Thoughts on BC Politics and More

On Thursday, February 20, Pascale St-Onge, the current federal Minister for Canadian Heritage, proposed long overdue reforms to this country’s public broadcaster, CBC/Radio-Canada. Those reforms include getting rid of advertising on all news programming, and a new, sustainable funding model for CBC/Radio-Canada. Unfortunately, St-Onge unveiled these plans just as she was also announcing she would be leaving politics at the end of her current term ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Columbia River Treaty compensates Canada to manage waterway for U.S. hydro-power, flood control. BC MLA Adrian Dix says he gets texts, emails, and even stopped at his local Safeway. He says people urge him to cut off power or even water to the US. People are angry, said Dix, BC's Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions and the minister responsible for the Columbia River Treaty ... CLICK HERE for the full story

As British Columbians track their spending, one of the most expensive bills continues to be groceries. On Thursday, the BC government announced it is setting up a task force to grow the province’s agriculture and food processing economy to improve production, profitability and competitiveness. This announcement comes as U.S. President Donald Trump threatens to impose tariffs on goods imported from Canada early next month ... CLICK HERE for the full story

With election day fast approaching in Ontario, voters will soon pass judgment on Premier Doug Ford’s decision to call a snap vote before his mandate expired. On Feb. 27, Ontarians will cast their ballots in a battle between Ford’s Progressive Conservatives (PCs), Marit Stiles’s NDP, Bonnie Crombie’s Liberal Party, and Mike Schreiner’s Green Party. The election had previously been set for June 2026 under provincial legislation. However, rumours that Ford might call an early election had been floating around Queen’s Park for months as the governing PCs had been enjoying high approval ratings in pre-election polls. “Early elections aren’t uncommon in Canada, but they can be a double-edged sword" ... CLICK HERE for the full story

As the Liberals close the gap on Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives, Jagmeet Singh’s New Democrats are in danger of being completely eclipsed. Polls even suggest that if Mark Carney becomes the new Liberal leader, the NDP could be pushed into single digits. And in Ontario, Marit Stiles’s NDP could lose half of its seats (or more) as the fight for second place appears to be Bonnie Crombie’s and the Ontario Liberals’ to lose. This week on The Numbers , we take a look at the latest federal and Ontario polling numbers, as well as break down some new fundraising data from the Liberal leadership race. We also chat about an upcoming Manitoba byelection and polls out of British Columbia and Yukon. Finally, Philippe has a Quiz! CLICK HERE for the full story

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: The B.C. government delivered a throne speech to open the legislature that was big on rhetoric, low on details and a sign, critics say, it’s out of ideas. It’s a familiar broken record. Like an annual political Groundhog Day. And it happened again Tuesday, as Premier David Eby’s government delivered his first throne since the October provincial election. I’ll spare you the trouble of reading it: There’s nothing there. No new ideas. No new promises ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Conservative Party of B.C. MLAs scored a significant win Wednesday even before they opened their mouths to start the inaugural question period in the new parliament. NDP Health Minister Josie Osborne announced a significant curtailment of the safe supply policy for dealing with opioid addiction and it looks to be in direct response to concerns the Opposition started raising two years ago. After repeatedly discounting questions about whether hard drugs prescribed to protect people from deadly street supply were being diverted to the black market, the government finally fully acknowledged it is a significant problem ... CLICK HERE for the full story

What do Nazis, superfortress bombers, fascism in Europe, and Donald Trump have in common? All somehow managed to feature prominently in British Columbia Premier David Eby’s speech from the throne Tuesday — an address to the legislature so heavy in wartime imagery you would have thought it was 1939 ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Canadians are staying home. Cross-border traffic between British Columbia and Washington State has plunged in February amid calls for boycotts of American products, according to data released by Whatcom County and analyzed by the Fraser Valley Current. Car traffic at the Peace Arch border crossing during the Family Day/Presidents Day long weekend was down by more than 40%. Traffic at the three other crossings in southwest BC was down by more than 20% compared to the previous year ... CLICK HERE for the full story

There’s an undeniable spirit among Canadians right now: most of us (84%) feel deeply connected to a greater Canadian identity. When we think about what defines that identity, we talk about kindness, respect for diversity, and a sense of unity. We’re proud of our universal healthcare, our peaceful reputation, and the freedoms we enjoy. At the same time, nearly six in ten say the country is “off on the wrong track.” This reveals a kind of mixed emotional landscape: we’re proud to be Canadian, yet worried about where we’re headed. When my team at Abacus Data and I ask people about their day-to-day lives, the consistent refrain is that they’re struggling with a sense of uncertainty ... CLICK HERE for the full story