Thoughts on BC Politics and More

P reston Manning, former Member of Parliament and founder of the Reform Party of Canada, has raised concerns about growing Western alienation following the re-election of a Liberal minority government under Prime Minister Mark Carney. In a statement released Tuesday, Manning said polling is underway to assess whether the continuation of Liberal rule has deepened the estrangement of Western Canada from Ottawa and the rest of the country. He noted that Carney’s assurances of a "180 degree turn" from key policies of the Trudeau government — including on climate change, pipelines, immigration, and what Manning described as “proliferate deficit spending” — remain to be tested ... CLICK HERE for the full story

CBC NEWS Power and Politics image Preston Manning recently argued in the Globe and Mail that western alienation is now so potent that “a vote for the Carney Liberals is a vote for western secession.” Many have labelled his comments as “unhelpful” in the current political context, and that when Canadian patriotism has been so aroused by threats from the United States, the imperative is to come together and focus on how to face that singular challenge. I agree that Mr. Manning’s comments were over the top — but only a little. Though the U.S. threats certainly demand serious thinking on our part, it is equally true that Canada faces many policy challenges of our own making. And though many people in Ontario and Quebec don’t like to admit it, western alienation is one of those challenges — and no Canadian should dismiss it ... CLICK HERE for the full story  

This past week, too much of our political speech has slid from protected political speech to straight up treason. With our independence under threat, we must wake up from our childish slumber, protected first by Mother Britain, who’s since moved on, and now our American dad has gotten into the pill bottles and is believing everything he reads on Truth Social. It’s time for us to grow up.   Like most Canadians, I was relieved when Prime Minister Carney took a hard line with President Trump. Demanding that the United States treat our country and its leaders with, if not actual respect, at least the show of respect, helps smooth over the cracks and potholes that appear in diplomatic relations.   At least, it did in the days when diplomacy meant embassies and ministers, not Twitter and social media influencers.   But it’s clear that the drive towards the annexation of Canada is underway. The arbitrary and reality-unmoored trade war the United States began with Canada and Mexi...

Last month Alberta saw the release of the final report of its Public Health Emergencies Governance Review Panel, appointed by the government and headed by former politicians and anti-public health figure Preston Manning. The report’s contents were predictable precisely because Manning had already been outspoken about what he would like to see change well before he was ever appointed to head the panel. As colleague Lisa Young rightly notes, the Report carries the dubious distinction of virtually ignoring those who suffered from the negative public health impacts of the public health emergency it was supposedly meant to be analyzing ... CLICK HERE for the full commentary

Have I got this straight? Preston Manning just made a recommendation to give politicians absolute authority over public health that was so excellent the Alberta government accepted it a week before they got it? Can someone remind me why we gave the superannuated godfather of the Canadian right a budget of $2 million and paid him $253,000 in personal pin money if we weren’t going to wait for his recommendations and at least talk about them for a day or two before implementing them? CLICK HERE for the full story

The Canadian Senate Today is a change of plans from what I had intended on day number eighteen of ’20 for 2020’ , and it was inspired after a post which I wrote yesterday regarding, regarding the BC Green Party still receiving extra government funds , after the leave taking of former leader Andrew Weaver. The post was picked up by the Armchair Mayor, where I am identified as ... a Kamloops resident and former member of the Reform Party of Canada and the B.C. Reform Party, and a past and current member of the BC Conservative Party. An individual named Joey Thomas, rather than actually commenting on the story, instead stated ... ‘ A former reform party member? No thanks. How's the whole triple E senate thing going Al ?’ So, yah ... I have never reversed my thoughts that Preston Manning, and the Reform Parties, call to have a Triple E Senate should become reality.   That is why I responded by stating: “You find it a joke that ANY Prime Minister ...

Premier Jason Kenney outlined Alberta’s strategy to secure a fair deal in the federation, and announced the membership and mandate of the panel on Alberta’s future. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney Speaking to the Manning Centre “What’s Next?” Conference, Kenney said that Albertans are ... expressing unprecedented levels of frustration with the federal government and the barriers being placed in the way of Alberta’s economy . The Premier outlined initiatives already taken by the government to stand up for Alberta, steps that it will take in the months to come, and a number of deeper reforms that it will consult on through the Fair Deal Panel. “ Alberta has been by far the biggest contributing province to Canada in recent decades, and a huge engine for jobs and growth. But governments that have profited from our resources, hard work, and generosity now seem determined to pin us down and block us in ”, stated Premier Kenney “ Albertans aren’t asking for a ...

The fragility of a 'big tent' conservative party ( There is a long history of right-wing parties splintering and merging in Canada ) CBC News ~~ Duane Bratt & Bruce Foster ~~ July 25th This is a well-researched article, and well-reasoned around the various versions of Conservative and other right-side party mergers, coalitions and shotgun marriages to fight a common partisan political enemy. Or two. But what does that mean for the current paradigm in the looming Canadian federal election? It would seem that the Andrew Scheer-led Conservative Party of Canada has been doing quite well at forming local coalitions against left-side incumbents (judging from their candidate nominations), and Scheer and his advisers also have been doing well to position themselves as electable such as by producing a passable policy on climate change (even though the supposed climate crisis is bogus, the preponderance of people believing it's real must be assuaged)...