As we get older we find that relatives and friends pass on more frequently. Some from natural causes, others from sickness, and still others by their own hand.
During my lifetime I have witnessed death first hand many times. The death of strangers can harden a person to what they witness but the death of a close friend or relative affects one differently. When it's personal its hard to get over.
Harvey Oberfeld wrote about the death of one of his colleagues recently and his writing has prompted me to write this.
I haven't been posting here very much since January and the bride remarked on that fact. She also remarked that I seemed to be more than upset at a friends death recently. She was correct of course as she always is when observing my moods. You see that friend died by their own hand and it was I who discovered her body.
A young friend had called me to say he needed me over at one of his relatives cabins as he feared something was wrong. The urgency in his voice made me react instantly. You see this young mans development and fears will not allow him to investigate anything he even remotely thinks may be tragic. Thus he called me. When I arrived at the cabin he was standing out in the street pacing back and forth. I asked him what was wrong and he told me he thought his aunt may be in he vehicle but he couldn't go check it out. I walked over to the vehicle and looked in the window but because of the tinted glass couldn't make out any real form so I tried the door. It opened and there was his aunt sitting in the drivers seat. I spoke to her and got no response. She was wearing a fur coat with a hood and I moved the hood to see if she may be asleep. Alarmed I reached for her wrist to check the pulse. My heart was beating so fast that All I could feel was my own pulse so I tried the artery in her neck. Nothing. I checked her left hand. Nothing. Panic. Then I checked for any breath and as I turned away that's when I noticed the gun. I lifted her hood to check for damage and to check her eyes and there was no visible damage so I slowly pried apart her coat between the second and third buttons and there was the damage, in the center of her chest.
It was more than two hours before I could leave the scene having to give a statement to the police and dealing with my young friend and his family. You see, he isn't the only one who couldn't deal with the death of his favourite aunt. And as it turned out with my silence afterward, neither could I.
A couple of days after reading Harvey's tribute to his colleague I received word that another friend had passed away after a battle with cancer. And although this is not the same type of death it is still sad that I will never see "Big Jim" again. A gentle giant that never had a bad word for anyone unless he was severely provoked.
There was a article in a local paper on symptoms of depression in the workplace but the paper got used to start the woodstove. I was going to use it here but had to get this out so I can move on. I will check the local paper for back issues at the end of the month and will do something on that at that time. Usually at this time of year there is a spike in suicides that can be attributed to many things but I submit that the lack of daylight hours is a big contributor.
And so I have written my piece and my friends are at peace. It's time to move on.
2/23/2009
2/22/2009
Gag Law (or dictatorship in full swing)
The Gordon Campbell government has enacted a new law that forbids third party advertising 88 days before an election.
The law limits election advertising by any person or organization that is not a political candidate, riding organization or party to $3,000 in a single electoral district and $150,000 overall.
So I say to Campbell "bring it on". We have the right to freedom of speech and expression in this country and NO I repeat NO ass of a law enacted by anyone to take away my freedoms will be obeyed.
The law limits election advertising by any person or organization that is not a political candidate, riding organization or party to $3,000 in a single electoral district and $150,000 overall.
So I say to Campbell "bring it on". We have the right to freedom of speech and expression in this country and NO I repeat NO ass of a law enacted by anyone to take away my freedoms will be obeyed.
Third party advertising limits
235.1 (1) In respect of a general election conducted in accordance with section 23 (2) of the Constitution Act, an individual or organization other than a candidate, registered political party or registered constituency association must not sponsor, directly or indirectly, election advertising during the period beginning 60 days before the campaign period and ending at the end of the campaign period
(a) such that the total value of that election advertising is greater than
(i) $3 000 in relation to a single electoral district, and
(i) $3 000 in relation to a single electoral district, and
(4) Section 204 applies to adjust the amounts under this section.
2/04/2009
The Food We Eat
This cheese we eat
Wendy Holm
Western Dairy Farmer
January-February 2009
Who would have thought it would come to this? Who could have predicted that Canada's milk processing plants - once local cooperatives created by farmers to serve farmers - would slam their doors in the face of Canadian cows? Who would have imagined that milk derivatives, imported from far-flung, global markets, would ever replace wholesome Canadian milk in wholesome Canadian cheese?
Counter-intuitive, right? Yet Canada's big three cheese-makers, Saputo and Parmalat (who for more than a decade have been buying up and shutting down Canada's regional, cooperative dairies), together with Kraft Canada, are doing just that.
When milk protein concentrates first showed up in the late 1990's, they were imported under several different tariff classifications. Some entered correctly as dairy products and tariffs were paid, some entered as food product proteins and no duty was paid. In 2006, the Federal Court of Appeal upheld a Canadian International Trade Tribunal ruling that dropped the duty for properly classified over-quota imports of milk protein concentrates from 270 percent to 6.5 percent, widening the tear in the tariff wall and encouraging a flood of imports.
