Same Dix, Same Tricks??? No, no, no…Same Clark, Same Bark…
To suggest that I’m unsurprised with the BC Liberals latest attack website, is to understate the case considerably.
Political parties without an agenda, and ones particularly down in the polls, often choose the expedient route: Go dirty. It’s easy, it’s relatively cheap, and if your opponent is even remotely what you say he or she is, then it’s quicker to get to match point.
But this is more about Christy Clark than her party. She is without one original thought and her numbers continue to fall through the floor. So what does she authorize? More nastiness, more hate. It’s her modus operandi in public life. It’s how she does things.
It’s who she is.
Empty, foolish, amateurish and unkind. Same Clark, same bark…
Parenthetically, look at the ads the federal Conservatives are running. Every bit of hammering they’re applying to Thomas Mulcair and the federal NDP isn’t simply well-deserved, but well-earned. For example, he wants a national carbon tax? For what? To buttress the single greatest hoax of the last 100 years: global warming doomersterism? He’s a mad man.
And the Conservatives, say what you want, are exercising a steady hand on the tiller. A combination that allows them to score points. Major ones–at least for now.
Juxtapose that, with Christy Clark’s corrupt, rudderless government, and you very quickly discover why her efforts to go nasty won’t work–in fact, they’ll back fire.
She has no credibility and neither does her government.
The website ‘Same Dix Same Tricks’ was launched yesterday. It was, of course, done so because of Adrian Dix’s same-day appearance at the Vancouver Board of Trade, where, I might add, he gave a steady, informative but sometimes disjointed speech.
Nevertheless, the website is an attempt to be clever. Problem being: There is no substance to the foray–not a shred, and, therefore, cleverness isn’t part of this daffiest of tactics.
Let’s look at some of the claims.
(1) When the NDP were in power they taxed us to death. This may be true for some segments of the economy. They over-taxed business and shuttered the resource sectors–regardless of brief increases in output volumes and returns. They over-regulated and swung the pendulum too far to the left. It’s wonderful that they delivered a surplus, but at what cost? Workers and businesses were leaving the province in droves. Productivity levels in some sectors plummeted. However, it’s beyond rich for the BC Liberals to be making this argument. The Campbell/Clark Liberals have also taxed us TO DEATH!
What’s a toll? No, not a fee, guess again. No, it’s not a tariff, that’s just another name for it. Try again. No, it’s not a levy, that’s the name of a very affable, highly likable Jewish guy on NW.
A toll is a tax! After taxing every bridge including the one from my youngest daughter’s dollhouse to her Barbie’s bloody car, the BC Liberals have some nerve to be making such outrageous claims against the NDP.
We elected them to make things better. And they did, for about the first two years. After that, it was a train looking for a place to wreck.
As well, they’ve obviously forgotten the demand they foisted on us that we pay for IPP power at a premium–an answer to a non-existent problem, as the BC Utilities Commission reminds us. That, too, is a tax, its just better hidden. Add the insane carbon tax–yet more pandering to global warming fraud (sorry, I realize that’s redundant) and who are they hurting the most? I’ll tell you: Tom the Toolbelt, and Wendy the Waitress. Families first? Not a chance!
And lest we forget the infernal HST? They hammered us with it for two years, and after we rejected it, they still made us pay it for another two! This isn’t simple taxation, it’s state mandated torture.
What’s the point of reducing taxes when you have hidden “air taxes” on new vehicle purchases? More green fraud. How can you point the finger at anyone else, when you host an Olympics you can’t afford and hide the real costs in a years-long shell game?
Yes, the NDP went too far to the command side, but the BC Liberals went too far to the other extreme. Heartlessness, I know thy name…
The BC Liberals.
Anyway, here are a few other major low lights of the new website.
(2) The NDP didn’t balance budgets. Excuse me??? Prior to leaving his post, Kevin Falcon regaled us with one of the most lavish moments of verbal horse manure I’ve ever heard. As with Colin Hansen before him, he was NEVER able to comprehend the government’s responsibility not to play fast and loose with the books. After Christy provided him with total control, nothing improved anyway, because, like all Liberals, they are, at least, as tax and spend as the NDP were, they’re just better at covering their tracks. Instead of cutting government waste, they added layers upon layers, particularly in health care, where the entire Ministry is essentially run off the desks of whatever stooge is Minister of Health, and under the auspices of the CEO of the fledgling BCMA–now, well-ensconced as an arm of the BC Liberal government, thanks in no small part, to the Machiavellian direction of Alan Seckel, their point man and former BC Rail/Basi-Virk government deal cutter.
Millions wasted and frittered away across the board and the BC Liberals have the temerity to needle the NDP???
(3) The NDP added labour laws that hurt the province. The NDP were too pro-labour, say the BC Liberals. Really? This is coming from a government that tried desperately to pick a fight with every union available (the BCTF chief among them–the poster child for being dumb enough to engage, and look where it got them); ILLEGALLY tore up enforceable contracts (decisions reversed by the courts); stalled or otherwise tried to dishonour collective bargaining agreements; had the lowest minimum wage in Canada until last year (it’s still pitiful as our cost of living in BC is out-of-control) and introduced a learning wage at a jaw-dropping $6.00 per hour.
(4) The average family paid more in income taxes under the NDP. Sure they did, absolutely.
But there has never been another government in the history of this province, other than the BC Liberals, to have lowered income taxes and then gone out and ABSOLUTELY FLEECED the taxpayer with user fees, additional taxes on individual items, taxes on taxes and raised prices on almost everything. Never, ever.
Where to begin…
Let’s start with MSP costs (higher); transit fares (higher); ferry rates (higher); user fees (higher); BC Hydro rates (higher); ICBC rates (higher); green initiatives to nowhere (higher)…shall I continue?
And the services attached respectively to each? LOWER, LOWER, MUCH LOWER, MUCH LOWER AGAIN, MUCH, MUCH LOWER AGAIN, AND MUCH, MUCH, MUCH LOWER.
See the pattern?
Families first, Christy, are you sure you can keep up this thunderous lie???
I’m deliriously happy that we have a new Port Mann Bridge. That it’s the world’s widest is wonderful. I think we should be expanding our roads and upgrading our bridges to make it easier for people to travel this great province. Marvey. But that the Premier’s over pampered ass led the spending of a half million dollars in office expenses last year, while the average joe using the Port Mann to get to work will pay an astounding $1500.00 a year, should be a crime punishable by having to listen to taped Stephane Dion speeches over and over, interspersed with lashings of equivalent, breath-taking pain.
(5) The BC NDP were bad stewards of the economy. Um, does a half billion dollar stadium roof mean anything to anyone? Another half billion over run on a convention center ring a bell? And both done using, surprise, the construction companies of BC Liberal-friendly titans. Multi-billion dollar deals for government friends and pals to rape rivers sound familiar? How ’bout executive compensation, so obscene, at Hydro, ICBC, Ferries and Translink, that it appears all you needed on your resume was a copy of your BC Liberal membership card? Any of those jog your memory, Christy?
