Adrian Dix Needn’t Do a Thing to Win: Clark and Cummins in Total Freefall
There have been moments over the last decade, when I have wondered what ever happened to the intelligent political operative in this province.
And this country.
After the early nineties, that animal became all but extinct.
Now, it’s a different incarnation altogether. So many gaffes; so many missed opportunities. Such stupidity. And the ego of some of these people!
I can count on one hand the back room advisers I’d hire as a dream team for any campaign. Two Liberals, three Conservatives and one NDPer.
Oh, wait, may I count my thumb twice? I shall? Why, thank you.
Not surprisingly, though, as the degradation in the back room happened, so went the front room; a kind of symbiotic rise in the wrong people working for you.
And yet, when I hear the public complaining about the calibre of elected officials, I laugh. Honestly, it astounds me: YOU ALL VOTED FOR THEM! Why complain now?
Think about it: We listen to a pile of promises we know they won’t keep. We start to shake our heads near the end of the writ period, when we see the fissures between truth and reality. And then after they’re well-ensconced in the luxuries we pay for, our whining begins.
As does the spinning by people like Sara the Gum. She was reassigned yesterday, from the Premier’s Office–in a highly partisan role, to the bureaucracy–in what is supposed to be an absolutely NON-PARTISAN role. What the hiring freeze? Forget impartiality. This is the Christy Clark government: We do what we want, when we want it. The public be damned.
This on heels of a weekend spent by Christy, shamelessly and SHAMEFULLY pandering to the story of little Amanda Todd, suicide victim. If you didn’t catch the softball interview with NW’s Sean Leslie on Saturday at 4:30pm, then don’t bother. Other than ONE tough question, which the Premier almost choked on, it was typical Leslie and his pal Christy, just shooting the breeze.
Snoregasms abounded.
And this was capped by the shocking, shocking I say, discovery by some of you that thousands of “temporary” mining jobs will be going to Chinese nationals in order to secure all these (mostly mythological) mining contracts Christy plans to procure.
As well, more polls showing she’s as popular as the plague.
You know, I was disgusted enough with the appalling display of foaming by Christy about Amanda Todd, but the reassignment of The Gum, and then the Chinese worker deal had me longing for more insanity from the BC Conservatives.
And their viral stupidity never fails to disappoint.
For those that are still thrashing around on the floor after listening to BC Conservative President Al Siebring try to explain himself yesterday, well, here comes more.
These undemocratic dimwits that are fast running the BC Conservative party into the ground, have sent letters to 15 members, either expelling or suspending them–something like that. And the “disciplinary action” (which I’m told includes being played Olivia Newton-John albums and force fed rhubarb pie) will continue until morale improves.
Are the BC Conservatives a provincial party or an insane asylum? Are these people serious?
Apparently not, as we were then informed that the “dissidents” would not have their names released out of the party’s concern for privacy.
Okay, it’s confirmed, they are an insane asylum.
This all culminated during a weekend meeting (or short series of them) where, in no particular order:
• John Cummins went on an f-bomb tirade several times during one meeting to get his point across: that the party was lost without him and he wasn’t going to ‘lose’ to the ‘dissidents’.
• Just resigned former Director Joan Robinson, a most reasonable woman, was brow beaten over her objections to having any members tossed. This is what happens when you advocate for reason, fairness and peace. John Cummins and his disciples are deaf to this.
• The unruly (and surely actionable) process against the objectors to Cummins’ leadership (or, more accurately, lack thereof) is being led by two people: President Al Siebring, whose bovine stubbornness knows no bounds, and the always peculiar Will McMartin, their campaign boss, and sometimes journalist for the decidedly left wing The Tyee’ on line. The two of them have no clue what’s coming, and I’m not about to tip them off, but I sure hope they’re ready. It won’t be pretty.
• There is a definite split on the board of directors over this witch hunt of those who don’t like Cummins as leader. The so-called dissidents understand principled leadership, and they know Cummins is incapable of that. Meanwhile, back at the Siebring-McMartin silo, the smoke is filling the room. Can these people really be this daft?
• Defector John Martin’s constituency association is now closed, save for a part-time treasurer. Everyone has left. And among the growing list of BCCP constituencies against Cummins, the following have passed two very strong and legally binding resolutions:
1) Abbotsford South
2) Esquimalt – Royal Roads
3) Burnaby North
4) Maple Ridge – Pitt Meadows
5) Juan de Fuca
6) Burnaby Edmonds
7) Coquitlam – Maillardville
Here’s the email each has made public:
“Press Release – October 15th, 2012
This is to advise you that an Emergency Constituency Association Executive Meeting was held of the (example) Coquitlam – Maillardville CA on Friday October 14th, 2012 at 8:00pm.
Two resolutions were passed:
Resolution 1: Be it resolved, that Coquitlam -Maillardville CA requisition the BCCP provincial board for a Special General Meeting.
Resolution 2: Be it resolved, that the Coquitlam-Maillardville CA formally request the resignation of John Cummins to facilitate a BCCP leadership race.”
I’m told that of the original list of twenty CAs against Cummins, the list has now grown to thirty. The vicious attacks by Cummins’ ‘God Squad’ have backfired, big time–as they should’ve!
All of which leaves me wondering whatever happened to the centered advisor that gave reasonable, level-headed advice!!! He must surely be extinct.
This is one of the most depressing periods in BC political history.
Meanwhile, Adrian Dix was seen singing in the garden of the legislature this morning.
The one nearest the entrance of the Premier’s Office…
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Tomorrow you get a double whammy: What REALLY happened to social media? And, finally, the inside scoop on BCCP President Al Siebring.
Stay tuned!
I would also like to get your views on the self-destruction of the Liberals in Canada’s largest provinces – Quebec, now Ontario and soon BC. PEI remains as their last bastion! LOL
Surely there will be implications for the federal Liberals downstream.
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I will. In another Trudeau piece–soon!
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Funny…..if it wasn’t so sad.
I’m not looking forward to another round of the NDP any more than we have all enjoyed the Campbell/Clark kleptocracy.
I always feel duty bound to vote…and I will, but who for?
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How about an independent, just think they would have to work in the leg to get anything done, now that is democracy.
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Until another independent casts a vote opposite effectively cancelling out the original independent’s, or speaks against the other independent’s statements in the Legislature.
Then what happens?
