trudeau grievously miscalculated in d...

Today’s latest email from the BC NDP to members and supporters’, states: " Times are still tough for people looking for affordable places to rent. We are in urgent need of more housing throughout BC. That’s why in the new year, we’ll be focusing on building thousands more affordable homes for renters ." IN ACTUAL FACT, this is what the media have been reporting for some time: •    Business in BC (10/29/24): With starts per capita at their lowest level in a decade, industry looks for more reform •    The Interior News (08/12/24): As BC housing starts decline, economic concerns grow •    On-Site (12/16/24): Y ear-to-date (housing) starts in Vancouver are still down 14 percent •    Western Investor (11/19/24): Housing starts per capita in BC are at the lowest level in at least a decade, not counting 2020 when the province was in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic •    BC Real Estate Association (09/17/24): Accordi...

Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre announced that he will submit a letter to the Governor General asking to recall the House for a confidence vote. This follows Jagmeet Singh's letter earlier this morning saying the NDP "will vote to bring this government down" ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Retailers and consumers blindsided by Ottawa’s chaotic GST/HST tax break rollout ~~ Sylvain Charlebois T’was the week before Christmas, and all through the malls, many creatures were stirring ... Consumers and retailers are scrambling to understand the GST/HST holiday chaos. With Bill C-78 granting Canadians a temporary tax reprieve receiving royal assent mere days before its implementation on Dec. 14, businesses were faced with an almost impossible task: recoding systems during the busiest shopping season of the year. While some major food retailers had anticipated the bill’s passage and prepared in advance, others were caught off guard or distanced themselves entirely from the initiative. What was supposed to bring holiday cheer has instead become a tax policy nightmare. The confusion started early. On Dec. 10, PepsiCo announced it would not participate, informing its partners – Loblaw, Sobeys, and Metro – that it would continue charging taxes due to the complexity of its systems. Pe...

An embattled Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has made a significant overhaul to his cabinet while his leadership continues to be in question. The prime minister unveiled his new cabinet at Rideau Hall on Friday. He brought in eight new faces and moved several others in the shuffle ... CLICK HERE for the full stor y

  Current ministers changing jobs Anita Anand remains minister of transport, but adds the internal trade portfolio. Gary Anandasangaree remains minister of Crown-Indigenous relations and northern affairs, and becomes minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency. Steven MacKinnon becomes minister of employment, workforce development and labour. Ginette Petitpas Taylor becomes president of the Treasury Board. New ministers joining cabinet: Rachel Bendayan: Minister of Official Languages and Associate Minister of Public Safety Bendayan was first elected to the House of Commons in a 2019 federal byelelction in the riding of Outremont following the resignation of former NDP leader Tom Mulcair. Before being elevated to her cabinet post she served as Freeland's parliamentary secretary.  Élisabeth Brière: Minister of National Revenue  Brière was first elected to the House of Commons in the 2019 federal election for the Quebec ...