How do the FastCat ferries look now?
But think of their utter confusion! Now that they are seeking re-election, they’re simply going to cut spending on big ticket items, according to new Finance Spinister Mike deDung, as revenues flatline or decline. All while the Premier runs around hell’s half acre promising the moon and stars! Huh?
If they really want to help themselves and finally tell the truth, they SHOULD have a name change, to the BS LIBERALS. The LIES they are telling are unbelievable.
Jesus Christ Almighty…oh sorry, I forgot, he’s running the BC Conservatives…I won’t mention Him like that again.
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In an early morning perusal of the papers, here, is Gary Mason’s absolutely outstanding column. A must read. Two thumbs way up.
From a wage perspective, the BC Liberals have been much kinder to at least the BCTF than the NDP ever was.
I received an email a while ago with a very interesting spreadsheet that compares the wage increases for the BCTF under both the NDP and Liberals. It shows that from 1992 to 2001 the teachers got a total compounded raise of 4.5% (or on average 0.9%/year), and from 2001 to 2011, they got a compounded raise of 22.9% (average 2.3%/year). I presume the data is sound, but I have not verified it. I’d be happy to email the spreadsheet, as I have no other way of posting.
I guess teachers really aren’t in it for the money, and the BC Liberals are maybe a bit cosier to labour than meets the eye!
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You have to look at the total package. They always had it better under the NDP.
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wages mean nothing if your working conditions are so bad you wake up every day trying to figure out how to quit your job and do something else that will make you enough to live off of.
theres a reason the supreme court of BC ruled the liberals had passed laws that violated the teachers human rights.
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j, you are totally exaggerating the plight of teachers. While they’ve clearly been jerked around, it’s not exactly sweatshop conditions. Teachers are well-compensated overall, especially when you look at the total wages, benefits and pension plan, and let’s face it – 3 months off a year is pretty nice.
My wife is a teacher. She does not spend every day figuring out how to quit her job; in fact she’s very good at it and quite enjoys her work, and from what I know so do her colleagues. The only part she doesn’t enjoy is the BCTF political BS and the subtle (or sometimes not so subtle) coercion from those of her fellow teachers that are unionists to toe the line.
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fair enough and you are correct.
i still would not be very happy to have to sue my employer to retain my basic rights just because some university drop out has an axe to grind.
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Yup, 3 months a year off is pretty nice, especially when you spend a week or 2 at the end of the year completing things you weren’t able to complete by the end of June and then starting up a week or 2 in August to be ready for beginning of school in September. Not all, but a lot do this and many take extra courses and training on their own time to help them be better able to work with young people.
Many people I worked with put in countless hours preparing before and after school and then took a briecase home full of student work to mark in the evening, every evening of the week, and then more to be marked on the weekend. It was quite apparent they were working much more than a 40 hour week, although nobody realized it.
One such friend taught Commerce and Law. After being kidded (more like taunted) by a non-teaching friend he kept a record of his school related work, prep, marking, advising and extra-curricular activities. He was amazed when he tallied it all up to find that worked and/or devoted 50 – 60 hours a week to school/teaching related activities.
You may believe a teacher’s compensation is great, I don’t, especially for a beginning teacher. It’s adequate at best, but not great.
Agree with you on some of the things concerning the BCTF, but when confronted by the utter contempt and disdain Ms. Clark and this government has for not only teachers, but all of education in BC, is it any wonder the BCTF/ teachers react?
Wish the BCTF could find a way to be more to the centre, just as I wish the same for our provincial government.
No regrets, working with young people was truly a privilege.
I never wanted to find a different job, loved teaching for 30 years.
Hate to admit it, but the reason I didn’t teach the full 35 years – I burned out!
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teachers had it worse under NDP. Worse again as far as huge classes under Liberals.
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Gosh, when I went to school, it was nothing to have over 30 students in a class. Of course, we got a better education than the little darlings now do, because the class was disciplined; it had to be, in order to get the grade taught. There wasn’t time for all the ‘pink t-shirt gambits’ and there were no “professional days” that I can recall. We had “cloak rooms” at the back of the room, and were forbidden to wear hats or toques or coats in class. If you had a request to make, or something to add to the discussion, you were required to raise your hand and await the teacher’s permission to express yourself. Quaint, what?
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I would beg to differ, Larry. I think one of the reasons public education these days gets such a bad wrap is because those of your generation remember an entirely flawed system that for many, was more harmful than beneficial.
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That coming from a teacher who wasn’t there, and wouldn’t have been able to handle the situation! It makes ever more true the old aphorism: Them that can’t do, teach.
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That’s some fairly large assumptions on your part Larry. My wife is a teacher and I have seen some of the issues she has to deal with in the classroom. In my opinion, most complainers who lambaste teachers about classroom management wouldn’t last 1 week if they were put in the same position.
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I agree.
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But it is absolutely ok for the Dummy to rack up almost half a million on a credit card expense account and also some of these bills were at luxurious spas ….perhaps Pammy accompanied her. Other useless Lieberals racked up huge expenses also. All the mla’s should be audited and taxpayer should be refunded. Also there is a rumour floating out there that this dictatorship isnt calling a fall session as they dont want focus on their fifteen percent raises they gave themse.lves
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We have heard from a great many BC Liberal supporters and MSM talking heads that Christy Clark is a great communicator. If this were true then why is she always having to clarify her previous communications?
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“Clark, the Bark” is the best communicator of all time – it’s us stuuuupppid voters that are at fault – we have poor comprehension skills.
If we’d just pay attention, Christy wouldn’t have to dumb down and rephrase her statements so often.
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So Premier Clark doesn’t like to work in the Legislature and thinks she should be meeting the people of the province instead.
After the May 2012 election, that will become a reality and it will be permanent.
It makes absolutely no sense to elect a premier who does not want to do her job.
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Complete agreement
Going after the Opposition after they have been in government is
part of the game, but there’s 11 years since the last NDP government.
Also consider the NDPs transgressions began with Harcourt of which Adrian was not really a part of until he opened his office door given to him by Glen Clark.
It’s a sign of desperation (now consider Social Credit went after the
NDP in the 1975 election and up to the 1979 election (+4 years and
a “You compare” campaign, which was okay, but didn’t click with
alot of voters to give Social Credit a huge majority. In fact they lost seats in that election).
But going after the NDP after 11 years of them being Opposition is a bit much. The BC Liberals (I think) did a “you compare” campaign in 2005, which would be correct, but not now.
It is laughable that the BC Liberals are screeching about NDP’s tax policies when the HST came in and the mess that started is now
political history (boy was I ever glad to be able to get a seat in the upper blues to watch that one with a big bag of popcorn and a coke to see that).
Fast Cats sure. A big mistake and a dumb one. But not continuing on
with building new ships other than the Island Sky and the three German ships (which by the way earned Alex’s hero Norman Stowe a big PR contract even though there were technical and logistical errors in it) is also not smart.
