Thoughts on BC Politics and More

The longest serving mayor in BC’s history has died. Alice Maitland was 91 years old. Maitland was first elected to Hazelton council in 1965, served as a councillor until 1970 and become mayor in 1976. She held that position for 42 years ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Twenty questions. Twenty MLAs. Twenty rural BC emergency rooms. And when Question Period in the BC legislature ended a half-hour later, one pointed conclusion from the BC Conservative Party. "I would say the last 30 minutes have been a pretty damning indication on the state of our health care here in British Columbia," Surrey-White Rock Conservative MLA Trevor Halford said, as his party drew attention to the state of rural health care. "Every part of this province has been represented today speaking about the state of our health care" ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Dr. Michael Lester, a Toronto-based addiction physician with 30 years of experience, says Canada’s “safer supply” programs are “inherently dangerous” and causing “dystopian” community harms due to widespread fraud. These programs claim to reduce overdoses and deaths by distributing free addictive drugs—typically 8-milligram tablets of hydromorphone, an opioid as potent as heroin—to dissuade addicts from consuming riskier street substances. Yet experts across Canada say recipients regularly divert (sell or trade) their safer supply on the black market to acquire stronger illicit drugs, which then fuels addiction and organized crime ... CLICK HERE for the full story

When the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion opened on May 1, 2024, carrying oil from Alberta to the BC coast, there was no grand opening ceremony. The federal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, which had bought the project and spent over $34 billion — making the pipeline one of the largest infrastructure projects ever built in Canada — said almost nothing about it. "This was a thing that the Liberal government did right for the oil sector … and they didn't celebrate it at all. There was no ribbon cutting ceremony," said Rory Johnston, founder of Commodity Context, an oil market research service. Even Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, a major Trudeau antagonist, thanked the federal Liberals for finishing the pipeline, saying that it would be a "game-changer" for Alberta's oil industry and hailing it as an example of federal-provincial cooperation ... CLICK HERE for the full story

“ Once again, we see further evidence, now from the Greens, of serious irregularities in the 2024 election. We need a public inquiry. The Chief Elections Officer has chosen to stick his head in the sand ." ~~ John Rustad MLA, Leader of the Official Opposition     John Rustad, Leader of the Official Opposition, delivered additional evidence today of serious voting irregularities in the 2024 British Columbia provincial election in Surrey-Guildford. Rustad repeated his demand, originally made January 9th, for the urgent appointment of a senior justice of the Supreme Court to lead a formal investigation by an independent Commission of Inquiry, pursuant to the Public Inquiry Act. On Tuesday, February 25th, Manjeet Singh Sahota, the British Columbia Green Party candidate in Surrey-Guildford in the 2024 election, swore an affidavit as part of the ongoing court action. In the sworn affidavit, Sahota states: “ Before the 43rd Provincial Elections’ final voting date of October 19, 2024,...

Two of our civilization’s greatest treasures are Magna Carta and the First Amendment to the U.S. constitution. Both had the immediate effect of limiting government control over the lives of their citizens. And both inspired continued expansion of the underlying principles. I’ll freely admit that, as a Canadian, I’m jealous of the First Amendment. Sure, our Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects expression. But it’s a protection that’s tentative and fragile ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Canada must find its place in the world. For many Canadians, it feels like we are lost at sea, trying to figure out who our friends and enemies are; who we’re supposed to trade with; and most importantly where we can exert enough influence to feel relevant in increasingly turbulent, insecure times. Longstanding assumptions we once considered unquestionable are now unraveling. From free trade with the U.S. to post-Second World War alliances and the influence of the United Nations, little can be taken for granted anymore ... CLICK HERE for the full story

There’s an old saying about politics that rookie BC Conservatives might want to brush up on: “If you’re explaining, you’re losing.” Five Conservative MLAs found that out the hard way Tuesday, as they tried to dig themselves out of a public opinion crater after voting against an NDP motion to condemn U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs. They apparently all had reasons, mainly centred around opposing Canadian counter-tariffs. But only one of the five spoke publicly before voting — and that MLA, Peace River North’s Jordan Kealy, flipped his vote at the last second anyway ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Alberta and British Columbia are working to reduce regulatory red tape between the two provinces’ energy sectors, as Canada looks down the barrel of 10-per-cent tariffs on oil and gas exports to the United States. BC Energy Minister Adrian Dix says political differences between his NDP government and Alberta’s United Conservative Party mean little in the face of the looming tariffs promised by President Donald Trump ... he met his Alberta counterpart, Brian Jean, at the beginning of January to discuss how the two provinces could work together on a range of issues, including introducing common industry regulations and standards to help reduce administrative costs and maximize the value of natural resources ... CLICK HERE for the full story

