Same -sex adoption meeting in BC

Are you in Vancouver BC this October 16th. If so you maybe interested in a meeting being hosted by the Adoptive Families Association of BC for same-sex couples thinking about adopting a child. This is fabulous. Adoption of children by gays in BC became the law in the 1990`s under the Glen Clark government. I`m pretty proud to have been a small part of that ...

bearijuana

That's right, only in BC. Some enterprising person in south eastern BC (Christina Lake) was growing about 1,000 pot plants in a fenced off area and they fed bears so they would hang around. The RCMP say there were 10 bears that seemed pretty domesticated. The bears were used as a deterrent to those that might want to raid the pot plants.

I 'm betting one of the bears was a snitch, that do gooder bear Yogi perhaps.

CBC story link here

and CBC Video link here

Just what could the Campbell government do?

What will happen if the BC Liberals feel they are going in the tank next election?  Will big business and the other wealthy Libcon financiers suggest a big time fire sale.  Its no secret the big business in the province want to get rid of some nuisances as they see them to unfettered markets. 

Here are a few things that could come under review for possible sale/garage sale pricing.

ICBC - There is already competition for the lucrative non-basic coverage.  This is the most profitable piece to the vehicle insurance business.  What's to stop Campbell and company from selling shares in ICBC or an auction to the highest bidder in a contest to compete with ICBC.

BC Lottery Corp.  -  Ontario has looked at selling off its lottery business, why not BC?


BC Place stadium would be a nice asset to sell if the government swallows the debt portion of the place.


St.Paul's Hospital - The Libs and Providence Health Care have been trying to find a way to move the hospital from the West end of Vancouver for years so they can sell the property to developers. Too bad for those that live in the West end but wouldn't they prefer a bunch more million dollar condos on Burrard street to an old hospital?

BC Hydro - The private sector has been vexed for years, missing out in tens of millions in energy dollar profits because BC Hydro produces and transmits its power to consumers.

The Agriculture Land Commission, weakened after Bill Bennett came to power and then more so under Campbell, could be tweaked some more to allow more growing of condos and big box stores.

That's the short list.  There are many more opportunities for the Campbell Libcons.  Imagine the possibilities if they they think they are going to royally tossed from office next election.

Campbell's HST - Liberal nightmare

Oh my, its going to happen. BC has recall and initiative legislation. The only place in Canada to have it, yet the bar is very high. The people are going to force Premier Campbell to hold a province wide referendum or a vote in the legislature on the HST.

Premier Campbell has made this initiative an easy sell. Bill VanderZalm is leading an effort to force the government to rescind its plan to harmonize the GST with the PST. People don't like it and are fighting back.

Fight HST campaign organizers say they have signed up the minimum 10% of registered voters in 72 ridings. That leaves 13 to go before July 5th for their petition to succeed.

BC Liberal drinking and driving AGAIN

Whoops, Liberal MLA in BC caught in Police road check for drinking and driving.

What does Daddy Campbell do now?

Jane Thornthwaite was elected MLA for North Vancouver-Seymour in the 2009.

HST Petition approved in BC

Elections BC announced today, that the application from former BC Premier Vander Zalm, to start a petition in opposition of the incoming sales tax, had been approved.

An initiative to end the harmonized sales tax (HST) will hit the streets April 6, 2010.

Voter in BC will get a chance to sign a petition against the HST beginning April 6, 2010. The petition must be completed in the next 90 days.

The BC petition, if it gets enough signatures will go to a province wide vote. It requires a simple majority to win. A win however does not compel the government to take the advice of the voters. Still, I like the idea of Gordon Campbell and the Liberal Party saying no. Just another darn good reason to send them packing!

Unfortunately for us here in Ontario, that vote won't happen here. Seems Mr. McGuinty knows what's best for all of us.

Polygamy in Canada

Here comes the end of Canadian Marriage laws as we know them...

The BC Government is seeking the opinion of the Supreme Court of Canada with respect to polygamy laws...

From the BC Government press release...

“Until Canadians and the justice system have clarity about the constitutionality of our polygamy laws, all provinces, including ours, face a lengthy and costly legal process in prosecuting alleged offences. With that in mind, I have instructed counsel not to appeal the Sept. 23 B.C. Supreme Court decision and, instead, to proceed with the reference questions I will be submitting to the court.

“I am proposing to pose two questions. The first will ask the court to determine if Section 293 is consistent with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The second will seek clarity on the Criminal Code provisions of Section 293. I am confident, given the importance of this matter, the court will agree to hear the questions.

