Revolt against Basi-Virk payoffs was behind van Dongen's jump By John Twigg

Mar
28

 

The Daily Twigg  Vol.1 No. 33  March 28, 2012

B.C. Politics Trendwatch
In this issue:
1. The moves behind van Dongen's jump
2. New polls add to Premier Clark's woes
3. MLA Bob Simpson views feeding frenzy

Revolt against Basi-Virk payoffs was behind van Dongen's jump

By John Twigg

The sometimes frantic pace of B.C. politics seemed to take a bit of a breather yesterday as if everyone wanted to stand back and digest the earthquake from the day before when longtime B.C. Liberal MLA John van Dongen not only left that party but also instantly became the first sitting member of the upstart B.C. Conservative Party.

While lots of people had known for quite a while that van Dongen (Abbotsford-South) was amongst the most aggrieved Liberal backbenchers on the verge of leaving the Liberals in protest of Premier Christy Clark's evident mismanagement of numerous issues, very few if any other MLAs or any pundits knew he would take a second step into the Conservatives' ranks too. (I saw one suggestion that Independent MLA Vick Huntington knew it was coming, but no others.)

Clark sees Liberals as the only free-enterprise choice

Several versions of what had happened eked and leaked out about exactly what took place, including various versions from van Dongen, Conservative leader John Cummins, blogger Alex Tsakumis and other participants, and there were even more versions about what it all will mean and lead to going forward, and of course there was lots of misleading spin from Clark when she finally faced the media shortly after the noon newscasts yesterday to the effect that in her mind she's determined to keep the B.C. Liberal Party as the only practical way to preserve a free-enterprise coalition that can prevent the New Democratic Party from winning power in the 2013 provincial election (which sounds to me like a line coached into her by strategist Patrick Kinsella).

"The only thing that John van Dongen accomplished yesterday was making it a little easier for the NDP to get elected in British Columbia," Clark said, typically understating the gravity of her situation.

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MLA Van Dongen shakes balance of power in B.C. politics with shocking exit from Liberals to join B.C. Conservatives By John Twigg

Mar
27

 

MLA Van Dongen shakes balance of power in B.C. politics with shocking exit from Liberals to join B.C. Conservatives

By John Twigg

 

The lure of "a broadly based, credible free enterprise option in the next provincial election" and the alleged lack of accountability in Premier Christy Clark's B.C. Liberal Party government have caused 17-year Liberal MLA John van Dongen to suddenly join the upstart and until-now seatless B.C. Conservative Party.

"When more and more decisions are being made for the wrong reasons, then you have an organization that is heading for failure," an even-voiced van Dongen told the hushed Legislative Assembly on Monday afternoon in a personal statement right after Question Period, calmly and quietly sending an earthquake through the structures of B.C.'s partisan politics.

Van Dongen explained he has been concerned for more than a year about what he alleged were inconsistencies in what Clark told people about what her own role had been in the B.C. Rail sale when she was running for the party leadership, which she narrowly won one year ago this month, and about other concerns such as the $6-million settlement for Basi and Virk in the BCR scandal as well as certain other issues.

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Awakening the Dreamer Changing the Dream Symposium

Mar
22

Click here to download this pdf poster.

 

For further information please contact Lisa Bland at lisa@changingthedream.ca

 

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Detailed look at B.C.'s job trends shows Clark exaggerated claims By John Twigg

Mar
20

The Daily Twigg Vol. 1 No. 29  March 20, 2012

Detailed look at B.C.'s job trends shows Clark exaggerated claims

By John Twigg

Since I sort of "miscued" recently in my critique of Premier Christy Clark's job creation claims (by pulling a wrong stat out of a jumble of numbers) I felt an obligation to dig a bit deeper into the area to see if I could better understand it and then better portray exactly what has been going on in B.C.'s labour force, and what I did find - no surprise - is a situation far less positive than what Clark was claiming.

On one hand that means my quickly-published apology to her was way more abject than it needed to be, and on the other other hand it is all the more concerning because it further confirms that Clark lately has been doing far too much of that sort of exaggerating and dissembling in far too many policy areas, even including the province's financial picture (with the budget's low-balled revenue forecasts) and now with the very important jobs picture too (in which Clark cherry-picked a few sweet statistics rather than revealing the actually-weak overall trends - albeit with a great outlook for years ahead).

To put it all in a bit of context, let's review how Clark on March 13 staged a photo op at Seaspan Marine Shipyards in North Vancouver to release a six-months progress report on her "Canada Starts Here" job creation program "which clearly outlines the steps taken by our government to promote economic investment and job growth in British Columbia" but which nonetheless downplayed the huge role public-sector projects have played in bolstering B.C.'s employment numbers in recent years.

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Quesnel Lions Club seeking local visionaries for proposed community projects

Mar
06
 
Quesnel Lions Media Release       

March 5, 2012
 
Roar!  Lions Want Your Opinion!