You have 10 independents collectively voting against what 6 independents collectively would want.
What happens then?
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I think it is called democracy, something that is totally missing from our political system. What we have now is nothing more than a dictatorship chosen by the electorate. The only thing that separates us from many other dictatorships is that we change our leader with a pencil rather than a gun.
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I know I am off topic but is any else out there put off by all those new government ads saying all the great things the liberals are doing. I have always thought that is a colossal waste of tax payers money at the benefit of any governing party.
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Government advertising is unethical and should be banned.
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I have to admit, I did like the Gordon/Christy Crunch commercial.
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Right on Mo. I’m glad someone brought that up. Those commercials are like nails on a chalkboard for me.
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And not at all consistent with the brutal austerity measures inflected in most other areas of government spending. However, from the Liberal’s perspective, these ads are necessary in order to convince the public that those austerity measures are necessary. I figure if they spent the amount they are currently wasting on transparently partisan ads, they might actually make some progress in addressing the crisis in our forests, community social services, and other public services that they have helped create with massive cuts.
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The ads aren’t really expected to sway the public as much as they ensure favorable coverage by the beneficiaries of all that advertising money. And also ask yourself why BC Hydro needs to advertise that they have a website… Crown Corp ad spending is yet another control lever that ensures the MSM won’t ask too many hard questions.
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What is even worse is the inaccuracies many of them contain such as the balancing budget by cutting expenditures one. How long has it been since the BC Liberal Party has balanced a budget?
And to top it off they tie this balanced budget ad to Christy’s ficticious jobs plan. Are the taxpayers of BC now expected to fund partisan political ads for the next seven months?
What a crock.
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What a crock indeed.
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As well none of these media outlets will bite the hand that feeds. Ergo Leslie’s fluff piece.
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How does Siebring manage to fulfill his duties as a councillor of North Cowichan District while focusing so much energy on the BCCP debacle?
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Ever been to North Cowichan?
Not exactly the center of the universe.
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Maybe not the “centre of the universe,” but a beautiful place to live with many fine people living there trying to make a living and a life in this political quagmire called British Columbia.
A suggestion, Markerbuoy: vote for the person you truly think will do the best job for you and the constituency you live in.
AGT – you say we voted for them. Sorry, I for one and many, many others never voted for this group of so-called Liberals. Also, when these miscreants took office in 2001, I remember commenting to friends ,”we’re in for it now!”
If only I could have predicted the stock market so precisely!
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Not like Vancouver, eh Alex!….LOL….
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Excuse Me! I am a follower of you AGT. DO NOT DISS MY HOOD! Mr. Siebring is not representative of the majority of Island people or the people of the Cowichan Valley. Check us out! it is the centre of My universe.
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I was being facetious.
My apologies.
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Not all is dull. Christy Clark fails to gag anesthesiologists! Yesterday, at least the learned judge granted intervenor status to the BC anesthesiologist society in a court challenge of BC health care laws.
This will allow the society to reveal its first hand documentation of the sorry state of BC health care with patients and families suffering on long wait lists while Christy Clark foolishly spends tax-payer money trying to prevent the court from hearing the anesthesiologists with their plan for making the public system more efficient. Shame on you Ms. Clark! What are you afraid of except bad publicity in the media leading up to your election which is of course more important.
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“Christy Clark fails to gag anesthesiologists!”
Think the anesthesiologists could gag CC… until the B.C. Rail trial of course?
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MEMO TO JOHN CUMMINS:
You are the Christy Clark of the BCCP. And that’s not a good thing!
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Do you have any information on why Raj Hundal has stepped down . This seat was his to take ?
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Not yet. Very strange.
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Raj Hundal stepped down? Wow. That’s…..kinda shocking, actually.
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Agreed. I hope he and his family are all right.
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This story says personal reasons…. I hope everything is okay. I really like the guy. Solid, down to earth.
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Not one new mine in BC since the Liberals came in. And now suddenly they are about the mining industry?
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“And now suddenly they are about the mining industry?”
nope, no they are not. an industry also involves having people to work their.
the liberals are in the creating more general revenue for the government business… which opening mines with foreign workers accomplishes.
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Mining has not boomed in BC since 2001, but there are a number of mines that have opened in BC since 2001
In the north east there have been a number of new coal mines:
Brule coal mine
Wolverine coal mine
Perry Creek coal mine and related EB (to open in 2013) and Hermann (not lcear when they would open it) coal mines
Trend coal mine
Willow Creek coal mine
Dillon coal mine (not operational)
Several coal mines have opened in the south east as well
It is in metal mines that little has happened but that has been the track record for several decades. Since 2001:
MAX moly mine – though a very small mine
There have been a couple of small short term gold mines that have opened and closed such as Yellowjacket in the Atlin area.
Mount Milligan started construction 18 months ago and will open in late 2013, in time for Premier Dix to cut the ribbon. It looks it will be a $1.5 billion cost to build.
BC has also seen a number of smaller industrial mineral mines open since 2001
In the northwest there about six significant metal mine projects ready to be developed but waiting on electrical infrastructure. Biggest of these is Galore Creek which was put on the shelf because costs escalated enough to making the financing of it by Teck too risky.
The lead time in mining is decades to go from exploration to an operating mine. Permitting takes longer and finding capital is no longer as easy. BC is also see as bad risk because of aboriginal issues.
From 1992 to 2003 BC had very little exploration which means very little work being done to develop new mines. The work done from 2004 to 2012 should lead to as many as 15 mines opening in the next ten years. This assumes the new NDP government does not do something to effectively end all investment in new mines.
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I understand they’re opening up the world’s biggest guano mine at the Leg. Apparently, reserves are so vast, B.C. will be building a pipeline to Alberta
CC says, “who needs your oil Alberta! B.C. is going to be #1… in #2!”
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with imported Chinese labour too.
It is beyond reason that we cannot find 200 miners, or eager strong able men, to work in the mines.
Where were the help wanted ads? This is one topic, despite my disdian for the NDP, that they are gungho to shut down this kind of job theft from cheap foreign (slave) labour.
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Vancouver Real Estate = Drug Money
It is not 200 it is 2000 and the Communist Chinese had in fact asked for over 2600. Any one that says 200 is lying. Just bought and paid for bag men working for Communist Chinese interests either to get paid or get elected. In either case they are not working for Canada or Canadians. Very shocking given that these paid for advocates are elected members of your government.