The British Columbia government has survived a non-confidence vote late Wednesday after the Opposition Conservative party wasted no time in trying to overthrow the NDP. In a vote that split along party lines, a motion brought forward by Opposition leader John Rustad was narrowly defeated, with every Conservative member voting for while both BC Green Party representatives voted against alongside NDP members ... ... Prior to presenting the motion, Rustad made his party's case for dissolving government, saying the province "has never been more vulnerable" ... CLICK HERE for the full story

British Columbia is facing an unprecedented economic crisis. While the provincial government is moving quickly to streamline energy and environmental assessment policies it lacks the same sense of urgency for food security—a critical concern considering given our current situation. In this post, I’ll explore why it matters and why we need bold leadership on local food production now more than ever. In just a few weeks, the energy minister has expedited the introduction of legislation to accelerate renewable energy projects and change permitting, while the agriculture ministry plans to meet quarterly with industry leaders—over more than a year—to discuss the food supply and economy. This stark difference in timelines shows where our governments priorities are ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Canadians have been resolute in the face of President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and taunts that we should become the 51st state. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that Canada won’t be joining the United States. Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper argued that we should be prepared to accept severe economic consequences rather than lose our sovereignty. There have been numerous calls for Canada to make itself more resilient and less dependent on trade with the United States. While we’re doubtlessly worried, Canadians seem ready to stand up to American coercion. I say “seem ready” because we aren’t actually living through significant economic pressure or punishment yet. Right now, the economic costs of resisting the Trump administration’s demands (whatever they may be) are largely hypothetical. I fear that if the United States comes after us hard enough, our solidarity may fray and our will to resist may falter ... CLICK HERE for the full story

The following statement is released by Kiel Giddens, MLA for Prince George – Mackenzie, on the introduction of his Private Members Bill, the Low Carbon Fuels Amendment Act. “ Today, we take a critical step toward preserving jobs, protecting British Columbia’s energy security, and ensuring fairness in our fuel markets. I have introduced the Low Carbon Fuels Amendment Act in the Legislature to address the serious flaws in the NDP’s Low Carbon Fuels Act, which has put Canadian workers and businesses at risk .” “ Tidewater Renewables in Prince George — a critical asset producing renewable diesel —is facing insolvency due to unfair government policies that allow American fuel producers to flood our market with subsidized diesel while claiming BC’s  Tidewater Renewables in Prince George . This policy failure has created an noncompetitive and unsustainable market that threatens to shut down BC’s only renewable diesel refinery .” “ Losing this facility would not only cost goo...

So, the polls have gotten a little wild. A handful of polls has suggested that the Liberals have closed the gap on the Conservatives and perhaps have even moved ahead — not only because the Conservatives have dropped, but also because the Liberals have surged to higher levels of support than they achieved in either the 2019 or 2021 federal elections. It’s the kind of abrupt change we rarely see in Canadian politics. Sometimes it happens in the midst of a high-intensity campaign. We don’t normally see it outside of a writ period. Yet, here we are ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Canada’s public administration is in crisis, warns former MP and Member of the Order of Canada, Dorothy Dobbie, in a groundbreaking new report from the Frontier Centre for Public Policy. The report, Restoring Accountability: Fixing Canada’s Public Administration, exposes how political interference, union dominance, and bloated bureaucracy have crippled government efficiency and accountability—putting the country’s governance at risk. Dobbie warns that Canada’s public service, once a global model of professionalism, has been hijacked by political operatives and rigid union rules that prioritize power over public service. Career bureaucrats have been replaced by political insiders and unqualified appointees, while layers of inefficient management slow decision-making and drive up costs ... CLICK HERE for the full story

As the clock ticks down on the start of the 2025 budget season, spare a thought for Canada’s beleaguered finance ministers. Toiling at their desks in Ottawa and the provincial capitals, they are struggling to develop realistic fiscal and economic projections amid the whirlwind of chaos unleashed by U.S. President Donald Trump. Every day seemingly brings new pronouncements from the White House that pose fresh risks to the economic outlook and foster more uncertainty for budget planners and business decision-makers ... CLICK HERE for the full story

On paper, it sounds like something a BC NDP government would support: A financial penalty against dirty American coal being shipped across the border for export out of Delta’s port as a measure to push back against U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat of tariffs. But twice now, New Democrats have balked at the idea. Instead of finding creative ways to craft the penalties, they’ve found creative excuses not to act. The latest was in the legislature Monday, after BC Conservative Leader John Rustad proposed applying the provincial carbon tax to the 18 million tonnes of annual American thermal coal (the kind burned for heat and electricity), and then holding the money until Trump gives way on softwood lumber tariffs ... CLICK HERE for the full story