  
                           
The Quesnel Lions Club is calling all those who have a vision for Quesnel's future to come forward and offer their thoughts.
The club is looking for a new initiative to support.  It wants people's ideas on what is that special community challenge that needs to be addressed.  Be it a social, recreational, environmental or other need, the Lions club wants to put their efforts toward a large project which will help Quesnel grow.
Lion's President Orville Mulligan explains: "We would like to help Quesnel in a large way.  We have developed a questionnaire and are now circulating it around the town.  From the results, we will figure out where to put our efforts."  While continuing to help in its traditional ways, the club feels it is in a position to take on a major challenge.
During March, Lions members are distributing questionnaires as well as conducting interviews to find out what the people of Quesnel feel deserves concerted action.
Besides the hard copy questionnaire, the community can respond by clipping out a response form in the Observer and dropping it off at KMAX at 246 St. Laurent.
They can also email one of our committee members, Mitch Vik at mitchellsvik@telus.net to receive the full questionnaire.
Finally, for those that want a free cup of coffee, Lions would love to sit down for an extended chat.  Call 250 992 8343 to set up a time.  In April, the club will then decide on a project and start fundraising efforts.
Milligan concludes, "It's an opportunity for people to put forward their own positive ideas and be heard!"
For more information, call Nate Bello at (250) 992-3650 or Mitch Vik at (250) 992-8343.
-30-
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BC’s Leadership Vacuum by Bob Simpson, MLA Cariboo North

Feb
29
BC’s Leadership Vacuum

Bob Simpson MLA Cariboo North
http://www.bobsimpsonmla.ca/bcs-leadership-vacuum/
 
I was so tempted to yell, “Let’s get ready to rumble” in the Legislature right before the Minister of Education introduced the “Education Improvement Act” this week.
 
Since the introduction of the budget, it has felt like both political parties have been waiting for the teachers' bill to be tabled to get their juices going. The energy in the capital building has been low, QP repetitive, and MLAs budget responses have simply rehashed the tired old arguments about why the people of BC shouldn’t trust the other political party.
 
The Premier doesn’t help this situation. When she does show in the House she uses Question Period to lecture the Opposition on how to be an Opposition. Instead of answering the questions posed to her, she chews up the clock lecturing the Opposition on what questions they should be asking in QP.
 
One could be forgiven for thinking she’s auditioning for the role of Opposition Leader given the sorry state of her party’s polling numbers and the likelihood that a BC Conservative will take a seat in the Legislature whenever the by-elections are called.
 
The Leader of the Opposition spends his time ducking and covering behind those same polls – afraid to give anyone a real sense of why he wants to be Premier for fear of undermining his current bump in popularity.
 
Day after the day the Opposition asks the government to fix the justice system, health care system and senior’s care without once telling British Columbian’s where they’d get the money to do what they’re asking the government to do. They also refuse to state how they would address the current impasse with the teachers or avoid the upcoming battle with the other public sector unions that have indicated they will not accept the government’s net zero bargaining position.
 
The leadership vacuum in BC has never been so stark.
 
Unfortunately, I don’t see this vacuum being filled any time soon. The Opposition Leader won’t reveal his hand until a general election is called and the Premier, having abandoned her “families first agenda” in favour of a conservative-appealing budget, is pouring millions of taxpayer dollars into promoting her jobs agenda  -- an agenda that, according to the polls, British Columbian’s are simply not buying.
 
There’s an old saying that voters get the government they deserve. I suggest the same rule applies to Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition.  It’s past time citizens started demanding more leadership and less politics from those who want their votes
 
 
Adam Schaan
Constituency Assistant
Bob Simpson MLA Cariboo North
#401-410 Kinchant St.
Quesnel BC V2J 7J5
Tel:  250.991.0296
Fax: 250.991.0281
http://www.bobsimpsonmla.ca
 
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Quesnel's Holistic Health Care Clinic Moves to Front Street

Feb
20
 
Quesnel's Holistic Health Care Clinic is happy to announce that they have relocated their services to a new location at 691 Front Street in the former building where Gook Surveying once resided.
 
Erika Lynd of Lynds Health Services Inc. wants the public to know that the new Care Clinic is situated just north of the GR Baker Hospital and the Fraserview Medical building. 
 
Quesnel is fortunate to have these services available and the Sentinel wishes them all the best.
 
 
Quesnel's Holistic Health Care Clinic

691 Front Street

Our fully licensed and certified health care practitioners offer a variety of natural health care services.

