Thoughts on BC Politics and More

As the Metro Vancouver Regional District faces ongoing scrutiny in the wake of a scathing report on its governance structure, one of the elder statesmen of British Columbia politics is throwing out a radical solution. “I think we should go down to six to eight municipalities from 22-plus that we have now,” said Mike Harcourt. Harcourt served as BC premier from 1991 to 1996, and as mayor of Vancouver from 1980 to 1986,  experience he believes gives him insight into the regional government’s current woes ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Marie Della Mattia, former CEO of Now Communications Group BC’s NDP government spent nearly $6.3 million last year for companies to create ministry advertising campaigns.  The total is the aggregate of fees and expenses, including subcontractor costs and agency hard costs, according to a list obtained under the freedom of information law. The amounts paid to the 14 suppliers for 63 assignments do not include GST.  One of those suppliers, Now Communications Group Inc., received $881,000 for 14 assignments. NDP campaign workers established the company after Mike Harcourt’s 1991 election victory . Its former CEO and partner, Marie Della Mattia, was the Deputy Minister of Government Communications and Public Engagement (GCPE) from November 2022 until earlier this month. Della Mattia resigned in order to manage this year’s re-election campaign for Premier David Eby’s party. Her sister Michele is Now’s vice-president of operations . . . . CLICK HERE for the full stor...

... What we have not yet had is a permanent, properly funded commitment from all levels of government to ensure that the people of Canada have access to appropriate and affordable housing. We need all hands-on deck for this crisis, but the problem right now is that the federal and provincial hands are running around the deck promoting a blizzard of arbitrary measures. They are showing insufficient regard for the responsibilities of local and regional governments for community planning and the provision of infrastructure for water supply, sewage treatment, stormwater systems, transportation and other services that new development requires ... CLICK HERE for the full commentary