Saputo, Parmalat and Kraft's rapid substitution of imported milk protein concentrates for higher quality Canadian milk in the manufacture of cheese and other dairy products would never have occurred were the plants still farmer-owned cooperatives. With 37 percent of Canadian milk destined for cheese production, the switch to milk protein concentrates by the big three cheese-makers is costing Canadian dairy farmers $250 million a year in surplus removal costs.
From an industry perspective, the use of milk derivatives erodes the integrity, quality and reputation of Canadian-manufactured cheeses. For consumers, the use of globally sourced derivatives in domestic cheese production not only compromises taste; it also increases risk associated with standards, inspection and traceability.
After a government-appointed industry committee failed to come up with a solution, the Canadian government acted, introducing two legislative changes last fall to resolve the problem.
In September, after several years of negotiations with European Communities and Switzerland, a new category for milk protein concentrates was added to the Import Control List and a tariff rate quota was put in place to reduce incentives for import. This closed the loophole for derivative imports.
In December, consistent with GATT, the WTO and all other major cheese-producing countries, changes to the Canadian Food and Drug Act established minimum domestic milk content for four categories of Canadian cheese: Traditional Cheddar (100%), Fine Cheeses (95%), Cheddar Cheese, Mozzarella and all cheese other than pizza mozzarella (83%) and Pizza Mozzarella (63%). This assured consumers Canadian cheese would be made from wholesome Canadian milk.
Problem resolved? Not quite. As evidenced by the butter-oil sugar blend debacle, when it comes to the global agri-food sector, shareholder profit trumps sustainability every time.
Last October, Saputo, Parmalat and Kraft Canada petitioned the Supreme Court for a judicial review of the new cheese regulations, arguing they are unenforceable, lack uniformity and objectivity, improperly delegate discretionary authority to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and have as a purpose providing an economic benefit to dairy producers at the expense of dairy processors and others. Also challenged is the authority of the Canadian government to regulate cheese standards, arguing the regulation of milk is controlled by the provinces.
The Court accepted the application and gave the Crown until December 22nd to file evidence. Ex-parte hearings are January 12th. Full hearings are scheduled for March 30th and 31st. A quick decision is expected.
In a year dominated by stories of peak oil, escalating food prices and high-profile food contamination scares - melamine, listeriosis, salmonella - the move by Saputo, Parmalat and Kraft to challenge Ottawa's new cheese regulations seems particularly ill-advised. Canadian consumers are focused on food like never before. Food safety, food miles and 100-mile diets regularly capture the attention of talk show hosts and columnists. And it would be hard to find a food product Canadians more identify with than cheese. (We are referred to as "cheese-heads" after all!)
Fortunately, this attempt by concentrated multinationals to close their doors to Canadian milk is getting good play in the main stream media, raising the ire of Canadians consumers, who expect their cheese - whether it's cheddar, camembert, mozzarella, or any one of the over 450 types produced in Canada - to be made with high quality Canadian milk from Canadian cows. Likely, this will boost demand for cheeses from artisan, regional and cooperative dairies, which have been making good Canadian dairy products with good Canadian milk all alongŠ
In a vain attempt to manage the public backlash, Saputo is now calling for reductions in prices to dairy farmers, claiming they can't afford to make cheese with Canadian milk. It doesn't take much to blow holes in this one: no fewer than seventeen independent surveys over the past decade have found Canadian milk prices average 15% below US product.
This is, of course, not about price, it is about globalization. Just as Wall Street's addiction to financial derivatives fueled the global economic meltdown, the use of imported milk derivatives by Canada's big three cheese-makers undermines the quality and integrity of Canadian dairy products and threatens the future of Canada's supply management system.
Until agriculture becomes a part of culture, things won't change. But Saputo, Parmalat and Kraft's unprecedented attack Canadian cheese and Canadian farmers just might open that door in the heart of consumers that says "enough is enoughŠ "
Uppermost in the minds of Canadians is our economy. But foremost on our lips is Canadian cheese.
-30-
Werndy Holm
http://www.theholmteam.ca
wendy@theholmteam.
Many thanks to Wendy Holm and the Western Dairy Farmer for permission to post this article
Wendy Holm
Western Dairy Farmer
January-February 2009
Who would have thought it would come to this? Who could have predicted that Canada's milk processing plants - once local cooperatives created by farmers to serve farmers - would slam their doors in the face of Canadian cows? Who would have imagined that milk derivatives, imported from far-flung, global markets, would ever replace wholesome Canadian milk in wholesome Canadian cheese?
Counter-intuitive, right? Yet Canada's big three cheese-makers, Saputo and Parmalat (who for more than a decade have been buying up and shutting down Canada's regional, cooperative dairies), together with Kraft Canada, are doing just that.
When milk protein concentrates first showed up in the late 1990's, they were imported under several different tariff classifications. Some entered correctly as dairy products and tariffs were paid, some entered as food product proteins and no duty was paid. In 2006, the Federal Court of Appeal upheld a Canadian International Trade Tribunal ruling that dropped the duty for properly classified over-quota imports of milk protein concentrates from 270 percent to 6.5 percent, widening the tear in the tariff wall and encouraging a flood of imports.