Don’t believe what you are being told.
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“It is beyond reason that we cannot find 200 miners, or eager strong able men, to work in the mines.”
The sad truth is that nobody wants to work in mines. Teck Coal has been trying to recruit up to 2500 workers for their SE coal operations within the current 3 year period. Last year they had to fill some critical positions by importing about 2 dozen workers from Jamaica !
The fact is, people don’t really want to leave the cozy Lower Mainland to make new lives in the interior. High wages, lower cost of living, more “living space”, healthier environments mean nothing. The majority would rather be McClerks and live in Mommy’s basement.
Import Chinese workers? No surprise, here.
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*nobody wants to work in mines for the same wages these chinese workers will and there is the problem. I have no issue with importing workers from another country here IF the wages arent intentionally set artificially low so they can use the excuse that there are no workers available in canada.
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A gov’t or business that is not flying by the seat of their pants and actually planned out their policies would have gone to BC schools and told students about these opportunities. And I don’t buy the “working in a mine BS” Tons of BC kids are working in hell right now. Ft. McMurray. Not everyone in this province wants to be a white collar worker. Some people want to use their backs. I ask anyone here…would you spend money expanding your business without first having competent employees? This Chinese guest worker crap was a “fix” right from the start.
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These “wealth creating” laissez faire business-uber-alles types love to crow about the self-correcting rightness of “free markets”. Well here is one example (of many, alas) where they don’t walk the talk. If Canadians are offered enough, they will fill their mines with workers. Clearly, the spread between bid and ask is too high. So, either raise the bid or reduce demand. When the workers and mine owners have to live and operate in the same economy it balances out to something approaching mutually beneficial, eventually.
Bending the immigration rules and parachuting near-slave labour from China into the mix is an artificial GOVERNMENT CREATED market distortion of the kind the free marketeers usually decry as interference – when it doesn’t go their way, of course. Those workers do not intend to live in this economy and have worse prospects and lower cost of living at home so of course they will work cheaper. They are also less likely to speak out about lax safety or environmental practices, too, which is no doubt just an unintended bonus for the mine owners.
The big question is why are our Fed and Prov governments doing such a hard sell with fire-sale pricing of resources that, eventually, buyers will come begging us for anyway? The use of foreign labour to ensure as little benefit to Canada as possible is just icing on the turd.
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Vancouver Real Estate = Drug Money
The sad fact is the companies do not want to hire Canadians and do everything possible to hid the jobs.
Try apply for this work they will tell you it does not exist, then a week later 100 or so foreigners are brought in, from third world nations that have language handy caps.
The issue is employers want workers that they can depose of. There are no jobs that Canadians will not do. There are just employers that would rather hire disposable third world labor.
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Perhaps it is time for a two party stystem. One for the ridiculous. One for the reasonable.
or
one for the principled, one for the unprincipled.
or
one who would like clean hospitals & less child poverty, one which doesn’t care.
Right now given how some of the politicians are operating it might be some people might just want to deal with the issues & leave the politicing to others.
I can not see why people who belong to the lieberal party would want to continue to support c.c. after how she has handled things. I don’t see how j.c. can think he is doing anything to help this province.
Perhaps a party which requires people to operate in a principled manner, put the voters needs ahead of their own & their corporate friends, plan for some fair taxation, stop with the economic & social tinkering & get real. Spending a billion on stupid meters, dirty hospitals, tolls to cause financial hardship, etc. is just too much for me to say this is good government. Its like some start out thinking they can do some thing worth while but get side tracked by their own greed, ego, and start to believe their own publicity.
In the U.S.A. presidentail candidates frequently release their medical records so the voters can see if they are getting a healthy candidate. I’d like to see a pysch. evaluation on candidates to ensure they aren’t sociopaths & physcopaths. Might make for better government.
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to be frank I think it’s only fair to drug test some of these monosyllabic
cro magnon neanderthals , and keep your fingers crossed that chrispy and Geritol Jesus don’t discover opposable thumbs, that type of rare common ground is all they would need to spawn a political love child, see as bad as it is it could be worse.
how about we pony up a Lonnie each and hire a forensic psychiatrist to do an in depth assessment on there true mental state.
as always Alex I’ve enjoyed, not only this colum but all the one’s I missed recently, thanks
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E.A.F, if the presidential candidates (and their VPs) actually did this, we’d have to get a new set of people from the Demo-crips and Re-blood-licans. Terrible. I actually feel sorry for the Americans.
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At a loss for words, re: Politics in B.C.
What is it that party members trot out, everytime we complain about their astronomical salaries and pensions; oh yeah:
“We need this remuneration in order to ATTRACT THE BEST POSSIBLE PEOPLE FOR THE JOB.”
AHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!
The Gong Show! Only here in beautiful B.C.
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I thought there was hope for the North Okanagan for a while but then there was this……. http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/news/174185961.html
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Problem is I compare Anderson to Eric Foster and my intuitive side has already made the decision. Oh, well. Then I look at the choice in Salmon Arm. Hmmm, let’s see Steve Gunner (who I respect) or the possibility of Tom Birch (who I am supporting) or Marty Bootsma or the other underwhelming Liberal wanna-bes.
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Tom Birch who I had a long discussion with in the fall is a cut from the religious side as is the exec of the BCCP. I expressed my concern over bringing religion into politics, he didn’t seem to think there is anything wrong with that. He will not have my support.
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I didn’t find that and I have talked extensively to him. Although to be fair I did not bring up religion. Neither did he though and that is telling. It seemed to me that his position is as a moderate in my opinion and what I witnessed. I don’t know about Anderson, but given well, Eric Foster, I’d say that the Liberals just made voting right wing a one person show.
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From the Leader himself.
How not to get votes and offend voters in your best friend’s riding.
http://www2.canada.com/cowichanvalleycitizen/news/story.html?id=06f066aa-44d6-44d0-b320-7b49c1b6c8ff
“But, the aboriginal people of B.C. need to have “realistic expectations,” he stated, saying he thinks senior levels of government have historically engendered a relationship that is not sustainable.
“There’s a feeling of entitlement there we realistically can’t afford to keep and I don’t think at the end of the day is good for anybody,” he said.
“People have to understand that they are responsible for their lives. If you accept responsibility, your life is going to be better. I think that’s a problem with the way government has addressed a lot of problems in this area and when things go wrong the finger is always pointed at government. I don’t think the solution is with government, the solution is with individuals. That’s what you have to get back to,” Cummins said.
