The question is…
More than a few people enter politics with a hope of exercising power or advancing their careers. For some, the choice is an economic one. They expect rewards by way…
Norman Farrell
Captured regulators and petrostates
Marc Lee writes that we live in a petrostate. He examined Cedar LNG. That $5.5 billion project promises 100 permanent positions, which is $55 million for each job. The project…
Simplistic solutions for complex problems — they seldom work
BC Conservatives left a flyer at my door promoting their candidate in a North Vancouver constituency. Were the BC Conservatives to form government, British Columbia would be far different. Not…
Income tax and rising inequality
In the 1960's, tax expert Kenneth Carter headed a Royal Commission that examined Canada's income tax system. Among many other things, Carter's group was asked to report on "changes that…
“You won’t have to vote anymore”
Dan Rather was a star of the news business for years before he left CBS. From the 1980s to the mid-2000s, Peter Jennings, Tom Brokaw, and Dan Rather were the…
Immoral or amoral?
Rutger University professor Wenwen Zhang, wrote a 2018 dissertation that said conceptions of amorality in business literature are diverse and ambiguous. Belief that morality is irrelevant and inapplicable in business…
Note to readers
In a few hours, I will undergo vascular surgery at Vancouver General Hospital. The prospect is a bit scary but the prognosis is good. I hope to resume work at…
“The opposite of poverty is enough”
Conventional wisdom says that economic disparities lead to political violence, or mildly violent collective actions. Yet few politicians anywhere are willing to address root causes of social difficulties. It is…
Tough on crime!
Pierre Poilievre and other conservatives promise to be tough on crime. "Jail, not bail," says the man who aspires to be Canada's next Prime Minister. The John Howard Society is…
A BC industry in decline
I have been reading about the history of British Columbia's forest industry. I lack thorough expertise, but I think it is fair to say that short-term thinking by self-interested industrialists…
Frozen Logger
As I stepped out one morning into a small cafeA 40 year old waitress to me these words did say…She said, “I see, sir, that you are a logger, and…
Helping hands
New research shows that the brain is more like a muscle – it changes and gets stronger when you use it. Scientists have been able to show how the brain…
Is the war against climate change already lost?
World Marks Full Year of Average Temperatures Above 1.5C Target
Collapse of Social Cohesion and Crisis of Trust and Truth
Frank Graves says we live in an era which sees a crisis of both trust and truth... Disinformation is polarizing our society in ways that we have never seen... But…
Evil corporate culture, tip of the iceberg?
Large enterprises often fail to respond effectively when facing challenges. Professional people find it difficult to say that they may have been wrong. Passing the buck is a primary defence…
Watch what the BC NDP does, not what they say
So BC taxpayers currently paying close to $3 billion a year in carbon tax must result in lower production of natural gas, right? Maybe not.
Not worried about climate change?
Environmental Defence Canada says climate change is one of the main reasons why food prices are increasing. There are other factors too, but some of the prices in 2024 are…
Megaproject, 10 years late and 8x original budget
The real need is for the province to appoint a royal commission with broad ability to investigate financial and engineering problems with all megaprojects. The inquiry should be able to…
“After all, we only did what we had said we would do…”
All senior public servant involved in the approval or management of megaprojects that consume vast sums should demonstrate detailed knowledge of Professor Flyvbjerg's work. Many works would not be approved…
Oil and gas industry is a rogue entity making its own rules
If the public interest is ever to be served, the power and influence of lobbyists must be reduced to near-zero and the ability to slip easily between the regulators and…