Saputo, Parmalat and Kraft's rapid substitution of imported milk protein concentrates for higher quality Canadian milk in the manufacture of cheese and other dairy products would never have occurred were the plants still farmer-owned cooperatives. With 37 percent of Canadian milk destined for cheese production, the switch to milk protein concentrates by the big three cheese-makers is costing Canadian dairy farmers $250 million a year in surplus removal costs.
From an industry perspective, the use of milk derivatives erodes the integrity, quality and reputation of Canadian-manufactured cheeses. For consumers, the use of globally sourced derivatives in domestic cheese production not only compromises taste; it also increases risk associated with standards, inspection and traceability.
After a government-appointed industry committee failed to come up with a solution, the Canadian government acted, introducing two legislative changes last fall to resolve the problem.
In September, after several years of negotiations with European Communities and Switzerland, a new category for milk protein concentrates was added to the Import Control List and a tariff rate quota was put in place to reduce incentives for import. This closed the loophole for derivative imports.
In December, consistent with GATT, the WTO and all other major cheese-producing countries, changes to the Canadian Food and Drug Act established minimum domestic milk content for four categories of Canadian cheese: Traditional Cheddar (100%), Fine Cheeses (95%), Cheddar Cheese, Mozzarella and all cheese other than pizza mozzarella (83%) and Pizza Mozzarella (63%). This assured consumers Canadian cheese would be made from wholesome Canadian milk.
Problem resolved? Not quite. As evidenced by the butter-oil sugar blend debacle, when it comes to the global agri-food sector, shareholder profit trumps sustainability every time.
Last October, Saputo, Parmalat and Kraft Canada petitioned the Supreme Court for a judicial review of the new cheese regulations, arguing they are unenforceable, lack uniformity and objectivity, improperly delegate discretionary authority to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and have as a purpose providing an economic benefit to dairy producers at the expense of dairy processors and others. Also challenged is the authority of the Canadian government to regulate cheese standards, arguing the regulation of milk is controlled by the provinces.
The Court accepted the application and gave the Crown until December 22nd to file evidence. Ex-parte hearings are January 12th. Full hearings are scheduled for March 30th and 31st. A quick decision is expected.
In a year dominated by stories of peak oil, escalating food prices and high-profile food contamination scares - melamine, listeriosis, salmonella - the move by Saputo, Parmalat and Kraft to challenge Ottawa's new cheese regulations seems particularly ill-advised. Canadian consumers are focused on food like never before. Food safety, food miles and 100-mile diets regularly capture the attention of talk show hosts and columnists. And it would be hard to find a food product Canadians more identify with than cheese. (We are referred to as "cheese-heads" after all!)
Fortunately, this attempt by concentrated multinationals to close their doors to Canadian milk is getting good play in the main stream media, raising the ire of Canadians consumers, who expect their cheese - whether it's cheddar, camembert, mozzarella, or any one of the over 450 types produced in Canada - to be made with high quality Canadian milk from Canadian cows. Likely, this will boost demand for cheeses from artisan, regional and cooperative dairies, which have been making good Canadian dairy products with good Canadian milk all alongŠ
In a vain attempt to manage the public backlash, Saputo is now calling for reductions in prices to dairy farmers, claiming they can't afford to make cheese with Canadian milk. It doesn't take much to blow holes in this one: no fewer than seventeen independent surveys over the past decade have found Canadian milk prices average 15% below US product.
This is, of course, not about price, it is about globalization. Just as Wall Street's addiction to financial derivatives fueled the global economic meltdown, the use of imported milk derivatives by Canada's big three cheese-makers undermines the quality and integrity of Canadian dairy products and threatens the future of Canada's supply management system.
Until agriculture becomes a part of culture, things won't change. But Saputo, Parmalat and Kraft's unprecedented attack Canadian cheese and Canadian farmers just might open that door in the heart of consumers that says "enough is enoughŠ "
Uppermost in the minds of Canadians is our economy. But foremost on our lips is Canadian cheese.
-30-
Werndy Holm
http://www.theholmteam.ca
wendy@theholmteam.
Many thanks to Wendy Holm and the Western Dairy Farmer for permission to post this article
1/30/2009
Why Did This Happen? Who's at the Controls in BC?
http://www.opinion250.com/blog/view/11875/1/worthington+properties+issued+orders+in+mackenzie
... Worthington Properties has been issued a set of orders from the Ministry of the Environment that require Worthington properties to carry out certain functions around spill prevention. "It also give us the ability to step in and ensure those actions are taking place" says Minister of Forests Pat Bell. He adds that Worthington properties has not paid its staff at the mill for some time, "There was an imminent risk of staff leaving and unionized workers leaving the premises and leaving it in a state that would have caused immediate risk to the environment." Bell says the owner of the mill, Dan White, says he still intends to operate the facility but doesn't have the cash flow right now. ... The Mayor of Mackenzie, Stephanie Killam says Worthington Properties has yet to pay the taxes on the property and the amount is in the $2 million dollar range. ...