He also called on the federal government to be more realistic in enforcing regulations within its jurisdiction, particularly fisheries laws, where he said, “there’s a double standard in the application of the law. That’s not right and not healthy.”
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Cummins also said that the whole subject of what lands fall under aboriginal title must be looked at again.
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Craziness.
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A few more quotes from John Cunnins acceptance speech May 28, 2012.
“….We will listen to the people….”
“….We take the view that the people are the boss….”
“….as an MP I always believed my job was to stand up for my constituents, even if it meant clashing with my own party. I criticized the government when it made decisions that were bad for my riding….. ”
And the Kicker..which was responded to by a resounding applause:
“…As a leader I will never punish an MLA for disagreeing with a party position in a respectful and responsible manner…….”
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Aye Captain – No one …and I mean – no one – appreciated your poetic license with the ever popular credo of both Blackbeard and Calico Jack :
http://www.suehillisdesigns.net/EnlargedProductView.html?plu=PS142
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I, and all BC’ers would like to know—
ARE THESE FOREIGN WORKERS GOING TO BE BRINGING IN THEIR OWN –DOCTORS—NURSES—HOSPITAL EQUIPMENT, OR HAS IT BEEN AGREED BY CC & COMPANY, THAT THEY WILL BE COVERED UNDER OUR OVERBURDENED, AND UNDERFUNDED BC HEALTHCARE?
Sorry about the capitals, but just wondering. Also— will our Medi-Vac & Paramedics have to supply their talents?
Keep up the good work Alex
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i would surely hope that ANY foreign worker invited to come to Canada for legal, gainful employment by our government would be afforded the SAME standards of safety at work and healthcare as anyone here in this great land. they want to come here to work and hopefully give their families a better future… i do not begrudge them that in ANY way.
i for one wish our government to to treat foreigners who are in Canada legally with nothing but respect.
the question that should be asked imho is why did that moron CC start fast tracking mines in this province if their was no Canadians to fill the jobs?
if it is a matter of training why are these projects being allowed to go ahead before Canadians can be trained to do the work? why are the companies not being told to set up training for Canadians at their expense?
above and beyond all that… why are we offering jobs to Chinese workers when surely there are workers in North America or at the very least english speaking people who could train people from BC to do the work while on the job?
having worked with foreign temporary workers myself, i will answer most of these right now… its about the company bringing in low paid workers who do not know their rights and can be easily bullied to accept what as canadians we would consider horrible conditions.
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Exactly whiterockj – the wage rates offered to Canadian workers for the underground coal mine positions being filled by the incoming TFW’s are in the range of $25 – $32/hr. According to labour market experts these wages are considerably less than what skilled trades should be earning for what is known to be difficult and rather dangerous work.
Like you I’ve worked with immigrants who are determined to provide for their families and hope to establish a permanent life in our country. They generally have a lot to offer – it is our governments who have failed on this front big time…….the skilled trades shortage has been staring us in the face for a long time now
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So, you’re saying there aren’t enough skilled workers here? Gimme a break.
Christy’s job’s plan is about giving away jobs foreigners.
A failure of this govt. Where are the training programs?
Appalling.
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Oh, they’re out there….
BUT….
It’s almost a catch22. You find an apprenticeship and when you finish it, the company who you worked for during your apprenticeship cans you because they don’t want to have to pay you a higher wage.
Then you go look for work with your freshly minted journeyman qualification and employers tell you you don’t have enough experience. Seen it happen all too often when I worked for my old man on job sites running the “shack”.
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Something else that’s happened very recently is the federal governments job site…. jobbank.gc.ca … has dropped BC off the job search saying Bc is doing it on its own on Workbc.ca…
They are the only province to be dropped off.
Wonder if this anything to to do with politics.
A federal government website promoting jobs and BC has been dropped.
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Canadian jobs going to forgien workers , sorry but this is nothing new, I’ve been screwed out of 2 or 3 jobs just since the owelimpics , and when I asked why I’m routinely told , “there under government contract to employ forgien workers” , which leads me to this , Where the fuck do they get off, selling canadians out, what incentives do they offer up to employers , who are willing to cut the throats of canadian workers???who’s allowing it ,and who’s profiting from it .
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It was the federal gov’t that screwed up the apprenticeship program by off loading to the provinces. When I took my training it was run by the federal gov’t. They dictated when I went to school not the company, and because the company commited to the apprenticeship plan they were subsidized for some of my wages. What is now trades training is a joke, companies can now stretch a 4yr apprenticeship into several years and the apprentices are at their mercy. My uncle was a union rep for the sheetmetal workers in California and the same thing was happening there, the Union went to the gov’t for the standards to uphold and took over the training themselves and he said it worked out very well. maybe that needs to be done here.
Rob
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Yeah and if you ever had to try and navigate this “search engine” you would be appalled. Ridiculous and hard to find terms. It makes me cranky just thinking about it.
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Oh and maybe, just maybe there may be some jobs that need to be “outsourced” with this new mine. But a few thousand of them? What of the welders, boilermakers, heavy duty mechanics, electricians and other trades? Will they need to be outsourced as well? Come on. This isn’t even a challenge. Pure bull. Tailgator, I agree with your description of the system. You see I have a red seal. Problem is, no one will pay for it. They want some 20 year old guy with no education (and no chance of moving upwards) so they can pay him $14 an hour.
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An excellent comment.
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not to mention the “sunshine tax” here in the okanogan, I have a red seal as well ,and the way some employers act is just criminal, like padding the employee’s on site list. just a scam rum by contractors to bill for employees who are not on site.
and if there’s a major incident S.A.R. spends time looking for people who arn’t there , criminal bullshit
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Blake 100% right. Went on both federal and provincial sites and they are mostly just big advertisments telling us how great they are. What a waste of money.
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It a really offensive, total waste of money.
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Just go back and look at how the ITA and Fiberals cut the training money to all of the training institutions over the past number of years. But wait, they are now giving money out as it is an election year.
Trades and Technology training has never been a priority even though it is well documented that we are in and will be in a huge skills shortage period.
All developed countries are facing the same issue so rather than train our young people we go outside the country to get cheap labour . Great way to ruin the middle class.
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Under the BC Liberals, there is no longer a middle class.
