Politically connected individuals took advantage of citizens’ desire for clean, renewable energy and the Liberals wrote contracts with “lucky firms” that bore no relationship to market prices, guaranteed massive private profits and ensured all financial risks stayed with the public. The contracts in British Columbia last as long as sixty
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In-Sights: Unsolved crimes, a cold case file
BC residents who read comments here and like places in social media will be familiar with the very articulate Lew Edwardson (@valtamtech on Twitter). Lew has had a particular interest in general matters of public integrity and in particular, the mouldering case of BC Rail. Lew has tried to interest
Continue readingIn-Sights: When the call screener makes life difficult – Replay
A bit out of date but this item first published in January 2015 is worth repeating. It shows something about the quality of political reporting in BC. January 2, an unidentified caller chatted with CKNW Legislative reporter and talkshow host Sean Leslie, the spouse of a BC Liberal Government Communications
Continue readingIn-Sights: Caution BC Liberals, the temperature’s rising
Your browser does not support this audioListen to more of John McComb’s show HERE.
Continue readingNorthern Insight / Perceptivity: When the bells ring, political pets respond
Of course, not all journalists react in Pavlovian ways but the Black Press crew is reliable. @theemilyjackson @pqpolitics Other than 1000s of ft of booms and a special pollution response vessel… #facepalm — shane woodford (@WoodfordCKNW980) April 10, 2015 "Had there been a Kits Coast Guard, we'd have been at
Continue readingNorthern Insight / Perceptivity: When the call screener makes life difficult
January 2, an unidentified caller chatted with CKNW Legislative reporter and talkshow host Sean Leslie, a man who happens to be spouse of a BC Liberal Government Communications Director, appointed by Order in Council, who has been paid more than $250,000 in the last three fiscal years. It won’t surprise
Continue readingNorthern Insight / Perceptivity: Truthiness
This week, radio Station CKNW played commercials aimed at promoting public confidence in the absolute safety of Trans Mountain pipeline operations and marine shipments of petroleum products on the west coast. The spots end with this tagline: “Trans Mountain, operating safely in your community since 1953.” Gadget Google – Lecteur
Continue readingNorthern Insight: CBC dominates the Websters
I bet Jack Webster’s spirit twitches when the $175 a plate bun toss named for him recurs and this town’s higher purpose people gather to honour worthy journalists, not all of whom are worthy enough to be employed full time in the corporate media. Webster met Prime Ministers, Premiers and
Continue readingNorthern Insight: News reporting or press release reading?
On CKNW’s August 22 afternoon news, Marcella Bernardo reported this about Verizon, the American cell provider that may offer service in Canada, “Last year’s [Verizon] revenues of 116 billion dollars were more than double the combined profits of Rogers, Bell and Telus.” Had Ms. Bernardo been comparing like for like
Continue readingNorthern Insight: If you read anything today, it should be Rafe Mair
An illustration of why corporate media is in a death spiral: “…Modesty is not my long suit and I believe that had I stayed, the general public would have been infinitely better served on environmental issues. “A Judge once said to the great Lord Birkenhead, I have read your brief
Continue readingNorthern Insight: No free lunches… ever
Update April 9: I heard that CKNW’s Bill Good responded on his April 5 morning show to selected critics, people he declined to identify other than through reference to hated bloggers. For a number of days, I tried to listen to the station’s audio vault but the file for 8am
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Will The BC Liberal Government Survive Today’s Budget Vote?
Richard Hughes Political Blogger Good Morning, The question swirling around Victoria this morning is whether or not Premier Christy Clark will be able to weather the storm ahead and whether or not the BC Liberal’s ‘Election Budget’ will pass. If it fails then the question of Christy Clark’s leadership will
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Premier Christy Clark Must Step Down-Martyn Brown Says.
Richard Hughes-Political Blogger Martyn Brown, Former Chief of Staff for Premier Gordon Campbell, has told Jon McComb, on ‘The World Today’ CKNW 980, that Premier Clark must step down. Premier Clark told legislative reporters, this afternoon, that she will have to take more actions possibly including resigning as Premier. The last
Continue readingNorthern Insight: More ROTFL
A while ago, long tenured radio talker Bill Good told us he was offended by suggestions that certain callers get special treatment and easy access to CKNW air waves. He then spoke with a number of regular callers who confirmed that what Mr. Good had said was true. This is
Continue readingNorthern Insight: Hard for First Nations to get out the real story
Jon McComb, doing the morning show on CKNW today, had this to say about Attawapiskat: “The housing crisis that has plagued her [Chief Spence] remote reserve of about 1,900 people has been in and out of the headlines for months. The federal government says that since 2006, they’ve spent $131
Continue readingNorthern Insight: Fraying of social safety nets necessitates charity
I listened to parts of Friday’s CKNW Orphans’ Fund Pledge Day, wondering if they would be more forthright about an issue that’s added more than $1 million dollars to corporate pockets of Corus Radio since 2006. CKNW employees are now careful about saying “Every cent goes to the children.” Instead,
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: The 2013 BC Election Is Now Underway!
Richard ‘Hub’ Hughes-Political Blogger Welcome to the 2013 Provincial Election Campaign, now underway. It is revealing to compare the approaches by the competing leaders, BC Liberal Leader Ms Christy Clark and the BC NDP’s Adrian Dix. Mr.Dix, to his credit, faced the Board of Trade at a sold out luncheon the other
Continue readingNorthern Insight: Friends caring for friends
Bill Good mounted a defence of Christy Clark today following release of David Basi’s accusations that Premier Christy Clark was very much involved in the corrupt sale of BC Rail and was leaking confidential information to fixers involved in the deal. Good was joined by Keith Baldrey who wondered even
Continue readingNorthern Insight: The Schultz Theory, Applied
Alex Tsakumis’ release of Dave Basi’s 2003 memo to file was an interesting test for British Columbia’s corporate media. The results were mixed. NW’s Bill Good managed to do 3½ hours without noting the stench surrounding his pal Premier Photo Op. No surprise there since he’s been consistent in saying
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