B.C. unsure who will pay for pulp mill cleanup
ctvbc.ca
The provincial government may have to go to Central Europe to find someone to pay the $50-million price tag for the cleanup of dangerous chemicals inside a northern B.C. pulp mill.
The owner of the company that bought the mill, Dan White of Worthington Properties, is nowhere to be found -- and the only listed director of the company is a man who resides in Slovenia.
"Nobody's happy about the situation," B.C. Attorney-General Wally Oppal told CTV News.
Last year, it seemed like the town of Mackenzie, B.C., would dwindle after the bankruptcy of Pope and Talbot, which operated a pulp mill near the town.
But when Alberta company Worthington Properties agreed to buy the mill in September, four months ago, it seemed like a chance to revive the town, said B.C.'s Forestry Minister, Pat Bell.
"[White] was certainly an interesting man, he said all of the right things, and made it clear that his intent was to operate the mill," said Bell, who met with White during the sale.
Instead, by January, the mill employees weren't getting receiving their paycheques, and the company had racked up $2-million in back taxes owed to the town of Mackenzie.
And when it appeared that pipes at the mill might freeze in -30 degree temperatures, risking the leak of tons of deadly chlorine dioxide over the 5,000 inhabitants of Mackenzie, the provincial government stepped in Sunday to manage the mill.
The mayor of Mackenzie said that the town had tried to contact White and Worthington, but they never returned the phone calls.
"The owners are not there you can't find them. You can phone them, you don't get any answers," said Stephanie Killam. "We haven't had any contact with them for a number of months, actually."
When CTV News tried to contact White at his listed Worthington address in Edmonton, a secretary told us that White was busy -- and that he would issue a press statement. No statement was issued.
CTV News checked several addresses in Edmonton but we were told that the company had recently left each one.
When we checked the Edmonton Court of Queen's Bench, we found that Worthington Properties had been sued by construction companies and interior designers 77 times since 2002.
White himself was convicted of money laundering in the 1990s, and also was named in court documents as the target of a RCMP undercover investigation.
And the only remaining director of Worthington Properties is now Drago N. Puskaric, who resides in Slovenia.
The leader of B.C.'s opposition says that the government should have done checks on Worthington when it bought the mill.
"Instead he walked away, left a huge environmental liability, and we could all be paying for it," said NDP Leader Carole James. "If that's the government doing its job, we're all in trouble."
But Bell said that there's no reason the government would have checked the sale. The mill's environmental permits were in order, and there were no forest licenses changing hands, he said.
"There was no role for the provincial government to take in the transfer of the asset," he said.
The province has agreed to take on responsibility for the pulp mill for 15 days.
"I don't know how in 15 days they're going to clean up those chemicals," said Carl Bernasky a union representative for the workers in Mackenzie.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Kent Molgat and Jon Woodward
Now if I were the employees at this mill I would be looking at ways have the mill employee owned and operated.
And if I were the Attorney General of BC I would be seeking ways to have White as well as Worthington Properties charged with Reckless Endangerment or possibly attempted Murder, as well as a miriad of environmental charges.
So, now, Mr.Campbell. How is it that your administration never seems to do any Due Diligence when dealing with these white collar criminals? I for one would really like to know?
1/24/2009
The Campbell Administration
On the Campbell government's Olympic-sized Cost Overruns "So far" is the really scary part
Headline: Add it all up, and you'll find the Olympics is going to cost us 6 Billion (so far, anyway)
"This is taxpayers' money, our money. We don't know exactly how much is being spent.
"But by our incomplete tally and with another year to go until the Games, it's about $6,000,000,000."
- Daphne Bramham (Vancouver Sun), Jan. 23, 2009
Campbell generously spreads the costs around
"The true cost of the Games--including such crucial items as security, as well as fast-tracked highway, rapid transit and infrastructure projects--defies calculation. The provincial government insists its Olympic budget remains at $600 million. Meanwhile, it has spread other Olympic-related spending across departments in such a Byzantine fashion that even the provincial auditor general can't find the true cost."
- Ken MacQueen (Maclean's), Jan. 21, 2009
The Easter Bunny is real and the Olympics are on budget
"Olympic fires are breaking out all over the place and Premier Gordon Campbell must be praying he can snuff them all out before the most important date on his Olympic calendar.
"No, I'm not talking about Feb. 12, 2010 -- the date of the opening ceremonies at B.C. Place.
"The date Olympic-watchers in Victoria are worried about most is May 12, 2009 -- the next provincial election...
"Meanwhile, at Finance Minister Colin Hansen's office, they're going ballistic over the exploding budget for 2010 security costs. Could it officially blow the government's $600-million budget for the Olympics -- a budget nobody but the government really believes?"