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I thought I had heard rumblings from the Nova Scotia mining association saying that their members would be able to fill these jobs, but were never asked.
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Ed S
they don’t want miners from Novia Scotia because those miners do not speak Mandarin. the job postings are out there, they require the usual miner skills but the language required will be mandarin, not even cantonese will do.
You can check the Steelworkers of Canada’s website & the federal government’s job posting site, English & french are not acceptable, only Mandarin.
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On Jon McComb’s Show this afternoon on CKNW Pat Bell phoned in to clarify some supposed misconceptions regarding these temporary Chinese coal miners. He stated that it takes five years for a person to be trained in underground mining rather than the few weeks a union spokesman declared was required. Jon did try to call Mr. Bell on this assertion by stating that a person can get a doctor’s degree in such a time-frame which was rebuked by Bell playing the internship that follows the university schooling. Considering that the majority of jobs in a mine are of the blue collar variety one cannot help but question Mr. Bell’s assertions.
You can hear the proceedings on CKNW’s audio vault between 4:30pm and 5:00pm today.
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In short: He’s short on facts. That’s just spin. I’m no saying being a miner isn’t an intense job or that the training isn’t intensive, but the suggestion that it takes two more years to be a miner than it does to get through law school, is something out of fantasy land.
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But to listen to the ITA henchman (Phil Hochstein) tell it Alberta is run by those dangerous unionists (Journeymen and apprentices) and that going back to the system will remove the flexibility needed in the construction trades. Pure hogwash.
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I don’t know what Phil is shoveling this week, but it’s readily apparent that the NDP henchmen are bellying up to trough and have a price!
So what’s the difference between them and the BC Liberal whores the excoriate???
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And in spite of it all, Cristy Clark continues to smirk and wink. Or is she just testing the botox. I fear at the last moment, after exhausting all the tricks and smoke
and mirrors, she will pull a Dalton McGuinty and pull her hat out of the ring at the last minute. After all, she has a history of disappearing when it is absolutely certain she cannot win or when she is faced with overwhelming fair challenges that she can’t manipulate, deny, or spin. Total rejection by voters would be the ultimate challenge to her huge ego which she may not be willing to face or be able to handle.
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This Sean Leslie fellow might as well be wearing a t-shirt that say’s “I’m in love with Christy”. His comments on twitter are absolutely disgusting for someone claiming to be a reporter. And the BS that keeps coming out from the rest of the Liberals is truly amazing. Today Mary Polk is plastered on the CBC with headlines claiming the Translink audit has saved over 100 million. Did she read the report ? Those savings can only be realized with cuts & reduced service and have yet to be approved. What is wrong with these people. With respect to Christy, she is so out of her league it’s not funny.
Guy in Victoria
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Good news!! BCCP psychopaths at the helm do not need help of Chinese miners!! They were digging political graves for themselves since September 22nd and are almost done!!
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Well us lefties are all singing “HappyDays Are Here Again” but honestly we all hope the NDP will be about ballance and what BCers need for a peacefull and prosperous province lets all hope they get it right. Here’s to better days Alex G Tsakumis
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I keep wondering if there really are many active members of the BC Liberal party and if so, what role do they play apart from occasionally stuffing envelopes. I realize there is a membership list, but based on my experience in BC political activities, a lot of “members” probably had their memberships paid for and, even if they spoke English, likely had little interest in anything political beyond voting for their candidate and going home. I’ve seen rent-a-vote party members come in buses chartered by their candidate.
I think a lot of people still fondly believe that parties have “grass roots” and it is probably true of the NDP. But if the Liberals really have thousands of members, remarkably few of them seem to have a gag reflex. I suspect that the “party” is mainly friends and family of candidates who show up for campaigns and are place holders on largely inactive constituency associations. I have twice been a director of different Liberal CA’s before the federal/provincial split and neither one was worth a bucket of warm spit in terms of participatory democracy. My take was that the BC party mainly then existed so a bunch of lawyers on the make could get federal contracts. Of course, those were the bad old days.
My point is, if party members don’t control a party, or even worse, hardly exist, who actually owns that party and what do they want? If we let political parties select candidates based on the paid-for votes of instant members, we get what we’ve been getting, so why are we surprised? With these “rules” there is no reason the Hell’s Angels couldn’t control a political party but I doubt they would front it with a total incompetent.
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Good points, but not entirely true. Some memberships particularly from one visible groups were indeed paid for but that’s not true 100% for all members.
The NDP is quite different than the BC Liberals as the NDP are homogenous at all politicial levels. There’s a volunteer flow through all three levels using the same resources and people. The Right is cut between several groups (NPA in Vancouver, if anyone bothers to walk in their campaigns office),
Socreds were far more volunteer oriented than the BC Liberals ever were, and the same is true for the Conservatives (both Progressive Conservatives and the current Conservative Party).
I’ve participated in all three and there is indeed a big difference with the BC Liberals.
The way that both Social Credit and the Conservatives (with the Refomers) handle their affairs, it made for Party interference in constituency affairs difficult (but that’s not say it hasn’t been tried).
I’ve never been a big fan of the “star candidate who is entitled to a nomination”, my take is that the want to be candidates have to work for it. If they can’t handle a nomination campaign with stiff competition from within, how the h-e-double hockey sticks are they going to handle themselves out there in the real political world?
Not many now actually take the time to observe and start learning the complications of winning campaigns to get an MLA gal or guy in.
But agree with you. If the party is doing everything and the volunteers are just stuck stuffing envelopes while getting zonked out on campaign office coffee, why even bother?
The BC Liberals clearly stated (and Christy Crunch stated) the Party was going to be more volunteer participatory that there would be many things for the volunteers to do. Did not happen.
Trouble is the BC Liberals will be hard pressed to find good volutneers to run the campaigns. You need about 50 of them at least in each riding far more for election day. Plus money, and boxes of it.
The BC Liberals may end up alot of empty chairs being busy volunteering their best talent in the campaign office.
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Maybe the Libs “grassroots” folks realize that their leader is sorely unable to lead the party or province and are simply sitting on their hands, hopefully waiting for some sort of change at the top?
I went to a policy development event of theirs earlier this year; the first “political” event I have ever attended. While I appreciated the enthusiasm that was displayed by those in attendance, I was surprised at the lack of critical self-reflection about what is ailing the party and making them so unappealing to voters. Maybe everyone was simply being polite and disinclined to “rock the boat” (e.g. how do you politely tell CC — who was in attendance — that she has to go as leader?). However, my perspective was that without this type of discussion it is not possible to move forward.
