Christy Clark recently spoke to a gathering of her close supporters, including Gwyn Morgan, David McLean, Patrick Kinsella, Francesco Aquilini, Peter Wall and Tom Nellis. A spy tells me this was the central message of reassurance she conveyed: “We’re working harder than ever now because we earnestly believe we can
Continue readingAuthor: Norman Farrell
Northern Insights / Perceptivity: Rotten apples
In China, Human Costs Are Built Into an iPad, By CHARLES DUHIGG and DAVID BARBOZA, New York Times “…the workers assembling iPhones, iPads and other devices often labor in harsh conditions, according to employees inside those plants, worker advocates and documents published by companies themselves. Problems are as varied as
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: More not-net-zero reality
In Failing healthcare managers still paid handsomely, I noted that average earnings of the top 10 people at the Fraser Health Authority rose almost $4,500 per month between 2008 and 2011. That represented a 21% increase to FHA, indicating generosity that surprises considering the difficulties FHA has had in delivering
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Hello Premier Photo-Op
Ten Habits of Incompetent Managers, Margaret Heffernan, Fast Company Bias against action: There are always plenty of reasons not to take a decision… People who don’t make mistakes generally don’t make anything. …A good decision today is worth far more than a perfect decision next month. Beware prevaricators. Secrecy: …Very
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Bring on the consultants, part 1
How CEOs Jack Up their Pay, Kimberly Weisul, Editor & Founder of One Thing New: “(MoneyWatch) Poor, downtrodden, underpaid CEOs finally have someone they can turn to in their hour of need: compensation consultants. “… research … suggests there’s a simple way to boost their pay. Just call in the
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: RCMP change not welcome after all
Almost two months ago, I wrote Rewarding incompetence and stated my hope that, under its new leader, RCMP had turned a corner toward an era of accountability and respectability: “That [William] Elliott’s tenure was a costly failure is made clear by comments to the Globe and Mail by his replacement,
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Failing healthcare managers paid handsomely
Doctors vow to take back Royal Columbian ER, Tara Carman, Vancouver Sun, February 7, 2012 “Emergency-room doctors at Royal Columbian hospital served notice to administrators Monday they will no longer assess patients in hallways or other areas with insufficient privacy and equipment to do a thorough examination. “The doctors’ statement
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: BC Liberal motto: Be Prepared
A REPLAY from March 1, 2011 ER doc takes a coffee break CBC News item: Staff at Royal Columbian Hospital near Vancouver were forced to turn the facility’s Tim Hortons outlet into an emergency room on Monday night because of a shortage of beds. Deputy Premier, Minister Responsible for Small
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: I-RO-NY [ ahy-ruh-nee ]
The REPLAY below from September 2010 seems particularly relevant after Jonathan Fowlie exposed the story of HST pamphlets going from printer to shredder by the truckload. The original waste is bad. Worse is demonstration that unprincipled politicians will throw good money after bad if there is a chance to hide
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Uncomfortable parallels
While a mere teenager when Richard Nixon was elected to a second term, Stephen Harper had found a mentor. A few decades later, empowered by a majority in parliament, the now Canadian Prime Minister is putting early inspirations into action. Nixon spent his early years working as an ardent anti-communist
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Comparing football and baseball
In an event that proceeds so slowly, it may not end until next week, America celebrates couch potatoes and gladiators. It is a good time to remember George Carlin:
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: REPLAY: Liberal plan of action
Reader Lorne Finlayson provided this to us a year ago. However, he didn’t indicate when the change would take place. Is the time growing close? Being in either a realistic, or pessimistic state of mind this morning – take your pick – I foresee the following events unfolding for this
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Talking tough with empty words and an empty head
Is there anything more laughable than a politician trained in nothing providing direction to executives of the province’s $14-billion dollar monopoly insurer. Speaking to ICBC, British Columbia’s chief law officer “delivered a firm reminder that there has been a public backlash to recent revelations about compensation for Crown executives.” In
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Don’t miss The Real Story
Ian Reid poses questions about the sale of BC Rail, among them is BC Rail: who knew what, when? Don’t miss Ian’s series. Like many other deals constructed by the BC Liberals of Gordon Campbell and Christy Clark, the railway sale has the corporate media wearing blindfolds and ear plugs.
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Questions about oily business aims
Good thing we have the Tyee and other independent media. If we did not, politicians and industrialists would have an unrestricted pass to conduct business in ways that best line their own pockets. Corporate journalists, traditional defenders of public interests, hive themselves away and belch free-market economic nonsense extolling a
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: CBC pained by public reaction
Jennifer McGuire is general manager and editor in chief of CBC News. Today, with no shortage of hubris, she posted a defence that attempts to explain the broadcaster’s determination to act against recommendations of CBC Ombudsman Kirk LaPointe by continuing the appointment of Stephen Smart, husband of Premier Clark’s Deputy
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: BC’s income disparity worst in nation
Look past the political rhetoric, the paid advertisements and the work of reporters shilling for the B.C. Liberals. Look at information generated by the provincial government’s own statistical agency. It tells a clear story, devoid of spin: “Based on data from 2008, the average income of the top 10% of
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Setting economic policy for Canada’s west
China Cheats: Push May Come To Shove, Robert Borosage, Campaign for America’s Future “China cheats – it openly flouts trade laws – and routinely denies it. It restricts access to its markets, forces companies that want to sell in China to transfer technology and manufacture there, and then often steals
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Harper, the anti-democrat
Terry Glavin: Scrutinizing Canada’s pipeline to Beijing, Terry Glavin, National Post – one of the most powerful pieces in recent memory: “Canada is at the brink of a radical shift in energy and foreign policy. But there has been no debate of any consequence about it — not in the
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Gerald Amos on Enbridge’s Northern Gateway
NO APOLOGY FORTHCOMING by Gerald Amos, January 8, 2012 “Recently there has been a lot of criticism by supporters of the tar sands, and oil industry front groups, of Canadian non-profit organizations who have concerns regarding the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline project, and the fact that they receive support
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