 

 

Lynds Health Services Inc.   250-992-3603
Erika M. Lynds RMT CBS               
Registered Massage Therapist * - Deep tissue massage therapy
                                                     - Preferred practice in sports & orthopedics
Certified Quantum Biofeedback Specialist           - Stress testing & adaptation retraining
                                                                             - Nutritional consulting
                                                                             - Wellness & life-style consulting
 
Whole Body Health Therapeutic Massage     250-991-0047
Lori Loeppky RMT
Registered Massage Therapist * - Deep tissue massage therapy
                                                     - General practice - Physical rehabilitation of injuries - Chronic pain management
                                                                                 
Qi Flow Traditional Chinese Medicine Inc.  1-877-614-6585
Dr. Jody Brandolini  Dr.TCM R.Ac.              
Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine * - Traditional Chinese Medical Diagnosis
Registered Acupuncturist * - Needle stimulation of specific points on the body to affect the body's energy or Qi.
                                             - Treatment of infectious diseases, medical/surgical  conditions, skin diseases, gynecology, ENT: eyes, ears, nose and throat, neurological conditions, sports injuries
 
Kokopelli Consulting           250-983-2585
Paige Sadler MA CCC
Certified Clinical Counselor * - Solution Focused Counselling; providing creative solutions to life challenges
                                                  - Serving families, individuals, adults and children's needs
 
Tranquility Wellness Ltd.
Krista Dunleavey CBS               
Certified Quantum Biofeedback Specialist   - Stress testing & adaptation retraining
                                                                      - Wellness & life-style consulting
                                                                      -  Mobile/on site & animal services
 
Ether Ore            250-991-0143
Leigh Cassidy OB, PSYCH-K
Ortho-Bionomy - Bodywork that promotes well-being, comfort and balance
PSYCH-K - Helps to change limiting beliefs to address day-to-day challenges
                                                                                    
* These services may be covered by insurers & extended health plans.  

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SAVE THE PLANET: ORGANIZE, EDUCATE, ACT.

Jan
27
 
SAVE THE PLANET: ORGANIZE, EDUCATE, ACT.
 
Positive Action To Save The Planet: PACT

by Robin Mathews
January 27, 2012


Don’t talk.  Act.  Don’t turn away … to other things.  We all – or most of us – do that.  We won’t look painful truth in the face.  We … can’t. We turn away … almost forced to do so by our fears.
 
But, now, we have no choice.  Global heating is upon us, and will erase human life from the planet – which will go on whirling through space without us. Good science states that as fact. The subject, here, is the imminent destruction of human life on the planet.
 
Paleontologists are looking at dinosaur footprints from 120 million years ago.  Humankind has been significant on the planet for (generously) 20,000 years.  In that 20,000 years humankind has raced forward … towards destruction.  As poetic theorists put it humankind has the moral development of just-beyond-apes and the scientific development of a superpeople.  A murderous combination.
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Preparing for Another Session

Jan
26

Preparing for Another Session
Bob Simpson MLA Cariboo North
 
January 25, 2012
 
Unlike Premier Campbell when we never knew if the legislature would sit, Premier Clark has posted the full legislative calendar for this year and it shows we’ll have full spring and fall legislative sessions.
 
Since we did not prorogue the last fall session, Premier Clark’s Throne Speech from the fall carries over and so does some of the outstanding legislation from that session, particularly the Local Government Auditor General Act that has been called into question by the Union of BC Municipalities.
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Rafe Tells Harper and "Raving Maniac" Joe Oliver He's Ready for the Bulldozers

Jan
25
Rafe Tells Harper and Resources Minister Joe Oliver He's Ready for the Bulldozers
 

Written by Rafe Mair
Wednesday
January 25, 2012
 
 
This Joe Oliver, Harper’s Resources minister, is a dangerous man. Indeed so is Harper. They have flung down the gauntlet, essentially saying that violence is the inevitable consequence of BC not taking the Enbridge Pipeline, the consequent tanker traffic, increased capacity and tankers for the Kinder Morgan line - with only a grumble or two from bitching NDP types.
 
What should really get our juices jumping is the statement that environmental hearings should proceed speedily and obstacles removed from these projects. it obviously being unthinkable that they could stop them.
 
That is ill-disguised code for, “Listen you assholes, we don’t give a damn about the public process – just get it over with so we can get on with the construction. It doesn’t matter that this monstrous Tar Sands gunk is to be transported through your pristine forests, mountain and streams – get on with it.”
 
“Pay no attention, peasants, to the fact that Enbridge has had over 800 spills since 1998 and that experience shows that the mess can never be cleaned up.”
 
“Disregard your stupid bloody salmon – if Newfoundland can get by without cod, you can get by without salmon and, come to think of it, if you have adult seals, there must be pups somewhere to bludgeon and we’ll find a subsidy for you.”
 
“There’s lots of money there for First Nations so stop bringing them into the discussion – as soon as we find out what their price is we’ll pay it and get on with it…why we in the federal government have been dealing with these savages, er First Nations, since 1867 and they trust us.”
 
“And who gives a damn that the people in BC are against these projects - we run things here!”
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