R.I.P. Paul St. Pierre, 1923-2014
In the summer of 1968, I was a naive minion of the Liberal Party, helping manage the coastal part of Paul St. Pierre’s campaign to become MP for Coast Chilcotin.…
Norman Farrell
Before taxpayers spend billions on LNG…
Since Paul Taylor’s keys to the public sector were taken away, again, I’ve been waiting for news of his latest landing ground. The Report of the Joint Review Panel (JRP)…
Where the vision and the visionaries?
Thirty-five years ago, the U.S. government’s EPA Journal stated, “Quite simply, Love Canal is one of the most appalling environmental tragedies in American history. “But that’s not the most disturbing…
In the land of Not-Net-Zero
Teachers were advised about a year ago that their pension contributions were rising again because the plan had an unfunded liability of $855 million, up from $289 million two year…
From outside the Liberal spin machine
Last March, the government MLA for one of Canada’s wealthiest municipalities rose in the Legislature to speak about natural gas. Jason Sturdy said, “our government’s deep-well royalty credit and infrastructure…
Patronage and private privilege – BC Liberal P3
By numerous measures — lower job and GDP creation, fewer public services and rapid expansion of public debt — BC Liberals are colossal failures. Most BC residents are unaware because…
Hey Tom, whose energy policy has been nonsense?
In the article “Unparalleled, indeed,” I quoted from an item written in 2011 by Black Press proselytizer Tom Fletcher. In it, he “lauded Gordon Campbell’s “long-term strategy to export hydroelectric…
Unparalleled, indeed
In 2009, the Vancouver Sun reported that BC Liberals intended to build “an electricity export industry unparalleled in B.C.’s 30-year history of power sales to the U.S.” Gordon Campbell was…
Megan Metcalfe speaks
From a Facebook post. You can read the entire item HERE. “I sent a letter to Christie Clark’s office, Peter Fassbender’s office, and my MLA about two weeks ago. I…
Volatile gas revenues tend to evaporate
BC Liberals are reluctant spenders when it comes to improving public schools. However, they’re not reluctant to put money into the pockets of natural gas producers. The amounts are in…
Ability-to-pay does not apply
A few years ago, Glaxo SmithKline, a multinational drug company, agreed to settle an American tax dispute by paying $3.4 billion and abandoning claims for refunds worth a further $1.8…
Fairness, fairly applied
Christy Clark claimed teachers are greedy and that BC cannot afford to pay more for public education. Liberal social media retainers continue echoing the claims. We know that labour relations…
Clark Government earns failing grades
“Teaching is not a lost art, but the regard for it is a lost tradition.” ― Jacques Barzun Successful nations that intend to maintain economic and social powers have high…
At least Liberal inconsistency is consistent
BC’s recent Budget and Fiscal Plan states total provincial debt is $63 billion. This amount, 62% higher than in 2009, is 27.3% of gross domestic product. Five years ago, the…
Dealmakers have been busy
People reacted to a tweet of information first published at Northern Insight. Many read it but do not want to believe it, because, as much as anything, this demonstrates whom…
Express yourself
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$80M annual power subsidy, one LNG proposal
Regular readers know that I focus attention on natural resource revenues earned – more often, not earned – by the citizens of British Columbia. Click here to read many articles…
Numbed by numbers
I’ll be talking with Ian Jessop, Monday June 9, on CFAX1070. While the BC Government lays seige to public education, it seems a good time to see if all the…
A system guaranteed to fail
I grumble about the quality of political journalism hereabouts and these complaints seem justified, even urgent, when an Ontario pundit demonstrates an example of powerful advocacy for the public interest.…
"We Won"
The title refers to BC’s 2013 election. It comes from a “Proud American.” When he said that, Krishnan Suthanthiran did not mean that citizens of the province were victors. More…