I doubt if Hahn had a BC Liberal membership card, but his counterpart at Catamaran Ferries International Jack Munro certainly had one, and Im sure that empty helmet who forgot her sales materials that were supposed to go to a ferries symposium in Boston also had a NDP membership, (Oxana Eksell was her name I believe).
It was a news item that she did forget to bring sales material about CFI.
it is correct that the NDP drove resource development into the ground
(um wait a minit – pondering what I just wrote – um, ah well, anyway..).
The NDP cut down the forest industry too (oh geez, there I go again).
I’ve seen these types of websites before, and every party twists the facts.
The BC Liberal one is sadly comical, obviously a make work project for the people at HQ who still haven’t got the party fixed the way Christy had promised.
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Clark and Dix are like directions on a compass for their prospective parties. The liberal part of the coalition voted in CC, the hard left voted in Dix.
Neither of them is worthy of trust … look at their records. Both are puppets … one is a willing participant, the other to stupid to know it.
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The fact of the matter is that no one really knows how a leader of a political party is chosen. Both parties had a massive sign-up of supposed new members. Did these new members have a preconceived political bent or just an exuberence to have a say who our new premier would be or who would lead the opposition? Did those of either party that were competing for the leadership of their respective party use less than honourable tactics to signup prospective supporters?
I believe that we would be much better served if the political party was relegated to a distant memory. It’s time we elect our representatives on merit rather than political party affiliation. The current convention just doesn’t cut it anymore.
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Partially agree, The NDP is actually no saint when it comes to leaderships either. I’ve seen less than honourable tacts in the goals to get candidates nominated, both from the nominee’s supports and the party itself. The NDP has an affirmative action policy in place which dilutes the member’s democratic choosing of a candidate.
The solution is simply for the membership to insist to the Party Mandarins that things be kept democratic and fair, and let the members decide who is to be the candidate. Remove this “star candidate” nonsense, and actually use the nomination process as a
test. Few nomination candidates actually use the nomination process as a test, and there are a few (on both Party sides) that figure it is more of a coronation ceremony than anything.
And yes there has been instances of seemly “entitlement” enter the picture. When that happens. the ego grows and so does the degree
of nausa on part of the supporters and group that has to get this person elected. Seen that a few times.
As for less than honourable tactics, if I were in charge of either Clark’s campaign or Kevin’s campaign, I would tell the people responsible stop and get out. These less than honourable tactics may be something that the supporters figure they can “get away with” but almost always they end up being smoked out later.
One can still elect representatives on merit, there are a few that shine brightly on merit on both the BC Liberal and the NDP side, and still have the party system working. O
But there are many whose merit is next to nothing, but do a good job selling snow to an Inuit.
In a few instances, I have voted on the basis of merit, not party affliiation (as have quite a few others) at the civic level. The net result is that the candidates on one side (conservative/liberal) were virtually ignored in favour of the others of merit (NDP).
Examine and dissect your candidates. Examine the background and what is it that they want to accomplish once elected. It’s simply not enough to say “The BC Liberals did this and that”. They did, but I want to know what is it that you’re going to do to fix it. What workable solutions do you have? How do you intend to reach out to all citizens equally (not any one multicultural group or group close to your party).
Ask questions. Be an investigative detective.
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Seymour stated:
“It’s a sign of desperation (now consider Social Credit went after the NDP in the 1975 election and up to the 1979 election (+4 years and a “You compare” campaign, which was okay, but didn’t click with alot of voters to give Social Credit a huge majority. In fact they lost seats in that election).”
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Seymour. Of all the posters on Alex’s site, I always enjoy your contributions the most. That said, you are incorrect in this regard.
During the 1979 provincial election campaign, it was actually the BC NDP who ustilized the “You Compare” TV ad campaign incorporating Stats Canada figures. It was a bit of spin on the numbers, but quite effective. The best ad campaign that the BC NDP ever had to date.
The Socreds did not counter those ads to their peril. In fact, the 1979 Socred campaign was so disjointed that Bennett was flying up to Prince Rupert on a campaign aircraft… but then turned around at the last minute to go to another campaign location at the advice of party strategists. I mean… why got to heavy NDP Prince Rupert (Graham Lea’s then seat) in the first place? Nothing to gain there.
After the ’79 campaign, Bennett was so disappointed with Socred party machinery/ strategists that he hired political strategists from Ontario’s very successful “Big Blue Machine” inclusive of Jerry Lampert, Pat Kinsella, et al IIRC.
Bennett also entrusted ??? (now passed away BC boy – name escapes me) to bring the Socred’s election machinery into the 20th century. Post mortems of the ’83 campaign confirmed that the Socreds bested the NDP for the first time in that regard as a result of his extensive work.
Indeed, then Province provincial affairs columnist Allen Garr had an extensive article on the then incredible Socred election machinery following the Socred victory on May 5, 1983.
BTW, the Socred TV ads during the 1983 campaign were also the best that I have ever seen, by any party, to date.
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Hugh Harris….died of an aneurism at the Social Credit Head Office. He was in a terrific organizer and a wonderful person.
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One of the best ads was that of a Dave Barrett look-alike that was dressed in a blue business suit. The message was that you can dress him up to look like he is friendly to business (job creation), but he a Socialist under this facade.
The ad showed “Barrett” undressing from his suit, and left standing wearing only his true colours…red underwear.
The other ads were feel positive ads with Fred Latremouile, former weatherman and CFUN host, as the mouthpiece for the message.
The 1983 campaign essentially had the message…who is in control of the Province…the Government or the Unions?
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Complete agreement.
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Darin. Thanks for refreshing my memory! Hugh Harris was at the tip of my tongue and I whole-heartedly agree.
OTOH, I will have to disagree about the TV ad stuff.
The so-called feel positive ads with Fred Latremouile of then BCTV weatherman fame were government ads run long before the 1983 campaign.
Barrett was so incensed that he yammered to negate their effect and even BCTV did a then news story interviewing Latremouile about his position in these gov’t ads.
As for the Barrett “red underwear” election ads by the Socreds, I also recall them. Humour ads. But those were not the ads that I was referring to.
I was referring to the Socred ads that had numerous people identifying their names and work positions, from all walks of life, providing a reasonable statement as to why they would be supporting the Socreds. And they weren’t actors. Also very well choreographed.
Someone at home, watching the ads, could relate to the message from a fellow BC’er and they weren’t overtly political. Very well done in communicating a message IMHO.
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I love those ads and remember them well. On the other hand I thought Bruno Gerussi lost a ton of his following when in the 80s he did promo ads for the BC NDP. And they were so poorly done.
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Great post. I’m just wondering, however, -and I know it’s off topic (but you raised it twice), why you’re so sure global warming is a hoax? I mean, at the very least it’s a debate. Dismissing it out of hand, as you do, isn’t right.
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With respect, you need thread more carefully. I’m against global warming ALARMISM, and not climate change.
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If there is climate change, that’s not cause for alarm? Or is it the consequences of climate change you are not convinced of.
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Neither.