As the B.C. Conservative party heads into a major meeting this weekend, leader John Rustad insists the party is united despite a public disagreement on residential schools and five MLAs breaking with their party to vote against an NDP motion opposing proposed Trump tariffs. “ At the end of the day we said we would have free votes and we would be supporting people to be able to have free speech, and that’s what this looks like ,” Rustad said Tuesday morning. “ What family in this province doesn’t have issues and divisions in it? The question is what is it that unites us, not what is it that divides us, in terms of these issues " ... CLICK HERE for the full story

The four candidates campaigning to become Justin Trudeau’s replacement squared off on stage Tuesday night, seeking to distance themselves from the prime minister’s record, while positioning themselves as the best leader to stand up to U.S. President Donald Trump. Facing off for the last time before party members cast their ballots, for over two hours the Liberal leadership contenders who could become prime minister in just a few weeks sought to draw contrast with their opponents on policy, style, and track records ... CLICK HERE for the full story

While polls show Doug Ford and his Progressive Conservatives (PCs) cruising to an easy re-election in Ontario this week, Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie is fighting to avoid becoming a historical footnote in the province’s political history. If she loses her race in Mississauga East-Cooksville, she'll join the dubious club of about 20 party leaders in Ontario history who have failed to win a seat in the legislature ... CLICK HERE for the full story

It’s official. Andrew Furey is stepping down as premier of Newfoundland and Labrador. Ministers are gathered at Confederation Building at this hour as Furey addressed the province live on NTV. Furey announced his intention to run for the provincial Liberal leadership in 2020, and was swiftly endorsed by much of Ball’s cabinet. On Aug. 3, 2020, he was elected leader at the party’s convention, receiving approximately two-thirds of votes cast ... CLICK HERE for more on this breaking story MORE HERE from CBC  

Last week, Liberal leadership candidate Mark Carney proposed a major shift in how the federal budget is reported. Instead of presenting a consolidated financial picture, he suggests separating operating expenses from capital investments. His rationale remains vague, but he frames it as a way to “spend less and invest more.” The proposal, however, raises serious concerns. Under current budget rules, capital expenditures—such as infrastructure projects—are already accounted for over time rather than appearing as lump-sum deficits. For example, the government’s $34-billion cost of expanding the Trans Mountain Pipeline does not immediately impact the federal deficit. Nor should it ... CLICK HERE for the full story

British Columbia Opposition Leader John Rustad is proposing a “carbon tax” on U.S. thermal coal that is shipped out of B.C. ports to use as leverage against threats of American tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber. Rustad says such a tax would be a “tool to fight back” on softwood tariffs and duties proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, which Forests Minister Ravi Parmar said last week could increase to more than 50 per cent ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Aquaculture company Cermaq Canada Ltd. is suing the federal government for refusing to issue fish-farm licences in the Discovery Islands, saying it has lost millions of dollars as a result of a flawed decision-making process. In 2023, then-federal fisheries minister Joyce Murray decided not to renew fish-farm licences in the Discovery Islands, located off the east coast of Vancouver Island between Campbell River and the mainland ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Who can argue that a formula that takes from financially-stressed Newfoundland and gives to Ontario, or exempts the entirety of Quebec’s hydroelectric revenue, is fair? Canada, eh? That Canadians supposedly say “eh” and “aboot” is one of the more tiresome tropes of our national identity. Yeah, I know: we love Timmys, backyard hockey rinks, Canadian stars who make it big in Hollywood, and go soft every time we’re told we’re polite and nicer than Americans. We also insist we’re a Team. Except we’re not. “Team Canada” is so neurotic and fractious right now because, deep down, we know we’re not united at all ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Canada’s expansive immigration policy from 2016 to 2024 has expanded the labour force but has also increased demand for goods, services, and infrastructure, more likely sustaining or even increasing overall labour shortages rather than easing them, according to a new report from the C.D. Howe Institute. In “The Immigration Paradox: How an Influx of Newcomers Has Led to Labour Shortages,” Pierre Fortin explains that while higher immigration does benefit individual employers in urgent need of workers, these gains can be offset when the additional demand newcomers generate ripples through the broader economy. Fortin’s research points out that surging immigration rates have increased overall labour demand. He finds that this demand often keeps job vacancy rates elevated, making it unlikely that rising immigration alone will alleviate nationwide labour shortages. He warns that this outcome, though counterintuitive, exposes a “fallacy of composition.” What works for a single employer does no...