After the Ontario Court approved three names on a birth certificate as parents a couple years ago, the changes to who and how many can marry can't be far behind.

Nanaimo-Cowichan Conservatives

The Harper team has a winner, maybe?

John Koury has been selected to represent Nanaimo-Cowichan Conservatives in the next federal election. This guy use to work for Keith Martin, former reformer turned Liberal. He has run before and it was not too pretty when he did.

Koury had a major meltdown and was almost pulled as a candidate. Veteran politicians like Deborah Grey and Conservative MPs Gary Lunn and John Reynolds were called in to shut him up. (see publiceye for more).

Koury has allowed time to heal the wounds of the past. It seems to have worked as the Conservatives have elected him as their rep this time out. He will be up against a stalwart campaigner in Jean Crowder, NDP MP since 2004 in Nanaimo-Cowichan. Koury was recently elected to the North Cowichan municipal council.

BC headed to 3 billion plus deficit!

BC headed to 3 billion plus deficit!

Yeppers, you read that right. Colin Hansen, BC's Robber Minister went into an election knowing the Province's projected deficit of $495 million was way out to lunch, yet he repeatedly said that the number was good.

Seems the deficit number was good for one thing only, the re-election of Gordon Campbell and his team of con artists. We don't have all the numbers yet but it won't be long before we do. A new budget is coming down in a few weeks.

We know now that Hansen must have known the budget target was not going to be met because Welfare numbers were soaring. In fact welfare numbers were going so high, the public relations Bureau (read govt PR hacks) told Social Services it could not post welfare numbers until after the election. That's bad news on two fronts. First the province is paying out more money and second the province is not getting any tax revenue from the people it is paying welfare too.

Next we have The Robber Minister telling the media today that income tax revenue is down a billion and royalties and stumpage are down another billion give or take a couple 100 million. Add to that the 400 million spent on Forest fires and we easily have a 3 billion plus deficit.

Then there are the Olympic costs that we haven't seen yet. Surely they will come in way over budget. The Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre expansion has come in at double the original cost estimates. All I can say is that its a good thing these Liberals can mange money so well. Imagine what it would be like if they were worse at it than they tell us they are?

Now the fun stuff. It seems Robber Minister got a call from the big Robber Minister in Ottawa right after the election. The Ottawa Robber Minister had the BC Robber Minister over the barrel. See, Ottawa knew BC was in big financial doo-doo. So according to Gordon Campbell Ottawa said, "Hey BC, here is 1.5 billion buckaroos (that's what Harper calls dollars), bet you can use that right now." Harper was right of course and the deal was so easy, all BC had to do was sign onto a new tax.

You know most of the story after that. The HST is coming as a result of either a quick urgent decision that would not allow for public consultations and or the result of outright lying during the election. The BC Campbell Libcons in their effort to "Keep BC Strong" brought in a big new tax on the spur of the moment or they negotiated it for some time and felt voters didn't need to bother with it until after they voted.

BC, guess what?
You have been
Hoodwinked, Sucker-punched and Tattooed.

see also...

NO BC HST

Raphael Alexander: The dog ate my reason for introducing the HST

One Way We Can Say 'No!' to the HST

Ontario sleeps, BC Boils

Biggest Tax Shift in BC History: Why Did Campbell Do It?

HST opponents launch campaign to stop the tax

Critic says Tourism BC's closure a matter of control

Sometimes you can re-invent yourself

Sometimes you can re-invent yourself

Bill VanderZalm to the rescue... What? You're kidding right?

all I can add is Campbell LIBcons are really screwing up when this happens...

Ontario sleeps, BC Boils

Ontario sleeps, BC Boils

Have Ontario folks simply accepted that the HST (GST and RST) is a done deal? Out in BC considerable effort is being made to do something to stop The BC Liberal government from moving ahead with the Harper Strangling Tax (HST).

In Ontario, the Progressive Conservatives said they will change it if elected. The NDP have rolled out a petition. Neither effort is gaining much headway. Its as if McGuinty knows we're a bunch of saps and even if we don't like it, what the heck are you going to do about it? Queens Park has decided!

Lots of things are going to cost more, yet the McGuintyGovernment can't or won't tell us how much and what will be costing more. They have released some info on increased costs, things like heating fuel, electricity, gasoline, tobacco, taxi fares, lawyers' fees, haircuts will be taxed at 13 per cent instead of five. Then there are funerals and maintenance work on condominiums not on the Ontario government released effects which will go up in price. Home renovations are going to be hit with the new tax as will almost anything defined as a service.