I believe we”re in a natural cycle that requires no severe intervention, just diligence and understanding of our world and the demands of sensitive ecosystems etc. We all want clean air and fresh water and a better earth.
No confusion on my part about any of that. But all the predictions of doom and gloom AREN’T HAPPENING.
So, the natural skeptic in me sees the fraud of those that claim otherwise.
Nothing complicated.
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All the predictions aren’t happening??? There is a lot happening out there – from ice melts to ocean acidification – that alarms the beejeezus out of many. Human impacts on the planet are pretty humongous in many ways. Maybe it’s time for that oft-promised posting of yours, Alex. Clear the air, so to speak… :<}
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And there are perfect explanations for them totally unrelated to man-led global warming.
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True, but none of them are promoted by anyone with a shred of scientific credibility. To suggest burning billions of tons of previously sequestered carbon won’t impact our climate is like saying you can smoke your cigar in a crowded tent and no one will be affected. It is utterly anti-intuitive and easily comprehended by grade schoolers. Your position on this is completely untenable. The predicted changes are starting to show. Live in a dreamworld if you like. The majority are coming to terms. Of course, I continue to enjoy many of your other prognostications and analyses, but on this topic you are deep in the weeds.
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Not at all.
I stand by my statements. Manipulated date are not scientific proof. Far from it. I prefer to look at the plethora of evidence–by accredited scientists, that proves the science is far from settled.
Sorry.
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Just curious. Off the general topic but inline with this thread: Where are you on the concept of peak oil? I’m not a scientist, and I would agree that when you’re talking about millenial arcs of time its pretty tough to say anything is conclusive or absolutely correct, but wouldn’t common sense indicate that by releasing millions of years of stored energy all in the space of a couple of hundred years, we must be having a effect on what is a finite and closed system? People can believe what they want I suppose but the burning of fossil fuels is not a naturally occuring part of the earths cycle.
Also-When are you gonna drop that “bomb” or share the insite on Colemans decision to remain?
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In time. I was talking with someone about it this morning.
As for the releasing of those carbons in a confined system inside 200 years, it has made a negligible impact. Otherwise, water vapour wouldn’t be the biggest culprit–carbon would.
As for Coleman’s staying, it should be fairly obvious.
LDB.
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Global warming scientists never talk about the fact there was a minor ice age in the 13th century long before the advent of the SUV.
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If you are a “natural Skeptic” as you claim, then you might want to do a little self-education about your “belief” around AGW. Pretty much everything you say above is very far from the scientifc reality of the situation.
Perhaps start here:
http://www.skepticalscience.com/
And that is all I can say about that.
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That website is PROVEN FRAUD.
Everything I said above is absolute truth. The notion that we continue to be bombarded with rank insanity and have to accept it because the same fraud artists are still at it, is nonsense.
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Yosemite Sam forgets that Martin Frobisher traveled all the way to the north end of, what is today, Baffin Island, in a little wooden caravel – I forget how many centuries ago. Then again, the mis, or overuse of fuels and resource extraction, etc., may be the cause of global warming/ cooling, or whatever, in which case, I suggest it is too late to do anything about (and most environmentalist would agree) and to which I would suggest – tough toenails for mankind!
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One who loves Question period, and protestors.
One who loves debate and an all around love of Democracy
One, if we hire you. Will not call the employer Sick and unhealthy.
One who just loves Victoria, and doesn’t really believe that there are no Real people here, trust US We are Real.
Please submit your resume in May.
We will review All applicants, but if you want to travel upon receiving this position, you will be Not considered for this important position.
Must be willing to work well with others and Respect Our House.
Please no Bully’s need apply,
Contact any of the employee’s at the Legislature, to drop off your application. They will be more than happy to receive it.
Thank You for Your Interest.
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Thank You…………Mr Alex, BC needs to know, the Other News.
Great Job.
Mr White.
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Uhhhh….
“I’m deliriously happy that we have a new Port Mann Bridge. That it’s the world’s widest is wonderful.”
Oh? What’s that make the 15-lane Driscoll Bridge over the Raritan River in New Jersey? A footpath for the Garden State Parkway?
You know I wish the media would kindly look up once in a while from transcribing government press releases to actually check a fact or two, like they were supposedly trained to do in whatever version of J-school they slept.
I mean, REALLY. With someone like George Abbott you could sometimes skip fact-checking because he generally had them on the mark without too much hyperbole, but I wouldn’t trust Mary Polak to tell me the sun rose in the east this morning without checking first in the west.
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Maybe they’re going to hang suicide netting and count that into the width?
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Too far Barry, too far.
#sensitivitytraining
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Kevin Falcon appreciated the joke…
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No need to count the suicide netting into the width of the bridge.
All the tallest building claims have large antennas on top to boost the height.
A horizontal antenna would just seem like a gimmick. However a walkway extending out to a spitting platform on each side of the bridge would not only be eye catching, but could become a destination for both locals and tourists. Really, who wouldn’t want to spit from the world’s widest bridge?
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The Driscoll Brigge is actually two parallel bridges not one 15 lane
bridge structure
The New Port Mann is one bridge structure.
The Driscoll Bridge is the world’s widest in terms of number of lanes crossing it (15).
The New Port Mann Bridge is the world’s widest in terms of actual width of the structure.
Prior to completion of the New Port Mann, the Sydney Harbour Bridge was the world’s widest bridge (in terms of width of the structure), not the Driscall Bridge.
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Two separate spans. Fair enough.
Hopefully this is not intended as a defense of our J-skool students, any one of whom ought to have been wise enough to see that this kind of “greatest” was sure to be a throwaway statement, akin to the old canard that went round for decades that said the West End is the densest place to live in North America.
Or the one that said “Every dollar invested in the arts returns $1.38 to the community.”
There are lots of interesting things one could say about the Port Mann. It’s one of the few bridges that dropped its deck in the river during construction. It’s lost equipment over the side, and excavations caved in a hydro tower. It’s suffered redesigns and a vast number of change orders to the original contract. It’s a P-3. No it’s not. a P-3 Yes, it is. No, it’s not. Well, really, nobody knows if it’s a P-3 or not.
All these are noteworthy in some way. I find it hard to believe that “Mine’s bigger than yours!” is all that our vaunted media can find to say about it.
And perhaps that’s what Alex was alluding to as well.
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Yeah, in a way.
I’m a big believer in building bridges and roads. The era of the car isn’t going to die and people need to get to work. Cut the green crap people. It’s over.
Next we’ll be told to cycle to Prince George. Idiots.
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I’m not, but it’s your soapbox and I’m just here lurking. Thanks for a moment’s entertainment.
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Always good to hear from you.
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In fairness, the Driscoll Bridge is actually two separate structures–seven lanes on one, eight lanes on the other.
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I looked that up last night and came to the same conclusion. Mind, through Guinness people acknowledge the PMB as through widest. So…whatever.