- Michael Smyth (Province), Jan. 23, 2009
On Gordon Campbell's sudden boredom with the 'environment issue' The Green Shift (...out of the premier's office)
"For a guy supposedly so concerned about global warming, Mr. Campbell is quick to back what causes it, like putting more vehicles on the road and revving up Alberta's tar sands production...
"Zig: Two years ago, Mr. Campbell vowed to cut greenhouse emissions by at least a third by 2020.
"Zag: On Monday, he downgraded the status of his climate-change secretariat, moving the job out of the Premier's office."
- David Beers (Globe and Mail), Jan. 22, 2009
It turns out the environment is dirty
"The environmental thing was supposed to be a legacy issue, that, you know, he's a great premier - look how he looked after our environment, but hey, not if it gets any mud on us."
- Dennis Pilon, Political Scientist (on CBC TV), Jan. 20, 2009
No million dollar ad program now?
"Last year I received a bunch of press releases from the government all about the green shift - explaining the carbon tax, promoting other initiatives - but the information about the change to the climate action team? Well that was information buried in some background notes..."
- Heather Robinson (CBC TV), Jan. 20, 2009
No comment necessary
"It's no surprise that Gordon Campbell has put his vaunted Green Plan on the back burner. A cursory look at his time in office shows he can't keep his attention on any file for more than a month or two...Remember when he was the Education Premier (thousands of oversized classes), the Health Premier (broken-down hospitals, thousands of mentally ill people on the streets), the First Nations Premier (millions wasted on stalled treaties), the Literacy Premier (closed school libraries), the Forestry Premier (thousands of forestry jobs lost), the Law and Order Premier (raid on the legislature still not in court), the Four Golden Goodies Premier (economy in the tank) and the Olympics Premier (billions of tax dollars wasted)? He should really be known as Attention Deficit Disorder Premier, our very own Premier Butterfly who flits from flower to flower, unaware of the destruction he leaves in his wake."
- Peter Hill (letter to Vancouver Sun), Jan. 21, 2009
On Gordon Campbell's courageous ongoing battle to fight democracy
Yaawwwnnn! I'm bored of the legislature alrea
"Gordon Campbell and the B.C. Liberals decided that this bill needed to be rammed through the legislature in an emergency session, limiting the usual three days of discussion and debate to only one.
"The real travesty, though, was that they couldn't even be bothered to participate. Campbell himself left the legislature shortly after noon on Saturday, and by evening there were only a handful of Liberals left...
"The NDP did an excellent job of trying to hold them accountable, but Campbell and his crew didn't seem to think that they owe any of us an explanation. I feel they do."
- Kaitlin Burnett (letter to Burnaby Now), Jan. 21, 2009
Shuffling right down the hall, through the doors and out of the legislature
"The shakeup this week at the top of the public service provides a strong clue as to Premier Gordon Campbell's intentions for the coming session of the legislature.
Mindful of the central importance of deputy ministers during a legislature session, I was surprised that so many of them would be changing jobs this close to estimates debate. Then one former deputy provided the explanation.
"Why was I assuming there would be a debate on estimates?
"But of course. Election year.
"The B.C. Liberals have no intention of permitting a lengthy session of the legislature in advance of the May 12 provincial vote.
"Rather, they will follow the pattern they established before the last election in 2005. They convened the house and let it sit for 18 days, spread over five weeks. "
- Vaughn Palmer (Vancouver Sun), Jan. 23, 2009
Campbell is just upset Ontario beat him again
"When the B.C. Liberals came to power in 2001 they promised to bring in the most open and most accountable government in B.C. history. Since then, there is a growing body of critics out there who say the Liberals have been anything but open on any number of fronts...
"Earlier this month, there was an audit done by the Canadian Newspaper Association that ranked the provinces when it came to granting access to information requests - B.C. ranks second worst in the entire country, second only to Ontario."
- Keith Baldrey (Global TV), Jan. 22, 2009
On the Campbell government's abandonment of Northern B.C. Pulling up a chair and watching projects fail
"I've lived through the eager anticipation of BC Hydro's phase one call for clean power using biomass fuel such as mill residue, roadside wood waste, and 'dead' pines stands; and sat through the bitterness and disappointment after all three local projects were turned down, while the premier and his cabinet, and the two local MLA's, sat on their hands."
-Don Perdue (Burns Lake District News), Jan. 20, 2009
Trickle down economics
"Last summer the B.C. Liberals sold a record $2.7 billion in oil and gas rights in northeastern B.C. with few environmental safeguards and zero chance of reinvestment back into northern communities.
"If billions of tax dollars were permanently taken out the Lower Mainland, it would be a huge contentious issue, to put it mildly.
"Prince George and many other northern communities have all the hallmarks of Victoria sucking huge amounts of resource tax dollars out, while giving little in return."
- Mark Clements (letter to Prince George Citizen), Jan. 22, 2009
On the Campbell government's pathetic forest policy
"Wow! Seventy per cent stumpage cuts and off to the feds to ask them for handouts for workers in the forest industry. What has got into you Gordon Campbell?
