Thoughts on BC Politics and More

Newly released polling from Ipsos suggests that a majority of Canadians believe the economic benefits of removing interprovincial trade barriers outweigh any potential downsides. Asked whether eliminating such barriers would promote national economic growth, 62 percent of respondents agreed, while just 4 percent disagreed. Another 21 percent were neutral, and 13 percent were unsure ... CLICK HERE for the full story 

Recent developments south of the Canada-U.S. border have kicked off a much-needed public conversation about economic sovereignty that we have not seen for many years. It has brought to light conversations on how BC can reconcile energy development, climate action and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples that have long been deferred or carried out in silos. The status quo approach yields policy confusion and polarization, with covert tradeoffs that jeopardize prosperity for all. The choices we must make now as a province will determine whether we can truly stand on our own feet. Fortunately, there are valuable lessons that can be learned from a region that has remained largely invisible to urban decision-makers, despite quietly powering our prosperity for decades ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Just two days after the Liberals won the federal election, executives from companies linked to the new prime minister’s former employer, Brookfield Asset Management, began asking for his help. On April 30, two oil and gas companies owned by Brookfield joined 36 others in signing an open letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney. The group urged him to speed up resource development by easing regulations and fast-tracking approvals ... CLICK HERE for the full story

. . . . The poll allowed British Columbians to give weight to key priorities. More than half say that the respect for reconciliation and the leadership shown by the government in including indigenous partners in decisions are both important to them. That said, concerns about further complicating resource development (which already necessitates the consideration of indigenous peoples' interests in relevant regions) and economic risks, are equally weighted by the population. ARI also found there is a sense the consultation timeline has been rushed. One-quarter (26%) say the current timeline offered by the government is acceptable. But more disagree, including half (48%) who want to see more consultation, extending deliberations into the fall or later this year, and one-quarter (27%) who want to kill the proposed changes entirely . . . . CLICK HERE for the full story

We will emerge from the current surreal situation. We have voluntarily given up our freedoms on the advice of the medical community in order to slow the spread of a communicable virus. What is galling is that the predicted exponential increases in COVID-19 cases has not taken place. We have had a very large number of cases (and deaths) added to the totals due to virus outbreaks in long-term care facilities which were predictable and preventable. A few days ago, we were advised that deaths in long-term care facilities represented about 50% of the COVID-19 deaths reported. That is horrific and getting rapidly worse as new instances in care homes are reported each day. What is the proportion today? 55% ... 60% ... or higher? It makes a huge difference in trying to assess the risks to the general population. Both the reported number of cases and number of deaths are artificially high when assessing the risks to the multitude in self-isolation. Including s...

We cannot continue to be governed by ideologues who draw their inspiration from unaccountable, and unelected, foreign bureaucracies exercising powers they are not entitled to. Governance frameworks structure and delineate the power and the management roles in an organization. They set rules, procedures, and other informational guidelines. Governance frameworks define, guide, and provide for enforcement of these processes. These frameworks are shaped by the goals, strategic mandates, financial incentives, power structures and processes of the organization. We expect our government to develop a mission statement, establish strategic goals compatible with the mission, and do regular reviews to ensure that work to achieving goals in on track. Thousands of public and private organizations do it as a requirement of responsible governance. The structure of our governments, and governance, is set out in our constitution which includes the responsibilities and rules for ...

Caribou grazing at reclaimed natural gas site Those of you who know me well, know that there is a surface message to my posts, and there is also a significantly deeper message hidden for those who dare to take time to interpret my meaning. Each night after work, I head to the trap-line. Sometimes it is to set traps, and other times it is to check them. But last night, we just needed to clear our minds and think of something other than the terrible situation Canada is in under the current Liberal government. An d look what we saw!  Yep. Just pawing away at the lichens and mosses at an old abandoned and reclaimed natural gas site. Nowadays when an area is prepared for development, the "A" Horizon is carefully peeled away and stored for later use. Resource developers have gotten this down to a fine science!     All the natural topsoil had been protected, and once the well was no longer producing, the well itself was cut and capped and fi...