If you go to the PC sponsored petition site, they have listed things scheduled to cost more including, camp fees, propane, kids dance lessons, summer camps, coffee, magazines and fast food.

Now the NDP have a little more info on what will cost more under the planned HST. You can sign petition there to voice your disapproval of the unfair tax.

Why all the lack of motivation here in Ontario? The Progressive Conservatives have a Facebook group opposed to what they are calling the DST, Dalton Sales Tax. The group has only 532 members! Whats up with that?

The NDP Facebook group is doing better with some 1459 members. That's a far cry from the almost 100,000 members opposed to the HST in BC on Facebook.

Its a little disconcerting to see my new home province lacking any kind of fight to the coming of the Harper Strangling Tax. Maybe it's the fact that in BC you can recall a provincial MLA (MPP in Ontario). Maybe it is that in BC voters can put an initiative on a ballot.

Perhaps what is even more upsetting is that McGuinty and Campbell are being bought off by Harper. It certainly lends credence to the idea that any politician has a price and Harper is playing that game very well in two provinces he needs to win the next election.

To make matters even more muddy, NDP Premier of Manitoba Gary Doer is also looking at accepting the Harper government's bribe money.

The HST is a big tax shift. It will see government coffers grow and people paying more. David Schreck has a good article here on the issue at The Tyee.

I would put up the official Ontario government links to the change but they are a little hard to find. Try it yourself.

To follow the BC anti HST movement check in on Bill Tieleman's blog regularly.

Campbell and McGuinty

Campbell and McGuinty

Two premiers leading uninspiring governments decide to to take federal cash

Generally a cool thing to do, but not when it has this affect...

HST is bringing on recall talk in Canada's only Recall state.

Facebook anti HST site could lead to recall effort as they gather names

Only in BC, pity it can't happen in Ontario.

Campbell was told it would not be good

Snowmobiler survives massive avalanche

Snowmobiler survives massive avalanche

While Vermont legislators had to climb quite a hill to achieve equal marriage, a snowmobile group in Valemont British Columbia climbed new heights in stupid. And they got it on tape.

here it is ...



and CBC had this to say... CBC

Daily Shame #5

Daily Shame #5

BC refuses to make new course compulsory or even an elective...
Homophobia - licensed to pursue in BC
First Quebec and now British Columbia gets in on the act (part way) and the religious right is up in arms on Pacific as they are on the St. Lawrence. The Ministry of Education is offering an elective course which school boards and can choose to offer or not. The BC minister of education has stated the course would not be compulsory as a similar one in Quebec is.

At issue is a course the ministry developed after they lost a human rights complaint. The resulting settlement agreement was that a course be created addressing diversity, respect and tolerance for BC school children. The course is called MAKING SPACE, GIVING VOICE.

The school system therefore strives to create and maintain conditions that foster success for all students and that promote fair and equitable treatment for all. These conditions include;
• equitable access to and equitable participation in quality education for all students
• school cultures that value and honour diversity and respond to the diverse social and cultural needs of the communities they serve
• school cultures that promote understanding of others and respect for all
• learning and working environments that are safe and welcoming, and free from discrimination, harassment and violence
• decision-making processes that give a voice to all members of the school community
• policies and practices that promote fair and equitable treatment for all.
(Diversity in BC Schools: A Framework, 2004, p.

Alas the BC government has not made the course mandatory as an offered elective. Each school district can choose to make it available or not. That's why this has hit the news. A BC couple, Murray and Peter Corren, have taken the School District in Abbotsford to the BC Human Rights tribunal for failing to offer the elective course even after 90 students have signed on to take it.

Murray Corren said... 
"We have waited long enough for the Board to reconsider its decision,
and now we feel the students are entitled to the learning opportunities
afforded by Social Justice 12, as opposed to the replacement watered-down
course offered by the Board. In fact, the students and their parents were
fully aware of the content of Social Justice 12 and were looking
forward to what it had to offer."The National Post says... 'The Education Ministry, Social Justice 12 is not
a course on homosexuality, but one meant to "raise students' awareness of
social injustice, to enable them to analyze from a social justice perspective,
and to provide them with knowledge, skills and an ethical framework to
advocate for a socially just world."'