"Never mind answering, I know, and so do most of the people in the forest industry. Election, that's what coming! Never mind that Campbell hasn't heard or cared about forest workers as mills closed, and contractors went broke, companies got smaller, and people exited our province during the past ten years."
- Brent Browning (letter to Cowichan News Leader), Jan. 22, 2009
Source: BCNDP Newswire and various news outlets and persons mentioned in each item.
Headline: Add it all up, and you'll find the Olympics is going to cost us 6 Billion (so far, anyway)
"This is taxpayers' money, our money. We don't know exactly how much is being spent.
"But by our incomplete tally and with another year to go until the Games, it's about $6,000,000,000."
- Daphne Bramham (Vancouver Sun), Jan. 23, 2009
Campbell generously spreads the costs around
"The true cost of the Games--including such crucial items as security, as well as fast-tracked highway, rapid transit and infrastructure projects--defies calculation. The provincial government insists its Olympic budget remains at $600 million. Meanwhile, it has spread other Olympic-related spending across departments in such a Byzantine fashion that even the provincial auditor general can't find the true cost."
- Ken MacQueen (Maclean's), Jan. 21, 2009
The Easter Bunny is real and the Olympics are on budget
"Olympic fires are breaking out all over the place and Premier Gordon Campbell must be praying he can snuff them all out before the most important date on his Olympic calendar.
"No, I'm not talking about Feb. 12, 2010 -- the date of the opening ceremonies at B.C. Place.
"The date Olympic-watchers in Victoria are worried about most is May 12, 2009 -- the next provincial election...
"Meanwhile, at Finance Minister Colin Hansen's office, they're going ballistic over the exploding budget for 2010 security costs. Could it officially blow the government's $600-million budget for the Olympics -- a budget nobody but the government really believes?"
- Michael Smyth (Province), Jan. 23, 2009
On Gordon Campbell's sudden boredom with the 'environment issue' The Green Shift (...out of the premier's office)
"For a guy supposedly so concerned about global warming, Mr. Campbell is quick to back what causes it, like putting more vehicles on the road and revving up Alberta's tar sands production...
"Zig: Two years ago, Mr. Campbell vowed to cut greenhouse emissions by at least a third by 2020.
"Zag: On Monday, he downgraded the status of his climate-change secretariat, moving the job out of the Premier's office."
- David Beers (Globe and Mail), Jan. 22, 2009
It turns out the environment is dirty
"The environmental thing was supposed to be a legacy issue, that, you know, he's a great premier - look how he looked after our environment, but hey, not if it gets any mud on us."
- Dennis Pilon, Political Scientist (on CBC TV), Jan. 20, 2009
No million dollar ad program now?
"Last year I received a bunch of press releases from the government all about the green shift - explaining the carbon tax, promoting other initiatives - but the information about the change to the climate action team? Well that was information buried in some background notes..."
- Heather Robinson (CBC TV), Jan. 20, 2009
No comment necessary
"It's no surprise that Gordon Campbell has put his vaunted Green Plan on the back burner. A cursory look at his time in office shows he can't keep his attention on any file for more than a month or two...Remember when he was the Education Premier (thousands of oversized classes), the Health Premier (broken-down hospitals, thousands of mentally ill people on the streets), the First Nations Premier (millions wasted on stalled treaties), the Literacy Premier (closed school libraries), the Forestry Premier (thousands of forestry jobs lost), the Law and Order Premier (raid on the legislature still not in court), the Four Golden Goodies Premier (economy in the tank) and the Olympics Premier (billions of tax dollars wasted)? He should really be known as Attention Deficit Disorder Premier, our very own Premier Butterfly who flits from flower to flower, unaware of the destruction he leaves in his wake."
- Peter Hill (letter to Vancouver Sun), Jan. 21, 2009
On Gordon Campbell's courageous ongoing battle to fight democracy
Yaawwwnnn! I'm bored of the legislature alrea
"Gordon Campbell and the B.C. Liberals decided that this bill needed to be rammed through the legislature in an emergency session, limiting the usual three days of discussion and debate to only one.
"The real travesty, though, was that they couldn't even be bothered to participate. Campbell himself left the legislature shortly after noon on Saturday, and by evening there were only a handful of Liberals left...
"The NDP did an excellent job of trying to hold them accountable, but Campbell and his crew didn't seem to think that they owe any of us an explanation. I feel they do."
- Kaitlin Burnett (letter to Burnaby Now), Jan. 21, 2009
Shuffling right down the hall, through the doors and out of the legislature
"The shakeup this week at the top of the public service provides a strong clue as to Premier Gordon Campbell's intentions for the coming session of the legislature.
Mindful of the central importance of deputy ministers during a legislature session, I was surprised that so many of them would be changing jobs this close to estimates debate. Then one former deputy provided the explanation.
"Why was I assuming there would be a debate on estimates?
"But of course. Election year.
"The B.C. Liberals have no intention of permitting a lengthy session of the legislature in advance of the May 12 provincial vote.