Conservative BC leader John Rustad calls for tough action against American tariff threat     Ban foreign interference from Americans who fund environmental activists to destroy BC resource industries   Hit shipments of Montana and Wyoming coal through BC ports with BC carbon tax    Follow the Conservative Party’s 10-point plan to eliminate trade barriers between Canadian provinces, grow the economy “For too long, David Eby has idly watched as American-funded environmental activists wreak havoc on our economy, threatening hard-working loggers, miners, and oil and gas workers. It’s time we cut them off from their supply of American dollars.”   Conservative Leader John Rustad today unveiled new proposals for British Columbia to fight for BC workers and protect jobs.   Rustad says British Columbia should legislate to ban British Columbia-based environmental activists from accessing American funding for their campaigns against our resource workers...

As the threat of a trade war with the US looms, the province needs to gird its loins, says the Business Council of BC. The council’s new report is urging the NDP government to start with its upcoming budget by getting its own fiscal house in order, and developing a more welcome investment climate by cutting taxes and regulations. “The Trump administration has our industrial base in its sights,” BCBC vice-president of policy David Williams said in a press release accompanying Monday’s report, Strengthening BC’s Economy Amid US Tariff Threats ... CLICK HERE for the full story

The annual winter meeting of the National Governor’s Association in Washington always brings a retinue of staff and security alongside the governors, with requisite black Suburbans idling downtown. But the biggest entourage this year — and perhaps the largest non-presidential one I’ve ever seen at an NGA conference — didn’t belong to a governor. Or even an American. It was Ontario Premier Doug Ford rolling nearly double-digit deep through the capital’s Grand Hyatt. Ford, who’s facing reelection later this week, had a series of meetings with governors of both parties. He sat down with reporters in a miniature suite decked out with Canadian flags. He passed out a 25-page pamphlet on “Building Fortress Am-Can,” first autographing each copy in black marker. And he even buttonholed a few unsuspecting governors for grip-and-grin pictures in the hotel lobby, recounting more-in-sorrow-than-anger his disappointment in a neighbor he loves ... CLICK HERE for the full story

In a throne speech marking the start of the BC legislative session last week, the government promised it would look to attract US health-care professionals to help fill staffing gaps. As part of that, it also promised to make it easier for trained  American health-care system from other countries to get their credentials recognized. It comes as US President Donald Trump makes changes to the American health-care system and as political tension rises south of the border. It's a set of circumstances that's causing US health-care professionals to look abroad for work, says a Canada-based recruiter ... CLICK HERE for the full story

  February 23, 2025 It's been a busy week in the legislature as B.C. MLA's are officially back in Victoria and so is our Political Panel. Political strategist Maria Dobrinskaya and Framepoint Public Affairs senior advisor Allie Blades joins Global News Morning to discuss.   CLICK HERE for the full discussion  

Candidates vying to be the next leader of the federal Liberals and Canada's prime minister will square off in a French-language debate in Montreal tonight. Four contenders cleared their final financial hurdle last week and will be on the ballot to replace the outgoing leader, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. They are Mark Carney, former governor of the Bank of Canada; Chrystia Freeland, former finance minister and deputy prime minister; Karina Gould, former House leader and Frank Baylis, former Liberal MP.  A fifth would-be candidate, Ruby Dhalla, was disqualified from the race on Friday. The former MP is appealing that decision ... CLICK HERE for the full story

British Columbia's Opposition attorney general critic is questioning the “apparent mistreatment” of a lawyer after he asked for the rewording of Law Society training material about residential schools. Dallas Brodie of the BC Conservatives says on social media that she'll reach out to B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma and the Law Society of British Columbia in the coming days about the situation facing lawyer James Heller. Brodie's posts on Saturday shared a link to an article about Heller, who unsuccessfully pushed last year for the society's training material to say there were "potentially" burial sites at a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C., instead of using more definitive language ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did not rule out sending Canadian troops to Ukraine as part of a possible ceasefire deal, when asked about the prospect during a peace and security summit Monday in Kyiv. “We will work with our neighbours on it, but everything is on the table,” Trudeau said at a joint media conference with other leaders. The prime minister was in the Ukrainian capital alongside a dozen European leaders to mark the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion ... CLICK HERE for the full story