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” The lack of self-reflection” is exactly the problem. We are too “politically correct” we’re afraid to hurt someones feelings, well feeling get hurt when you need to self- reflect, thus everything stays stagnant and just continues to roll along.
Rob
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OMFG….. the jobs minister Pat Bell in BC was just on cknw claiming it takes 4 OR 5 years to train to be a miner.
ummm… i have never been involved in the mining industry… but 5 years education to mine coal underground???? really?
i hope someone has some mining experience and can bring some light to this.
4:40 pm if you want to hear it in the cknw audio vault.
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http://coalminerstraining.blogspot.ca/
32 hour course
http://www.wvminesafety.org/certins.htm
40 hour or 80 hour course
http://www.downundertraining.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=64%3Astandard-11-inductions&catid=25%3Aaccredited&Itemid=58
4 days
just a few examples of basic training i have found around the world…
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There’s a simple solution. Rather than complain about the onset of the Chinese workers and the perceived cheap training, why doesn’t the Steelworkers or the Miner Unions get busy now and set up training and mentoring programmes and present that to the provincial government?
The sites up there could be used as training grounds for underground mining (of which BC has only one working underground mine right now). Or, working with the current underground mining company present a plan to use the current mine as a training ground.
The net ressult would be ready to work now new underground miners who can begin the two projects up there, still being supervised by the
Steelworkers and Miner Union apperenticing teams.
Seems to be more complaining and presenting “this is what could be provided in training” rather than getting the hard hat on the head and hauling ass to get something going. Particularly when BC needs good paying jobs, and our mineral based resource development is barely being built to its potential.
The Mining Association plus the Steewlworkers and other unions related to the mining industry can easily resolve the problem and
come up with a positive outcome, an opporutnity to get down and dirty and get paid very well for crawling around being a mole in a hole.
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Seymour,
the job ads require the miners to speak Mandarin. Not even Cantonese is good enough. Must speak Mandarin.
why should unions be required to provide education/training so people can find jobs? This is what our tax dollars are for. The government has an obligation to provide training & education. Unions are there to protect workers & try to get them the best deal they can in exchange for working.
Why should unions pay for international employers to have trained workers. Unions do not have an endless supply of money. These international corporations will be making billiions here in Canada. They should pay to train the workers. They are clear though, first you need to speak Mandarin.
The Chinese companies have no interest in hiring Canadians because they would demand that min. wages be paid. Canadians will also demand they are covered by WCB. Currently temporary workers who are injuried in the oil fields in Alberta are simply sent home to China on the next jet. The Chinese companies don’t want Canadian workers, or any other workers for that matter because they will demand safety standards. If the underground mines are all tempory visa workers who only speak Mandarin just who will these workers be complaining to. We all know that China has the highest rate of injuries & death in their mines. They now want to bring this to canada. People like you seem to think that is o.k. Me, not so much.
If Canada is going to be short qualified miners then the Immigration dept should start permitting qualified miners from any part of the world to immigrate. There are qualifed underground miners in Chile, South Africa, eastern europe, Russia, etc. There is no need to restrict mining jobs to Mandarin speaking workers. That is very unCanadian.
Unions are not responsible for providing trained miners. Thats what the government, education system, & corporations are supposed to do. I would also point out, even if unions trained workers, there is no guarantee the mines would be unionized work places. I would be surprized if these Chinese mining corporations even pay a “fair wage” to the Mandarin speaking miners.
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Nightmare.
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folks the stooges at CKNW MUST follow the scripts or their pay cheques stop. Period. Rafe is an example of being tossed and you all know the others as well that have gone off air. The ones left from BillieBgood to SeanLbean are toadies. It’s the money. Not enough cliches to cover this crowd.
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Looks like the Chinese miners have a lot of experience in getting dead.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_coal_mining_accidents_in_China
FTR: The link for 2008 “3000 miners” actually says 30.
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No one needs to mine coal in BC … or Canada for that matter.
http://www.worldcoal.org/resources/coal-statistics/
Does anyone know how many of the NDP/Union supported occupy crowd are in line for a job at a coal mine? … Google doesn’t show any results.
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The majority of the “NDP/Union supported occupy crowd” won’t be line for a job at the coal mines. The companies have stipulted you need to speak Mandarin. No Mandarin, no job. Cantonese won’t do, needs to be Mandarin. So they of the little letters name, try again.
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“As well, more polls showing she’s as popular as the plague.”
Breaking News – New Poll Shows Plague Way Ahead In #1 Position!
CC & JC Way Behind – Tied And Buried In #2!
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Right on – again, Alex. Politics and politicians in BC would be hilarious were it not for the consequences to the public (note to politicos: remember us – the ones that pay the bills?). Then it’s not so funny anymore – how about deplorable, appalling, pitiful and even disastrous.
The gong show going on with BCCP and the Fiberals really makes one wonder if they have legalized marijuana, or some other wonder drug, without our knowledge, and are freely participacting in it.
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alex a very telling post.
we have witnessed. what happens when good people give up or stop caring..
the dummying down of people and the elections of scoundrels is something that we as a society had allowed.
we turn to our news media for news and we are given a cooking show.and movie reviews as lead stories. then comes a real snore fest.
yet we allow it.
our democracy is a mere shadow of what it once was. and i think of our vetrans who have given life and limb to fight for for our democracy , is this what they fought for?
alex you and i both know it is not to late to fix
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“our democracy is a mere shadow of what it once was. and i think of our vetrans who have given life and limb to fight for for our democracy , is this what they fought for?”
My grandfather lost 3 brothers in WW2 and people like CC and Campbell et al. make a mockery of our democracy. This pisses me off. To think we have this idiot walking around, with no ability at all.
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The first item on the agenda would be to eradicate these back room operatives whose job it is to fabricate lies and deceptions which are perpetrated on the people during a campaign. If the candidate is not able to carry him/her self to victory on his /her honesty,integrity,intelligence and above all desire to act in the best interest of the people of the Nation/Province,then they should not be employed in the service of the public. If all government business was carried out in the front room,in public view we may not have gotten CC,and for sure our neighbours to the south would not have gotten George W.
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If i may…Cheers to that comment!!!