"Rather, they will follow the pattern they established before the last election in 2005. They convened the house and let it sit for 18 days, spread over five weeks. "
- Vaughn Palmer (Vancouver Sun), Jan. 23, 2009
Campbell is just upset Ontario beat him again
"When the B.C. Liberals came to power in 2001 they promised to bring in the most open and most accountable government in B.C. history. Since then, there is a growing body of critics out there who say the Liberals have been anything but open on any number of fronts...
"Earlier this month, there was an audit done by the Canadian Newspaper Association that ranked the provinces when it came to granting access to information requests - B.C. ranks second worst in the entire country, second only to Ontario."
- Keith Baldrey (Global TV), Jan. 22, 2009
On the Campbell government's abandonment of Northern B.C. Pulling up a chair and watching projects fail
"I've lived through the eager anticipation of BC Hydro's phase one call for clean power using biomass fuel such as mill residue, roadside wood waste, and 'dead' pines stands; and sat through the bitterness and disappointment after all three local projects were turned down, while the premier and his cabinet, and the two local MLA's, sat on their hands."
-Don Perdue (Burns Lake District News), Jan. 20, 2009
Trickle down economics
"Last summer the B.C. Liberals sold a record $2.7 billion in oil and gas rights in northeastern B.C. with few environmental safeguards and zero chance of reinvestment back into northern communities.
"If billions of tax dollars were permanently taken out the Lower Mainland, it would be a huge contentious issue, to put it mildly.
"Prince George and many other northern communities have all the hallmarks of Victoria sucking huge amounts of resource tax dollars out, while giving little in return."
- Mark Clements (letter to Prince George Citizen), Jan. 22, 2009
On the Campbell government's pathetic forest policy
"Wow! Seventy per cent stumpage cuts and off to the feds to ask them for handouts for workers in the forest industry. What has got into you Gordon Campbell?
"Never mind answering, I know, and so do most of the people in the forest industry. Election, that's what coming! Never mind that Campbell hasn't heard or cared about forest workers as mills closed, and contractors went broke, companies got smaller, and people exited our province during the past ten years."
- Brent Browning (letter to Cowichan News Leader), Jan. 22, 2009
Source: BCNDP Newswire and various news outlets and persons mentioned in each item.
12/31/2008
2008 Draws to a Close
As we near the end of another year I thought I'd list a few things that I deem are wrong in this society.
First and foremost is the looong loooong delay we are facing in the BC Rail/ Legislature Raids case.( we just passed 5 years from the unprecedented raid on our Legislature on December 28th 2003. I so dislike adding gate to the end of anything. It only reminds me of Watergate which if some of you don't know is the name of a hotel in DC where some political shenanigans brought down a sitting US President. The issue was American not Canadian. And in that case two reporters kept digging and digging with the help of a former FBI agent to get to the bottom of things.
Sadly in this day and age in this province we have no Mainstream Media reporters, editors, or companies digging into and /or publishing what is quite possibly the biggest scandal this province or country forthat matter has ever seen.
Fortunately what we do have is a pitbull of a blogger BC Mary, a political commentator Bill Tieleman who has been the lead in this case from the start, a retired professor Robin Mathews who gives us much valuable information and a few other blogsites on the net such as myself, House of Infamy, The Gazetteer, and the unbelievable Sean Holman of Public Eye, who care enough to keep this case alive and as much in the forefront as we can.
Now, I said above that there are reporters included in the non reporting of this case but that is not quite correct. They aren't reporting through their papers, for whatever reasons, but there are other ways to report. For them we can be thankful.
The second thing on my list is the present political party in power in Victoria.
This is government that in the past two elections have promised the moon and given us a net result of nothing. And here I can't see why some of their MLA's have not crossed the floor to sit as independents or for another party.
Just a few of their broken promises are #1 I will not sell the railway. Technically they are correct here. I maintain they didn't sell it , they gave it away. And as of next year we aren't going to own any of it. Squat. Nada. Just watch.
Thirdly they promised 5000 long term health care beds for seniors in BC. This has not happened.
Then they were going to erase homelessness and they made a big deal of buying up slum hotels only to put this on the back burner. I maintain that they are going to sweep the homeless from Vancouver out to the interior and develop the hotels for profit during the 2010 Olympics. That to me is the only thing that makes sense of how this is being handled. The new Mayor of Vancouver is the only one to actually jump started the erasing of the homeless problem.
They were going to have open cabinet meetings and that fizzled when they figured it may cause them grief.
The biggest joke was that they were going to have a sustainable forestry program. What a farce. Try telling the unemployed loggers and millworkers in BC that it's working.
And they were going to eliminate government funded advertising. I've written before on the blatant advertisement showcasing their money giveaways. And now I've seen a new one. They just had to start the new add with the Fast ferry problem. Funny I don't see any mention there of the 500 million dollar cost overrun for the convention center that I believe is closer to a billion dollars. Or the present problems with the new ferries.