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I just wonder if all these bridge projects are overkill. They could have probably looked at a cheaper alternative twining the old bridge by adding another 5 lanes and save on the whole tolling debate. The other example is the Golden Ears bridge which is a beautiful structure when all that might be needed is a bridge similar to a Granville or Cambie street bridge.
Sometimes I really wonder how easily people who handle our tax money are duped. I spoke to someone who just came back from Asia who claims that when compared with other transit systems in the world the whole Skytrain system wasnt built with the future in mind because each station doesnt have separate loading and unloading tracks which would mean the system could handle substantially more trains as well as offer express trains that go through some stations with stopping (ie Express only stopping at Broadway, Metrotown, New West and Surrey). But then again what would you expect from a group that built the Canada Line without even roughed in provision for toll gates only to spend a bunch of money a couple of years later adding toll gates. Its not just limited to the Libs as the NDP were the idiots who added an HOV lane to the Port Mann bridge that didnt have provisions to toggle for the am/pm rush hours.
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Structurallyt the Port Mann could not handle adding additional lanes, as the centre span wasn’t designed to take the weight. THe cable stayed bridge is actually cheaper than what you see on the Cambie Bridge which is concrete, and Granville which is expensive steel work.
Canada Line stations were designed with toll gate provisions (the spacing on the floor).
But you’re right about the NDP and Port Mann HOV. That was Harry Lalli. For an extra $5 million or so, the HOV lanes could be made to
be changed in direction quite easily. He kept saying people needed to get home from work to see their familie. He never realised people also have to go to work or that Surrey was (even at that time) was growing.
Someone here mentioned an engineer who came up with a wider bridge than the 1964 one, but it was rejected because of Surrey (which was little compared to now).
Infrastructure now may be overkill, but the capacity while large now may end up being used later on.
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Seymour no additional lanes needed, if you twin it you would just add a new span right next to current bridge with 5 lanes and use the current 2-way and change it to a one way. Total both ways would be 10 lanes just as the new one apparently will eventually be.
As for the infrastructure of the bridge accommodating the future the question is how far into the future can we afford to go? Judging from the one that will be torn down the current benchmark is 45-50 years.
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That was the original plan, but the Port Mann existing is over 40 years old and would require upgrades that would exceed the cost of a new span of the same dimensions and length so that was abandoned in favour of a new bridge.
In 40 or 50 years there wouldn’t be need for a new bridge as we should be able to get around using George Jetson ion powered anti-gravity bubble cars, and around town, a hoverboard that Marty McFly
used in 2015.
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Yes but, will it be paid off in that time span? I think it is a Bridge Too Far! Or is it a span to large to be bridged?
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And…
“Same Clark, same bark.”?
Nice. That’s right up there with “I did not have sex with that woman”.
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Yet another piece of magic from Copperfield Clark, and her mis-trusted assistants, only not just the usual smoke and mirrors, but a disappearing act too. Still too far from an election for the Grand Finale …..so expect a few more of the usual Liberal party tricks like, now you see it !!!, now you don’t !!, rabbit’s from hats, the tear up a $100.00 bill into tiny pieces, and guess which audience members pocket the complete bill is in( always a party member’s favorite), and surely, the always popular, saw an opposition member in half routine.
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I thought Campbell made it through the first term, and was into the second when he decided he was a “Liberal”…and we’ve been going downhill ever since. Once upon a time, we had three Gordons…Gordon Gibson, leader of the BC Progressive Conservatives, Gordon Wilson, leader (and reviver) of the BC Liberals, and Gordon Campbell who should have lead the BC Reform…I thought he was “right” enough. anyway, the rest is history.
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Gorodn Gibson Jr. should have won the BC Liberal Leadership, but The Gordomatic took it instead.
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Something I was sent by a friend, back in May 2010 (post owe-lympics), It hasn’t lost relevence at all…
Information about Gonorrhea Lectim (Liberalis strain)
The BC Center for Disease Control has issued a warning about a new virulent strain of this old disease. The disease is called Gonorrhea Lectim. It’s pronounced “Gonna re-elect ‘em,” and it is a terrible affliction
The disease is contracted through dangerous and high risk behavior involving putting your cranium up your rectum. Many victims contracted it in 2010…but now most people, after having been infected for the past 1-2 years, are starting to realize how destructive this sickness is.
It’s sad because Gonorrhea Lectim is easily cured with a new drug just coming on the market called Votemout. You take the first dose in 2010 (HST variant) and the second dose in 2013 and simply don’t engage in such behavior again; otherwise, it could become permanent and eventually wipe out all life as we know it.
Most ridings are already on top of this, like many in the interior , and apparently now on the Island, with many more seeing the writing on the wall.
Please pass this important message on to all those bright folk you really care about.
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LMAO!!!!!!!!!!
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Good grief! For a minute I thought he was serious – he isn’t is he?
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hilarious!!!
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Hmmm,
Slagged the folks of Deep Cove earlier this year, and now Victorians.
Which community is next?
Marty
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100 Mile House where MLA Donna Barnett is from apparently.
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She hangs out with Pamela Martin, yet complains about a lack of “real people” in her day to day activities?
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You know, I thought that exact same thing last night. LOL!
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I can’t imagine what she would consider as “real people”.
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Obviously those political hacks in the BC Liberal Party that swoon and coo and live in their own fantasy world of easy to handle receptions where they stand around looking like they’re important.
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Alex , thankyou for another great read, and after hearing what Dummy had to say on b.c.t.v. last night , well i’m seething and dripping with contempt for c.c. and company. Right now ,there’s nothing more important than going to work , but I can’t . I just not physically able to, I still have 5 to 6 months of chemo to go through (I’m gettting exelent results though) but I still get up and look through the want adds, blue collor roots eh . But to hear someone say they just can’t go to work because the atmasphere is just to toxic and sick , because after all, they just want to talk politics . why then did she even bother to fraudently usurp that coveted seat in the leg. Christy its your job , you stole the saet and now you don’t want to do your job . you want to get out and talk to the people, most of ‘us people ‘ have but two words for you. If your workplace is to toxic ,isin’t it up to you to change that?
If I ever told that line to an employer , I’d be out of a job. I’m a red seal industrial commercial painter, I’ve painted 250 million dollar buildings, and for some reason I absolutly love to paint, yes my work place can be toxic, but my responsability, to my employer and my family outweigh the negitives ,making positive actions and choices a priority, I did not steal my job or obtain it through fraudulent means.
I’ve been on a slow boil for about 36 hrs straight ,since hearing from c.c. on bctv and reading your colum, and just to write to you requires sitting in a common area to get a claer signal , or the internet gets dropped, but thats how pissed i am right now , the unmittigated gaull and audacity of it all , she has the temerity to make ascertions of this nature , about her work enviroment . maby workplace b.c. should investigate her claims. no fall sitting of the ledge eh , no work no money no problem .
now as for Adrian, its good to see some discomfort or disjointedness coming from him , it reveals a degree of discomfort and uncertianty, he knows he’s being scrutinized serverly by business, that gives me some hope for may 2013 ,and the agenda that will follow. he knows he will not get away with running roughshod over business, even though i’m blue collor i know the difference between good and bad right and wrong, and mr. dix has one golden oppertunity to effect change we all can live with,or he’s as good as recalled, or derailed (glen clark) ,funny he’s jimmys right hand man now ,hard to believe that an n.d.p.er and big business stalwart can co-exist in the same work enviroment.
well , thats my rant on that issue, thank-you for taking the time to print and edit this and i hope to have used the word temerity in the proper context. keep up the good work .
p.s. if mr.dix does not call for a judicial inquiry and opts for a public one , then i’ll have to reconsider who and what i’m voting for.
thanks paul
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You’re most welcome!
