From the ‘Rules Don’t Apply to Us’ department
According to Finance Minister Kevin Falcon’s first quarterly report for the current year, “As well, the fiscal plan assumes the current public sector compensation negotiating mandate – i.e. two year…
Norman Farrell
"The hypocrisy is quite sickening"
Paraphrasing Benjamin Disraeli’s words to the British Parliament in 1845, “The BC Liberal government is an organized hypocrisy.”I visited the BC Liberal website today and found this homepage. The frame…
Net-zero mandate, not for all
Net-zero is OK for teachers, regular healthcare providers and the remaining public sector workers but not for important friends who do favours for Premier Photo Op. For example, and this…
I see nothing, I was not here…
Premier Photo Op was born in the sixties, apparently influenced by one particular TV show. While it ended production in 1971, Hogans Heroes was in reruns long after. With a…
On media, a reader’s contribution
Ms.Photo Op,Mentzelopoulos,Muir,Waldner Here’s an excerpt from the Vancouver Sun that ran Nov 22nd about the hiring of the husband of the minister of corporate priorities by the Vancouver Island Health…
Democracy Or Plutocracy? A Chart
By Dave Johnson, Campaign for America’s Future: Updates:
Contributions of two MLAs in BC Legislature
“I think this is a vital step forward for British Columbia, and long overdue, I think it’s going to make a difference, I think it’s going to mean taxpayers money…
To be different, we must do things differently
Alexandra Morton has a new blog entry. It starts with this: Dear Minister Ashfield: I would suggest you stop treating us like fools…Alexandra holds back little criticism because she has…
Photo Op Princess, come back to earth
Christy Clark pretended that justice would be swift and effective for hockey rioters. The problem was – and everyone knew this – BC’s court system had been starved for resources;…
Best and worst of CKNW
I am quick to criticize CKNW, mostly because I remember the years it did excellent work. Its newsroom, when run by Warren Barker, was the single quickest and best source…
A snail’s pace is quick by comparison
To emphasize that the Basi/Virk trial was merely meter-spinning theatre from the injustice system, I bring back a Northern Insights piece from almost 18 months ago. I think it captures…
CKNW charity boosts corporate profits
In early December, Corus Radio holds its annual pledge day, raising money for the CKNW Orphans’ Fund, a charity started when Bill Rea founded the station in 1944. A Northern…
Victoria’s old-time policing continues
Victoria police assault probe not over yet, CBC News, November 23, 2011: “A provincial court judge ruled George Chong used excessive force in applying a chokehold that rendered Frank Blair…
A simple truth
For British Columbia Liberals, the BC Rail/Basi/Virk story is like a slow growing cancer. Left unresolved, it is metastasizing, nudging the afflicted party toward an inevitable conclusion. I’ve tried to…
Outrageous rhetoric from Clark Government
Hyperbole is an intentional and often outrageous overstatement, or exaggeration. This clips provides an example.
Rhetoric of Pepper Spray
The Rhetorica Network offers analysis and commentary about the rhetoric, propaganda, biases, and spin of journalism. This site features the Media Rhetoric Journal web log, comprehensive news media links, a…
Moving forward by ignoring errors
Glenn Greenwald, Salon.com: “The UC-Davis Chancellor responsible for the pepper-spraying of her students, Linda Katehi, today went on Good Morning America and explained why she should not resign or otherwise…
Cost of $ilence = highest losses in BCR history
This partially updates a 2009 Northern Insights article, Patronage applied Liberally. Silence in the BC Rail affair has been a costly purchase for the people of British Columbia as the…
Deeply corrosive changes
Call to end ‘corrosive’ top pay deals, Brian Groom, Business and Employment Editor, Financial Times, November 21, 2011 Excerpts: Executive pay should be radically simplified to halt spiralling awards that…