Finally for this post I want to mention the minimum wage. People in this province are making $6.50 an hour. I was making that wage back when gas cost twenty-five cents a gallon. My auto insurance was 24 dollars a year.
These people are on what is called a training wage. So for six months they get this amount. And there is nothing in the labour code to stop companies from letting them go at the end of that time. The code has been gutted. As has much of the other legislation that protected workers.
It wouldn't be so bad if Gordon Campbell hadn't refused that increase then with a straight face voted himself the golden egg. Along with his cronies.
I will never be able to comprehend how out of touch this man is with his fellow human beings. He lacks any compassion whatsoever.
The list is so vast it boggles the mind. Everything seems to be on hold till after the next election.
And his spin doctors have seized on another spin. They say (and of course he agrees) that he is the most qualified to handle the economy. Handle it for who? The corporate welfare bums? I think not. What he is actually doing is telling us to vote for him so he can further hide the mess he has created for this province. You see if someone else forms a government I believe that this man will go to jail. (unless of course he takes a lesson from Bush and votes himself a pardon.)
I want ot take this opportunity to wish my friends and even those who are not so friendly a happy and prosperous 2009. And I think the only way you are going to prosper is to vote for anyone other than the BC liberals. Gary E
First and foremost is the looong loooong delay we are facing in the BC Rail/ Legislature Raids case.( we just passed 5 years from the unprecedented raid on our Legislature on December 28th 2003. I so dislike adding gate to the end of anything. It only reminds me of Watergate which if some of you don't know is the name of a hotel in DC where some political shenanigans brought down a sitting US President. The issue was American not Canadian. And in that case two reporters kept digging and digging with the help of a former FBI agent to get to the bottom of things.
Sadly in this day and age in this province we have no Mainstream Media reporters, editors, or companies digging into and /or publishing what is quite possibly the biggest scandal this province or country forthat matter has ever seen.
Fortunately what we do have is a pitbull of a blogger BC Mary, a political commentator Bill Tieleman who has been the lead in this case from the start, a retired professor Robin Mathews who gives us much valuable information and a few other blogsites on the net such as myself, House of Infamy, The Gazetteer, and the unbelievable Sean Holman of Public Eye, who care enough to keep this case alive and as much in the forefront as we can.
Now, I said above that there are reporters included in the non reporting of this case but that is not quite correct. They aren't reporting through their papers, for whatever reasons, but there are other ways to report. For them we can be thankful.
The second thing on my list is the present political party in power in Victoria.
This is government that in the past two elections have promised the moon and given us a net result of nothing. And here I can't see why some of their MLA's have not crossed the floor to sit as independents or for another party.
Just a few of their broken promises are #1 I will not sell the railway. Technically they are correct here. I maintain they didn't sell it , they gave it away. And as of next year we aren't going to own any of it. Squat. Nada. Just watch.
Thirdly they promised 5000 long term health care beds for seniors in BC. This has not happened.
Then they were going to erase homelessness and they made a big deal of buying up slum hotels only to put this on the back burner. I maintain that they are going to sweep the homeless from Vancouver out to the interior and develop the hotels for profit during the 2010 Olympics. That to me is the only thing that makes sense of how this is being handled. The new Mayor of Vancouver is the only one to actually jump started the erasing of the homeless problem.
They were going to have open cabinet meetings and that fizzled when they figured it may cause them grief.
The biggest joke was that they were going to have a sustainable forestry program. What a farce. Try telling the unemployed loggers and millworkers in BC that it's working.
And they were going to eliminate government funded advertising. I've written before on the blatant advertisement showcasing their money giveaways. And now I've seen a new one. They just had to start the new add with the Fast ferry problem. Funny I don't see any mention there of the 500 million dollar cost overrun for the convention center that I believe is closer to a billion dollars. Or the present problems with the new ferries.
Finally for this post I want to mention the minimum wage. People in this province are making $6.50 an hour. I was making that wage back when gas cost twenty-five cents a gallon. My auto insurance was 24 dollars a year.
These people are on what is called a training wage. So for six months they get this amount. And there is nothing in the labour code to stop companies from letting them go at the end of that time. The code has been gutted. As has much of the other legislation that protected workers.
It wouldn't be so bad if Gordon Campbell hadn't refused that increase then with a straight face voted himself the golden egg. Along with his cronies.
I will never be able to comprehend how out of touch this man is with his fellow human beings. He lacks any compassion whatsoever.
The list is so vast it boggles the mind. Everything seems to be on hold till after the next election.
And his spin doctors have seized on another spin. They say (and of course he agrees) that he is the most qualified to handle the economy. Handle it for who? The corporate welfare bums? I think not. What he is actually doing is telling us to vote for him so he can further hide the mess he has created for this province. You see if someone else forms a government I believe that this man will go to jail. (unless of course he takes a lesson from Bush and votes himself a pardon.)
I want ot take this opportunity to wish my friends and even those who are not so friendly a happy and prosperous 2009. And I think the only way you are going to prosper is to vote for anyone other than the BC liberals. Gary E
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