Some of us are still here. Carry on bravely! Interesting times ahead.
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comment intended to Harry’s
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Alex you mentioned 3 good Conservative operatives. By this do you mean Federal? I can’t imagine 3 quality people remaining with Cummins. Care to drop names of the 6?
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Yes, I meant federal.
I won’t name the six…for now.
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Can Siebring and McMartin really be called a “God squad”? That is quite a stretch.
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Please explain.
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Seems to me there’s far too many politicians and far too few leaders.
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Politicians are warm and fuzzy and get votes. Leaders tell us scary facts and don’t. It’s called survival of the glibbest.
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Back to Adrian Dix.
Some of his policy positions:
1. Corporate Tax Rate increased to 12% or 2008 level (which was reduced to 10% after carbon tax was introduced – a wash);
2. Financial Institutions Tax Re-established (including Credit Unions)
Not going to bring much back cash into the treasury, relatively speaking.
3. No corporate capital tax;
4. No increase in income taxes for higher income earners (from Globe & Mail editorial board meeting today)
5. Regarding BCTF, class size reduction is basically off the table, just class “composition”, which is same position as current Libs; (Globe & Mail editorial board meeting today);
After all of the expectations by the BC NDP’s base in terms of health care, education, social services, transit, fees, etc., etc. which would require $billions$ in additional annual spending, Dix won’t have any room to maneouvre here budget-wise.
Doesn’t make much sense for him politically. See what happened to NDP premier Dexter in Nova Scotia. The NDP base turned on him, as well as the public, and he’s now the most unpopular premier in Canada and also looks like he will get turfed in next year’s election.
Remember also that the BC NDP and it’s base are quite left compared to the centrist Manitoba NDP, OTOH, which policies basically mirror the BC Libs.
I harken back to prior to the 1983 provincial election when Dave Barrett’s new attire was a blue pin-striped suit and he proudly and publicly declared himself as “fiscal conservative”.
Prior to 1991, moderate Harcourt stated that the NDP wouldn’t spend any money that they didn’t have in the bank.
Dix seems to be following this lead. Could be political suicide if he changes these policy positions materially after an election though.
What further bothers me about Dix, was that one scrum at the UBCM about the “balanced budget” legislation. According to V. Palmer, it took 18 questions from 6 separate journalists and Dix did everything he could “to duck, bob, sidestep and otherwise avoid answering the question”.
And then he broke out in a sweat. Why?
If the NDP forms government, I give them 1 1/2 years at the most before the NDP base and/or the public turns on them. We’ve seen this script before.
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“Balanced Budget” legislation has been ignored by government since the day it was instituted. Just maybe V. Palmer could ask Chrispy the same question?
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“I give them 11 years at the most before the NDP base and/ or the public turns on them. We’ve seen this script before.” What happens if you are wrong? How many times in your life have you been wrong? Judging from all of the dumbell things the BC Liebs, BCCC have been pulling off I would doubt that the NDP could be that stupid.
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What happens if your wrong Bob? Something different than any other population that has ever voted the NDP in?
Maybe utopia this time Bob? Kumbaya.
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I’ll take ‘utopia’ over the current mess we’re in any day. Kumbaya to you, too.
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I heard on CBC radio one today that sara got the boot. Is this true Alex? Was just a short blurb on one of the half hour news breaks they do. Aint heard any more about it. What’s snooki gonna do without sara? And ken? I know I can’t say what I think a these 2 and all the other HST loving LIE berals so I better just leave it there. Sure hope it’s true so we don’t ever ever again have to hear about this overpaid useless gumchewing…………..C…
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Um, I actually mentioned it in my post.
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“According to V. Palmer”
Really you are going to believe what he says. Ask him a question about Christy and BC Rail. I guess BC Rail is water UNDER the bridge now.
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When you don’t know what is going on you don’t know what is going on.
China’s long term intent is to take over British Columbia and other parts of western Canada.
The NDP has sold out the labour movement in favour of the civil service and is actively helping China
Thousands of temporary Chinese mining workers are the vanguard of a new workforce in this province all speaking mandarin
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Um, okay…so how is China being helped by the NDP? Please be specific.
At the moment, all that appears here is a conspiracy theory.
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Here’s a conspiracy Alex. I like Olivia Newton John album covers AND rhubarb pie.
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With all this talk of “dummying down’, “McClerks” and people with no motivation in general, one has to wonder what “message” is being given in the schools, colleges, universities and of course the media.
I thought the issue of the “talking heads’ of the 80′s and 90′s had long past. Seems though that it has morphed, into something more sinister.
With the advancement of “psudo” sciences like “economics” and of course that all encompassing and all consuming area of “political science”,that the forest is getting harder to see through the tree’s.
We are systematically being manipulated, and coerced into believing,
that everything “they” (the poitico’s), do is for our collective benefit, when indeed, they are “selling us out”, and are only in the “game” for themselves. Collective…I thought that was an NDP thing …not Conservative…
If you don’t believe in their message…you are against them. The rhetoric continues to be ramped up…against any form of opposition.
Are we being sold out..Yes, economic subversion…hard to find evidence to the contrary.
There is no Utopia…its a pipe dream. Whenever human nature becomes involved, the ego’s and moral compasses begin to swing wildly. Scary stuff. Just ask the Liberals in this country…the end is nigh!
Alex.. what is your take on the implications, of the section of the Conservative Omnibus bill that allows foreign lawsuits, against Canadian companies. I am hearing more and more about this and its sounds like, it could be a legal nightmare and a sovereignty issue for the courts.
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I’m not sure if your characterization about “allowing” lawsuits against Canadian companies is accurate.
At law, this was never prohibited or made difficult at all. If a foreign company or individual was in a legal dispute with a Canadian corporation, nothing stopped them from suing the Canadian company.
When was there a law which truly protected Canadian companies from such lawsuits, or any lawsuits, for that matter? What if said company was run by an unscrupulous sort, should the foreign company not have the right to sue?
That would be an abrogation of several international laws.
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How about the issue of lawsuits against the government of Canada/BC. This is where the sovereignty comes in.
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This was an interesting article Alex. I have had similar thoughts about the lack of talent amongst the political operatives now adays. Part of the reason could be the instability of the work. Also, some of them managed to get well paying jobs in the lobbying sector.
It would be fun to get together with some political junkies and compare list for a possible dream team.