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Good luck with your treatment Paul!
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Also have to wish you well in your battle
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As Richard Flint says “if you’re not happy or don’t feel appreciated where you are, be it work or otherwise, leave. The only thing you can change is your surroundings. Your surroundings aren’t going to change for you. Bye bye Crusty.
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I had to say I had a good laugh this morning listening to Ms. Clark on CFAX radio.
While trying to bail herself out of her comments over the toxicity of Victoria… she put her foot into her mouth again.
In an effort to spin this Christy stated that this is the reason we got the HST..a bunch of politicians sitting in the legislature discussing it rather than going out and talking to the people.. huh ????
UM Christy, didn’t you authorize your government to spend big bucks trying to convince us that the HST was the best thing since sliced bread?
wasn’t this your government Christy?
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/bcs-hst-stickmen—from-information-to-persuasion/article583110/
http://www.publiceyeonline.com/archives/006170.html
or this
“Falcon and Premier Christy Clark have also indicated they will offer changes to the HST based on public input gathered in the lead-up to the referendum.”
http://www.thefreepress.ca/news/121737434.html
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I’m going to take this post to suggest alex’s next post title:
BREAKING NEWS – OUR PREMIER GIVES IDIOTS EVERYWHERE A BAD NAME
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BCChristy says the reason we got the HST was because, “…a bunch of politicians sitting in the legislature discussing it rather than going out and talking to the people…”
WTF?? When did the HST ever get discussed in the legislature by a bunch of politicians BEFORE it was announced as a done deal? Maybe if it had been discussed in the legislature by a bunch of politicians in advance of the election, the people might have spoken. Just like they would have spoken on smart meters, IPPs, sale of LDB, etc.
Christy’s next campaign slogan: “Hell no, we won’t go!”
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Brilliant. Well said. Couldn’t agree more.
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Great comment by Paul! Good luck with the Chemo treatment there Bud, hang in there. I’m sure many people in BC work in far more “toxic” environments than poor Christy. Maybe it’s because Pammy’s office isn’t over there in Victoria that she doesn’twant to spend any time there. I’m sure she knew when she went bcak into politic’s that the legislature was in Victoria. I’m sure many folks would put up with a lot more crap at work if they had Christy’s pay, pension and all her perks.
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Hey guys! its ok obama did it too. Christ this woman cant even keep her simile’s in canada. There is no hope for our resource industry.
The liberals new slogan should be you cant spell christy without christ compete with a long sigh.
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Mine is you can’t spell “Christy” without “shit”.
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huh brian… and thought you could not spell Christina Joan Clark without
SR JAIL TRAIN CON HACK
ok ok…its not great but at leat it uses all the letters.
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I revise mine to you can’t spell “CHRISTY” without “CRY SHIT”.
Better?
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That was an interesting comment but the odd part was relating it to the homeless man sleeping on the street..
Have no idea how President Obama and homeless got into her fight..
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Now lets see Glen Clark is the President of the largest corporation in Canada put there by Jimmy pattison who owns the Corporation I guess he got their with bad judgement Of course Gorden Campbell was such a good manager that the Harper Government had to get him out of the country before he got tared and feathered. I bet Pattison gets out of bed every morning thanking Bill Good for throwing a hissy fit when CKNW was going to hire Glen Clark buy the way guess what side of the fence Clark negotiates on now apparently he’s tough but fare. Mabe we should have kept him the Province would not be broke. and we would have assets like BC rail.
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Wasn’t it Moe Sihota who was rumoured for the ‘NW job?
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No. He was never in contention.
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In politics and business these days it’s all about winning and it dosn’t matter how you get there…lie cheat and steal it’s all just part of it.Fine example we get from our so called leaders
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You mean by hook or by crook.
Robocall(vote suppression)
by stolen pin or by faulty e vote.misspoke
no sale of public assets and no tax and then opposite after.?
When is/ Can taxpayer federation/ going to float a party.
shutting down sitting (no debate)
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Loved the column. its funny & so are some of the responses. As to the tax for crossing bridges. I think some caution is needed here. You mentioned your youngest daughter’s Barbie bridge & taxes in the same sentence. With Christmas less than 4 months away, please don’t give the lieberals any ideas. I would hate to see all those children disappointed when they didn’t get their Barbie bridges because cc decided there was just one more bridge to tax.
I have never been in favour of tolls for bridges or highways. They make it difficult for those who can least afford it. the extra $1500 a yr to get to work, school, whatever, will be financially difficult for some. When you factor in the cost of gas & the taxes there, you could most likely accept a job close to home for $400. a month less & still come out about the same, if not ahead. That may well create a problem for business & developers. Then you have to consider the trucking industry, how are they able to continue to make a living paying all these extra taxes.
I didn’t have much of a problem with the tax on the Coqu. because we had two other highways to use, but this thing with the bridges, I’m really unhappy, it so unfair to people who have to go to work. Now translink is thinking of pay parking for those who use skytrain. Some may say an extra $2.00 a day isn’t much but at the end of the year it is about $480.00. When I was younger I knew women who put a loonie or townie in a jar each day, it paid for their kids christmas presents or a camping trip.
Lets not forget those ferries gordo had built in Germany, he charged them. We now pay the German banks 10% interest. If the B.C. Ferries corp. was a crown corp, we’d be paying 3%. That doesn’t make sense. Glen Clark may have had his fast ferries but at least B.C. workers were employed.
The P3 thing is not an advantage for taxpayers/citizens. If a company signs on to do a P3, it is because they can make money. If they can make money, then why is the government not doing it themselves, because the money which becomes the profit is something we wouldn’t have to pay for. P3 hospitals will just become another problem. P3 bridges & highways dido. 30 yr contracts, my god, its stupid. If we just built highways/bridges as we once did as part of the dept. of highways we could simply use the money in that dept.’s portfolio. If we are to have gas taxes then it should be spent on bridges & highways & that’s it. A carbon tax is a joke. Its just another tax grap we don’t need.
The whole translink think needs to be flushed. Just the salaries of the executives could finance another school for children with learning disabilities. Transit at one time was part of B.C. Hydro because when B.C. Electric was “confiscated” by old WAC, it was part of their company. The building of highways & bridges should be part of the highway department & the running of buses, etc. should be part of anther corporation, be it private or public. It was a political decision to mix it up so it had to be of advantage to someone other than the taxpayers & users. Translink is run by people who are not elected & not accountable to theusers or taxpayers yet they get to set taxes. Not very democractic.