Class discussion varies from a range of topics affecting society's aggrieved, including homophobia, ageism, consumerism and even species-ism -- the mistreatment of animals.

The class is expected to discuss a wide range of issues. One of those that has the ire of the religious right, such as the Catholic Civil Rights League (CCRL), is about those people that have sex with the same sex. You know who they are, all those fags, gays, queers, lesbos, trannies.

It seems CCRL have still not accepted the rights of all Canadians, just those that agree with them. I can hardly wait for us to get the public money out of the discriminatory Catholic school education system here in Ontario. That will take time I expect as the Premier of this province won't rock the boat at least not until after the next election.

The Shame here is largely however with the BC Minister of Education and the Gordon Campbell government. They have consistently shied away from moving forward on equality issues. In 2000, the then BC NDP government joined the court fight for marriage rights of same-sex couples. The Campbell government, soon after being sworn in withdrew their support of the effort.

The BC Govt could at least have some of the moxie displayed by the Quebec government. Ensuring this course, "Making Space, Giving Voice," was an available elective in BC schools is the least the Campbell Government could do. Their failure provides a license to promote homophobia as the unofficial official school policy.

See Montreal Simon: Bullied Children and the Gay Bashers

Big money behind Liberal in Vancouver

when is it not enough money...

Yuan has three individual third party advertisers. No other candidate in Canada has this as far as I can tell from Elections Canada's list. Check out Mike Watkin's site for more here.

'Of thousands of candidates running in 308 ridings across the country only one candidate - Wendy Yuan - appears to have multiple third party individuals running election advertising in her support. The by-the-numbers view looks like this:'

I looked at the addresses of the third party advertisers for Ms Yuan. None of them live in the Vancouver Kingsway riding. This is certainly a crafty campaign, they can now spend the maximum for the party and then have these private individuals print ads at no cost to your campaign. All you need are some rich friends...

Read more about this advertising which has in some cases resulted in it being characterised as racist.

Verbatim translation of this ad "Authorised by Yi Xin Chen".
= = = = = = = = = = = =
PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE FOR WENDY YUAN
NDP candidate - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Liberal Party candidate
Don Davies - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Wendy Yuan
union background - - - - - - - - - - - - - - successful entrepreneur
increase taxes - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - cut taxes
do not speak Chinese- - - - - - - - - - - - speaks Chinese
no [CHN] community leader support - has [CHN] community leader support

This federal election, the Conservative party candidate is so unknown that he's only an also-run. Please unite, on 10/14 cast a vote for our Chinese community candidate, Wendy Yuan.

Thank you!

Authorized by Yi Xin Chen

It looks like Wendy Yuan, the Liberal candidate in Vancouver Kingsway could be a candidate for the Conservative Cabinet if she wins tonight. Don't laugh, its happened before right? Just who are these people?

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playing race politics in Vancouver

Falun Gong, are they Human?...

Vancouver Kingsway

This is a NDP Liberal race. The Liberal candidate is Wendy Yuan, who stepped aside so David Emerson could run for the Liberals.

On an all candidates debate organized by Chinese Radio AM 1320 on October 4, 2008, Yuan in an attempt to appeal to ethnic Chinese voters said this regarding the rights abuses against Falun Gong in China...

"For Falun Gong, our policy is not to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs.” - Ms. Yuan. All the other candidates spoke in favour of protecting the basic rights of Falun Gong practitioners.

I expect this does not match Liberal policy, but hey, what ever works...

and in that category we have this ...

Allegations of racist advertising raised in Vancouver-Kingsway election battle

Green Party Activist voting NDP

Dauncey wrote the Green Party's climate platform.

A well known environmentalist and respected activist Guy Dauncey has said he will be voting NDP in his riding and has provided a list of people to vote for on Vancouver Island in order to stop Stephen Harper and the Conservatives. If all the pro environment listed below by Guy are elected it would also see Vancouver Island return all women MP's. That is a significant and achievable goal.

Here is Guy's reasoning and list ...

Dear Friends,

Voting on Vancouver Island

I know it hurts to vote against your instinct, to make that all-important democratic tick for a party other than the one you believe in.

Under our antiquated, colonial, discriminatory, stupid, undemocratic, first-past-the-post voting system, however, when we split the progressive vote not two but three ways, every vote for a candidate who has little chance of winning makes Conservatives cheer.

They are laughing all the way to a possible majority government, packed with Conservative MPs many of whom, If the disgraced MP Maxime Bernier is anything to go by, think climate change is a joke, a Rocky Horror Show of doom and gloom dreamed up by us eco-freaks.