I have commented before on some poor quality political operatives at both the federal and provincial level. I agree that the talent pool is very shallow.
I had to laugh when I read that Will Mcmartin was running the BCCP/funeral home. I remember when Mcmartin ran in North Vancouver in 1993 for the Progressive Conservatives. While most candidates would have a photo of himself and his family on the campaign brochures. Mcmartin had a photo of himself and his dog. He is quite odd.
Sara “gum chewer” McIntyre is now with the public service. This is probably a more suitable job for her. She was way over her head in the Premier’s office. She was turfed from the PMO for a reason. Although Harper goes through communications staff like you and I go through toilet paper; I wonder who thought it would be a good idea to take Harper’s rejects?
I heard that Adrian Dix is going to be in Las Vegas during the next election. I think he figured that this would be more fun and it worked for NDP MP Ruth Ellen Brosseau. He would still win a majority government with this current political climate. This is sad.
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Truly.
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Visions of ∞² in a toga, wielding a whip, while the disappointing Liberals dig their way to China.
What B.C. needs is a salt mine. 5years of training required to work there.
The training would consist of sitting int the Leg ripping off the voters and lying through your teeth. Wages would be $14 per hour until such time as all previous Leg wages, perks and privileges were fully repaid to the tax payers.
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Westerners think in days, weeks, months.
Chinese think in months, years, decades.
Does anyone think its a ‘fluke’ that China now controls over 75% of the worlds manufacturing? Did you know they also control, almost 40% of the worlds shipping (most surreptitiously) and are agressively increasing their influence into ports and ‘everything’ transporatation???
Does anyone think that ‘it just happened’ that China is OWED TRILLIONS by both the EU and the USA??
Does anyone think that China’s take over of key rare earth metals licenses and manufacturing, all over the world, is by accident?
Does anyone really think that liberal minded western governments thought out the process to allow ‘foreign nationals’ to own and influence, huge areas of their lands….(anyone heard of that little place called the lower mainland…and, just in case you havent noriced… its happening all over the world) ??
Does anyone really think they can trust ANYTHING that the communist Chinese do or say?
You are witnessing the middle phase of the 50 year plan my friends.
A few workers here and there……buy more land……invest in more critical industries…..influence more politicians….slowly…ever so slowly…ingrain yourself until its too late.
Laugh if you want…but give it a minutes rational thought.
Think of the next generation, or your grandchildren. Look at who controls the wealth, holds the debt…..look at who MAKES almost everything…..look who companies like Apple, Dell, Boeing HP etc etc cant function without……its CHINA.
We are being slowly led down the path…..but WE only care about ourselves, what we are doing next week or maybe our vacation in February. Compare it to what the LIEberals have done to BC – then multiply it by a hundred million….its called Chinafaction and we have all been living it for over two decades…..
We are SOOO screwed………..
(apologize for the length – but as a proud CANADIAN I feel this message needs to be heard….and understood)
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Alex on a side note have you been reading this story about the US buisnessman that convinced a local native band to use their own money “taxpayer” im assuming , to fund his geoengineering scheme. He dumped 100 tons of iron sulfate off the coast of BC. He told the natives that it would “help” the salmon . I wonder if all the fish and ocean life dies from oxygen depletion who will be on the hook for that.
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Never even heard of it.
Will you send me some more information? Thanks!
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Alex,
You have now overstepped any semblance of decency. I attended closing night PNE concert of Olivia Newton John. And I love Rhubarb pie.
Is nothing sacred?
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I love you, man.
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Has any one followed the money trail of what happens to the 100 million in fines / alcolocks / councilling that the bc gov has shaken out of the 30,000 or so drunk drivers who have had their licenses taken away under the new IRPs. It would be interesting to hear from someone like you or Bob Mackin on where exactly the money grab ends up.
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Bob and I were speaking about this last month. I make take a crack at it in November.
Thank you!
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Not a lot of info available about the management of Stroh Health or Guardian. It makes you wonder about these monopolies and how business is carried out or who sits on the board etc.
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Thanks Alex, What you have said is totally true..with regards to my last comment.
Should have specified foreign arbitration not lawsuits. This is part of the new Investment treaty with the Chinese, currently being pushed by the Harper government, but some of which was addressed in the Omnibus bill.
I do believe that change may be coming, to some of these investment and legal area’s.
An article at http://canadians.org/blog/?/p=17099.. by Stewart Trew may offer some some additional background. Intestingly enough, it uses the example of potential Chinese involvement in pipeline construction, and energy projects, here in BC.
One wonders if CC has any inkling of the mess that could be created by Harper and the Conservatives. She won’t be around much longer judging by the polls, but it may impact the next elected government, in B.C.
Perhaps the ultimate “end run” around provincial jurisdiction, over energy, mining and other foriegn investment type projects. One can only wonder. Could prevent any real Provincial or even Federal, dialogue or intervention once the projects are underway. Investors and/or foreign governments may have other methods of recourse, to
ensure their projects remain in their best intrests, we would be left in the lurch.
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Okay, now I get it. Thanks for the clarification.
I’ll look into it. I’m not a fan of omnibus bills in general, but this one has SOME good elements in it.
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But Alex, that’s exactly how you do omnibus bills: the gov’t gets to say “the opposition voted against cute kittens!!!” when the omnibus bill also contains a provision for adding cyanide to our drinking water. A no-win for opponents! Of course, the omnibus tactic only works well if the media are not too curious or dilligent. And of course, our government-advertising-dollars-addicted concentrated-ownership media corps are playing right along.
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Alex, this latest bit on the BCCP ridings who are mounting their own “Arab Spring” should serve as ample notice to Siebring and Cummins that the silent majority in the BCCP are not putting up with their crap any longer. And we are not going quietly. In fact we are not going at all. Many of us worked damn hard to sign up new members, draft bylaws and constitutions, donated much time and hard capital to the cause. Whatever it takes, and however we need to get there, reason, transparency and democratic priniciples are going to prevail.
It’s going to be ugly and protracted, make no mistake about it. However, for those of us who understand a viable third party choice for British Columbians is critical to limit the scope of the Dix coronation, and ensure the obliteration of the B.C. Lie-berals, we’re not taking lightly the hijacking of the BCCP by these egomanial bullies.
So stay tuned because “We will respond through the mouths of our ships cannons.”
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Good for you!
Hang in there!
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