This misguided idea that all should use public transporation, has to go. We are not Europe, we are not New York, etc. Our distances are too great to not be able to use our vehicles to get around easily & inexpensively. We need more lanes on highways, etc. You can drive from Rotterdam to Paris in 8 hrs. In B.C. it takes 9 hrs of driving to get from Vancouver to Prince George. You can’t bike to work from Surrey to Vancouver or Burnaby unless you are in great shape & have the time.
I am still a firm believer that taxes should come from income tax & that should be an even/fair system, where everyone is taxed the same with no exemptions for large corporations, especially foreign owned ones. Companies should have nothing to fear from this because the only thing which would be taxed is their profit.
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eaf I agree with a lot of what you say but I do think the Cities and Municipalities who are now complaining about tolls should have been representing their citizens back when Falcon was rolling the project out and lobbied him for a solution that included no tolls which would have meant he would have gone back to the drawing board and investigated alternatives.
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On the Coq the thing I remember was they were going to privatize it. The toll was to rise to $19.00 The people cried foul. Campbell, sensing the rage and the election on the horizon shit canned the whole thing and made it free. Now the province needs revenue, they’ve torn down the tollbooths at huge cost, and it will cost more to rebuild them. And nobody gave a damn about the $10.00 in the first place. These wonderful czars of business fly by the seat of their pants. Clowns.
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http://blogborgcollective.blogspot.ca/2012/09/premier-christy-clark-lives-plays-and.html
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Every job has a multiplier effect .selling raw logs doesnt
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=b8db285c-d45e-4e33-bea6-5f105709ccb1
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I caught her use of the term “the Beltway” which is very much an American expression about Washington D.C.
Victoria has no “beltway” and has never ever been referred as such. \
PS is missie ever going to stop wearing those fake eyeglasses?
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I honestly think sending our logs overseas is much much worse than sending them our oil.
So many forestry based towns have gone to shit in the last decade as sawmills close down due to a lack of capacity.
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Brian, I was told by someone who works in the industry, that only about 5% of the logs harvested are shipped over seas. Then it is only low grade logs that are sent to China.it is not economical to process them in British Columbia. If I am wrong someone please fill me in. Cheers.
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http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/03/13/bc-raw-log-exports.html
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Wrong…I Know the boom operators and the logs are being transported off our waters to the US and China and they are high grade.
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Are there any “marketable” trees/ logs left in BC?
Once we chop down all the pine beetle dead trees whats left? Provincial Parks?
Perhaps we should export all the shredded paper emanating from all levels of govt. It would be a double bonus, job creation AND save trees…
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for a little levity.. thank Ian for this one..
IanVancouver @IanVancouver
Mea culpa, mea culpa. We’re calling Christy over. http://j.mp/OeZf3v #bcpoli
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After reading this article does it remind anyone of a certain someone?
http://www.securitymanagement.com/article/snakes-suits-when-psychopaths-go-work
Anyone?
My answer starts with a C.
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Christy’s too stupid to be a puppet master. Try looking further up the food chain. I believe she takes advice from other puppet masters.
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So now when the leg gets together, they come up with ‘bad ideas’ like the HST.
So pray tell Christy, why did you spend so many taxpayer dollars on ridiculous stick man ads and glamorous photo ops trying to convince us the HST was ‘good’ for us. Stupid woman! Resign, step down, go away and be a bane on someone else – we are sick to death of you!
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Just curious if you have read Norm Farrell’s latest rumor, Alex? Any thoughts?
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Won’t happen. I heard the same thing last month.
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The hits keep coming Christy is making herself the object of ridicule each time she speaks..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUJRDvSs4es&feature=plcp
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Here’s Dummy telling everyone what the people of BC want.
http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-story-80743-1-.htm#80743
Dummy the people of BC want the HST gone now and we want an election NOW before the rest of our asses are sold off.
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http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/09/20/brian-hutchinson-christy-clarks-sick-culture-comments-were-not-lost-in-translation/?
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Beautiful.
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Of course, it’s the reporter’s fault! Does this woman ever make sense? Like if the legislature is the problem then please reconvene it and change it! That’s what the people want!!
“But when you said there were no real people in Victoria, you can understand why people might have got the wrong impression, can you?” asked Mr. Craigie.
“Yes, I can,” the Premier replied. “Absolutely I can. And you know, I think I certainly will be much more careful, with that reporter in particular, in the future about stuff like that, but I think he knew exactly what I was talking about when I said, I was talking about the legislature.”
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/09/20/brian-hutchinson-christy-clarks-sick-culture-comments-were-not-lost-in-translation/
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Shameless.
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A Not Funny Unelected Photo-op Travel Queen Say Anything Many Races Many Fake Accreditation’s False Wins One.
Did I mention, a very good waitress.
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Let’s back the truck up for a minute.
Our federal government eliminated the “11 % manufactures tax” on manufactured goods…. in exchange for a 5% GST on “goods and services” (read the addition of a labour component.)
11-5= -6 …sounds like a savings doesn’t it?
It sounds like we are saving 6 % but when you add the fact that your are now adding 5 % on all labour charges……not so good for the end user.
They told us this was a good thing. One political party brought this in….another political party vowed to eliminate it if elected.
Didn’t happen when elected…….Too much money at stake because the GST (read value added tax) meant added funds to general revenue. (less deficit)
Enter the bait of a backpack full of money to be paid to our province from the feds, if we eliminate the 7% “social services tax” (read PST on goods) and embrace the 12% “HST” on goods and labour which was touted as “revenue neutral” tax…..plus ……we get federal cash bonus.
For the gullible out there….they would have you believe that 5+7=12.
It doesn’t.
The HST added tax on labour just as the the GST did.
This is a hoax and is not “revenue neutral.”
Now most people would put up with such a tax if it meant that we would not experience a yearly deficit and could perhaps pay down our provincial and national debt with these monies… (read ill gotten booty)
NOPE….our provincial government is still pissing it away faster than they can collect it.
What ever happened to the balanced budget legislation?
How come it took months to implement the HST, and it takes years to eliminate it?
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I’m surprised that you didn’t have a comment Alex. I wretched inside of myself for more than a decade on that one.
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If I read your post correctly, you are asking why the tax systems were changed and decrying the fact that this government spends cash faster than it receives it. I though I would add a little background on the first issue.
The old manufacturers tax was a nightmare patchwork of inconsistent rules and politically motivated exemptions that even corporate financial people didn’t really understand. It was so confusing retired tax collectors made a tidy living refiling company tax records for free in return for half the savings. It was a job killer for Canadians because US companies could set up “screwdriver” factories in Canada to assemble undervalued US components and so pay less “manufacturing” tax than their domestic competitors. It did tax the manufacturing labour component but not other labour such as sales and marketing.
The change to GST eliminated a raft of problems and the tax was completely transparent unlike the totally hidden manufacturers tax . People always say they want transparency but in fact they hated it. It was a supreme act of political courage for Brian Mulroney to introduce GST and especially to highlight it on every invoice.
