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…
Norman Farrell
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…
Austerity is limited
School districts are forced to economize and they’ve done it in many ways. However, despite squeezing operating budgets so hard that supplies of classroom paper run out, certain costs are…
Good questions
Not a nincompoop blogger, RossK at The Gazetteer mentioned difficulties faced by Bob Mackin, the province’s preeminent investigative journalist, when Bob digs, and pays, for information the government does not…
LNG facilities: siting, safety, regulation
When British Columbia conducts LNG negotiations behind closed doors, without public statements of principles or bargaining frameworks, citizens should worry. I have written about our government’s willingness to provide the…
Premier Clark promised a review
In the two and one half years since that review began, we have evidence of its results.
Vapourtax
A few tech companies are noted for vapourware, which are products announced with much fanfare that never materialise. In my view, BC Liberal assurances of more than $70 billion new…
Charting BC natural gas revenues
The following charts are created with production data from Statistics Canada (CANSIM 131-0001) and other reports from government ministries. These demonstrate significant changes of income from exploration and production of…
Economics, by and for lay people
George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Second Lord of the Treasury of the United Kingdom, boasted recently about his nation’s modest economic growth. If expansion continues, Britain will soon…