I have been a member of the Green Party in Britain and Canada, on and off, for 35 years. I wrote our Canadian Green Party's climate platform, that was awarded the highest rating by the Pembina Institute. And I am urging all people of a progressive hue not to vote Green, but to vote strategically, to put aside party loyalty for greater loyalty to our Planet Earth.

We absolutely must stop the Conservatives from getting back into power. A Liberal/NDP/Green coalition government (hoping Elizabeth May gets elected) would get Canada back on track with committed action on climate change.

In Vancouver Island North, this clearly means voting for Catherine Bell, NDP -

In Nanaimo-Alberni, this clearly means voting for Zeni Maartman, NDP -

In Nanaimo-Cowichan, this clearly means voting for Jean Crowder, NDP -

In Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca, it's a close race between Keith Martin (Liberal) and Jennifer Burgis (NDP)

In Saanich-Gulf Islands, this clearly means voting for Briony Penn, Liberal

In Victoria, it clearly means voting for Denise Savoie, NDP

This is also what 120 of Canada's top climate scientists are urging us to do - vote strategically - see http://www.cbc.ca/news/canadavotes/story/2008/10/07/scientists-environment.html

Just as a comment - if all these candidates won, with Jennifer Burgis in Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca, 100% of Vancouver Island's MPs in Ottawa would be women - which would be amazing.

To all those committed Greens who think this means I am betraying my deepest principles - I apologize. Our undemocratic voting system turns good friends into bickering enemies, which is a drag. I have good green friends who are running for the Green Party, and I'd love to support them - but it just does not make sense.

And yes, we all want to see Proportional Voting in Canada.

We will NEVER get this with a returned Conservative government. But we MAY have a slim to good chance with a new progressive coalition government.

with best wishes,

Guy Dauncey

Victoria

www.earthfuture.com

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Best before date past?

Best before date...

Problems are running deeper and deeper for the Liberal campaign as another Liberal makes public his lack of enthusiastic support for Dion. Its no big secret that the Liberals are having a bad time of it inside and that is reflected in the voter response outside. Tie that with the "the Liberals' erratic platform attempt to leave no voter unbought," - (Sun Columnist GREG WESTON) and you see just what kind of trouble they are in. They have no direction, a leader most Liberals don't want and a voting public that would prefer Layton to lead a coalition government over Dion.

Back to BC, where Gerry Lenoski, running under the bleeding liberal red brand in Burnaby-New Westminster, states he can't wait for Michael Ignatieff to become leader. Burnaby Now ran this story Saturday, September 27. Lenoski told the reporter, "Some day Mr. Dion may not be leader, and I hope Michael Ignatieff will replace him," Lenoski said in an interview. "Everybody has a best before date."

That does have to hurt. Lenoski realising the potential damage, a little late mind you, went on to say, "...Lenoski said he hopes Ignatieff leads the party "after a Dion government has been in power long enough to right the wrongs of the Tories." Good try Gerry!

The accidental aspect to all this is this screen shot from Lenoski's campaign site, welcoming Ignatieff to his campaign office. Lenoski was as many will know and acknowledged on his website, the chairman of Ignatieff's BC Campaign for leader.

To add a little more colour here Lenoski was in the running for the nomination in 2007 and then bowed out in April of that year according to an email he sent out, which Public Eye Online made public. Here is a piece of the email...

"...My professional demands now are such that I must leave today for Hong Kong on a business trip to China for 10 days. I came to this decision since my necessary absence could coincide with the Burnaby-New Westminster nomination meeting being scheduled, and its possibly even being held before I return home just ahead of the LPC(BC) Convention at Sun Peaks. Not least of all, I am withdrawing at this time because the prospect of a candidacy and an election campaign also conflicts with my current personal responsibilities more than had been apparent previously, and especially insofar as my consulting firm and our clients are concerned. ..."

Now it simply indicates that in 2007 he could not run here. He does go onto support the candidacy of former NDP activist, turned Liberal STEVE McCLURG.

I'm not aware of what happened next. I do recall Daniel Lee running for the nomination, Lee was backing Dion in the federal leadership contest. Did Steve decide later to back out and make room for Gerry to run, I expect he did. Steve would do that kind of thing, he's a nice guy (don't shoot at me Dippers). Still, all this is for not, in one way or another, the riding will still be New Democrat after Election Day.

Thanks to Dipper Chick for lead