The former PST regime was also quite complex and unfairly so to small businessmen who could not really be expected to be aware of the nuances and who were often harshly treated by tax collectors. GST/HST is much easier to understand and administer. PST did tax labour because it taxed the end price which includes all cost inputs. The main change in HST is that it also taxes intangibles such as services and of course, new construction.
When the GST was introduced, the federal government made an honest attempt to ensure that the total tax bill to the public remained about the same. If Campbell had similarly lowered the province’s share of the HST rate to neutralize the impact of the change and had eliminated the land transfer tax for new housing, he would probably still be in office despite the underhanded way in which he introduced the tax change.
Although I prefer the transparency and efficiencies of the HST system, and I know that going back to PST is costly and retrograde, I voted against Campbell because I was insulted by the unbelievable arrogance of his actions. The price is high but if it trains a couple of generations of politicians that they actually work for us,it will be worth it.
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Length warning…
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The MST (hidden tax) was 13.5%. It was replaced with a GST of 7% originally. There was a net savings to consumers on things such as cars, boats, stoves etc. In return the feds got 7% on a plethora of previously un-taxed services. It was sold on the terrifying premise that our national debt (if I remember correctly 600 billion) was going to sink the country. 100% was to go to “debt reduction.” Yeah and I have a railway to sell.
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I would like to comment on bike lanes in Vancouver … any chance of you doing a post on it?
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You bet! Monday. I’ll be ripping them up!
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In my opinion Christy is afraid to go to Victoria to have the Fall sitting for one reason only..
I imagine it does make her very ill..
It’s called Hansard..
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No fall sitting means No non-confidence vote.
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Someone’s been peeking at my notes…
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dam, good call… i forgot about that.
you mean harry bloy’s massive pull within the party was not going to save the cheerleader?
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“No fall sitting means No non-confidence vote.”
This is exactly how CC’s pea-sized brain functions!
What’s next, Diebold voting machines to cook the vote next spring?
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CFAX just announced (@8:25 during an interview with Ida Chong) Colin Hanson won’t be running … sure glad my name isn’t Christy..
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It is now obvious that Clark is suffering from Palinism.
No amount of Media Handling can hide the obvious
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It’s a crock Bruce,they are shipping #1 sawlogs to china…….I was told by someone that works in the fishfarm industry thet they aren’t harming wild salmon too…..l’m not buying that one either
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Well Len as I said that if i was wrong or the information i had was wrong. Please set me straight. But its a “crock” does not cut it. But what ever the truth I am open to it. Cheers
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I am interested in your take on the latest report from scientists that the Arctic ice cap is disappearing faster than expected; possibly as early as summer 2015.
Anyone who lives in Central or Northern BC can attest to the changing climate – we haven’t had a truly cold winter since 1984-85 and now we seldom see temperatures below -20C, and then for very short stretches . The pine beetles’ spread has been worsened by the warmer winters as in the past (as little as 27-30 years ago) the -40C temperatures regularly killed the beetles off.
I am not at all sure what good a carbon tax does other than give governments a new source of revenue, but denying the reality of climate change is plainly stupid and misleading – or do you believe we are being lied to and shown phony evidence about the Arctic melt, loss of glaciers, etc?
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Happy to comment in the very large global warming piece I’m preparing for next week. Quickly though, I’d have to look at the study first! As with so many of the alarmists and doomersterists, studies can be manipulated very easily. They have a habit of doing that.
In addition, that you are not as cold, isn’t a factor. The earth has been in a period of cooling in the last decade, not warming. It’s all part of a 100 year cycle. Just the earth warming and cooling as it was created to do.
I wouldn’t worry.
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Hansen just announcing he’s out next election. Could the tipping point be coming soon?
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The bucket has already been tipped.
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As I am sure all know by now, Colin Hansen is not running again. Meanwhile, latest poll numbers:
N 49
L 32
C 12
http://www.cknw.com/news/vancouver/story.aspx?ID=1777620
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those numbers are inaccurate. the polling firm that did that particular poll is heavy liberal donars and is historically off by several points in favor of the libs.
take about 3 or 4 points from the libs and give them to the cons and your probably closer to the truth.
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Not sure if I agree. The Conservatives are falling fast and if they dont dump Cummins this weekend they should be in the single digits by Halloween.
That said, the Libs have to make the ultimate change and hand Clark a parachute to bail. I know people will say there is no one left to lead the Libs but people will appear once she moves over. The advantage the Libs have is that a lot of the Gordo sycophants who need to be gone arent running next time around.
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http://www.theprovince.com/news/Liberal+cabinet+minister+Colin+Hansen+again/7279159/story.html
hip hip hurray… no more fake graphs that look like a grade 3 student faked them.
oh and one less rat on the ship.
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So care to comment about the NDP MLAs not running again either?
Are they rats off a following ship? Or is this something completely different to the left wingers?
People leave politics for many reasons. 16 years is a long time in politics.
Give it a rest.
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The NDPers leaving are simply tired. The BC Liberals leaving all have pointy, furry ears, pink noses and fast little feet…if it scurries like a rat…
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Obligatory ship example: If your ship has an unbelievable tail wind and is cruising along well in the race while your competitors sail has torn, they have dropped anchor, and torn a hole in the hull you arent jumping off a sinking ship you’re sea sick and taking the life boat the hell out of there.
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Yes, quite…
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Isn’t St. Georges in his Quilchena riding? Hmmm…maybe Christie will decide to run there.
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Yes, but what does that have to do with anything???
She doesn’t live in Quiclhena. I already know of two candidates, Ian Robertson and Andrew Wilkinson who have been courted.
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It just get worse for the Cons. John Martin the Con candidate in the Chillwack by-election is going to run for the Libs in the election. This on the day that CONcon starts.
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Gee, a coincidence.
What’s worse? That after trashing them he’s such a hypocrite and turns in a few months, or that they’re so desperate to take someone that hammered them so hard?
ROTFLMFAO! A huge frothy nothingness that will likely hand the riding to the NDP. Just watch. It’s not safe at all.
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Chilliwack Progress
March 06, 2012
The BC Conservative candidate in Chilliwack-Hope leveled a double-barreled blast Tuesday at Premier Christy Clark and the BC Liberal government.
Candidate John Martin took umbrage with Clark’s thwarted visit to a Chilliwack private school during the teachers’ strike, and with her government’s failure to act as another court case in B.C. was stayed for taking too long to come to trial.
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I guess they have buried the hatchet?
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In a related matter, the Supreme Court of Canada has today announced that prostitutes…oh nevermind…
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The liberals big announcement for the day and ill admit it is a big one… they found another sucker to join their ranks, there can’t be too many of them left these days so this is big news. Irrelevant but big.
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Bruce,I worked in the forest industry for a long time and I know the difference betweenthe logs…I spent two months in Port Alberni this summer and believe me it’s a line of B.S. That they are only sending rubbish overseas
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