In a 1961 address to the Canadian Parliament, President John F. Kennedy famously stated, “Geography has made us neighbours. History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners. And necessity has made us allies.” This compelling declaration has since served as a guiding principle in Canada-U.S. relations, highlighting the deep and complex ties between the two nations. From economic integration to military alliances, this partnership has endured numerous political shifts, trade disputes, and diplomatic negotiations. However, as Canada enters 2025, this historically close relationship is facing significant challenges ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Powerful nations are undermining international law, leading to global injustice and the erosion of human rights enforcement ~~ by Gerry Chidiac   The years between 1945 and 1949 were a golden age for human rights. As people reflected on the Holocaust and the devastation of the Second World War, they recognized the importance of a system of international law to prevent such catastrophes from happening again. This period saw the adoption of the Genocide Convention and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, along with updates to the Geneva Conventions defining war crimes. It soon became clear, however, that powerful countries and individuals had no intention of being held accountable to these ideals. They continued to act with impunity, and millions of people were killed. There was another moment of hope as the Cold War ended in the early 1990s. But again, world leaders—especially those in the so-called First World—failed to seize the opportunity to build a peaceful world. Instea...

Liberals are magicians. Through sleights of hand and by proroguing Parliament, the Liberals could yet win another election with a new leader. Not so fast, shout defenders of democracy. David MacKinnon and Aris Lavranos — both living in Nova Scotia, both lawyers — have asked the Federal Court to weigh in on whether Trudeau’s proroguing of Parliament was legal. Calgary-based Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, a non-profit founded by John Carpay, offered up a legal team from Charter Advocates Canada. And on Feb. 13 and 14, Chief Justice Paul Crampton heard arguments for and against prorogation, and committed to rendering a swift decision before the issue becomes moot ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Only a handful of polls were published over the last week but they continue to show a shrinking margin between the Conservatives and the Liberals to levels that no longer make a Conservative majority victory a sure thing. I’m on Rosemary Barton Live today so I updated the Poll Tracker a day earlier than usual. The update includes three new polls from Nanos Research, Léger and the Innovative Research Group. The IRG still puts the Conservatives ahead by 13 points, while Léger has the gap at eight points and Nanos at just seven. The Conservatives will win a majority government if their popular vote margin over the Liberals is 13 points. They might not if it is down to seven or eight ... CLICK HERE for the full story

If you’re ever in trouble for royally screwing up at work, try this neat trick: Don’t admit you did anything wrong, just look your boss straight in the eye and tell them you are taking bold action to strengthen your role while providing yourself more tools to crack down on bad actors in your workplace. Oops — sorry, didn’t mean to get you fired. Turns out that special mixture of impertinent gall and stubborn blamelessness doesn’t work so well in the real world. Politicians, though, operate in a different kind of world ... CLICK HERE for the full story  

On the eve of the last BC election, the New Democrats signed an agreement affecting Aboriginal title and Indigenous management of land and resources on the Sunshine Coast. However, Premier David Eby chose not to make the 44-page text — or even the fact of its existence — public until after the election was over. The agreement was only released Jan. 29 of this year, five months after the signing on Aug. 16 and three months after the NDP’s narrow one-seat, 22-vote election victory ... CLICK HERE for the full story

British Columbia’s consumer carbon tax could be headed for the scrap heap within weeks or months, but questions remain about how the government will make up for the hole it creates in the provincial budget. Ahead of the 2024 provincial election, BC Premier David Eby pledged to eliminate the consumer price on carbon if the federal government drops its requirement for provinces to have one. That outcome appears likely, and soon ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Premier David Eby was mildly teased this week in the legislature about his hot yoga routine. It was raised to key to the question: “What is more flexible, his promises, or his principles?” Turns out he’d gone to yoga earlier in the morning. He laughed it off with: “I had a good stretch. It helps with the heart rate during question period" ... ... The stretching and twisting is already well underway. The NDP is folding most of its re-election campaign platform and stuffing it in a closet. The government continued the trend by reversing course and retooling the dangerous drug safe supply program this week. There will be more to come ... CLICK HERE for the full story

BC Ferries is amping up its campaign for five new major vessels as it offers a concession in the hopes of persuading BC Ferry commissioner Eva Hage to support the plan. “There’s another option available to us that wasn’t in the original application - and that’s in the event that we can’t convince the commissioner we need an excess vessel,” Nicolas Jimenez, BC Ferries president, said Friday. Instead of life extensions to keep two existing ferries on the job, the company is saying it could extend the life of just one ferry ... CLICK HERE for the full story

The New Democrats halted the free and easy distribution of safer-supply drugs this week after two years of denying that the drugs were being diverted to an illicit market overseen by organized crime. Henceforth, safer-supply drugs can only be consumed under the direct supervision of health-care professionals, ending the open-air markets that flourished outside the entrances to legitimate pharmacies across the province ... CLICK HERE for the full story