Some day the earth will weep, she will beg for her life, she will cry with tears of blood. You will make a choice, if you will help her or let her die, and when she dies, you will die too.
John Hollow Horn
Oglala Lakota
1932
May 3rd, 2009, was the first time I ever wrote about the Enbridge Pipeline proposal… and funny enough, I apologised back then for not having heard of it sooner!
Enbridge has been the subject of many blog posts since then, not enough likely, but looking back, I along with other bloggers, were still ahead of the MSM by years…
My recent trip back to Prince George supplied me with all I needed to affirm my future life goals – that will be the topic for another post. Each of us must do everything we can, to make sure what remains of this province is saved, or used in a sustainable manner for future generations. That is absolute. That is non-partisan, that is the truth with no agenda.
A recent interview NDP leader Adrian Dix gave with Ben Meisner of Opinion250.com came to my attention today and it cannot, and must not, be ignored. The headline at first seems inflammatory, however upon reading the quotes within, it seems quite straightforward.
Dix Doesn’t Think Province Could Stop Pipeline
I urge you to click on that link above and judge for yourself – please do not take my judgement as a given, use your own!
There is much I take issue with in this interview but let me get to the heart of the matter. Quite frankly, I am quite ‘done’ with the copious amounts of double speak from the BC Liberals and not eager to hear any from the NDP. Here is the quote I have a major problem with:
“Dix was speaking on the Meisner program on CFISFM this morning, and when posed with the hypothetical scenario of the project being approved and Dix being Premier, he indicated he didn’t believe he could stop the project “The Constitution I think is fairly clear on these questions, the regulatory decision is a federal jurisdiction so you can’t be , shall we say, just harassing as a Provincial jurisdiction even though we own the land. So we are reviewing those questions, and they are legal questions but the best thing that could happen is that the pipeline would be dealt with in the federal review.”
Wow. Hello…. welcome to the NDP 2.0.
Let me tell you something. Screw jurisdiction. Screw Harper and his abuse of the constitution. We can harass the feds and in fact, we expect you to!! Put on the big boy leadership pants and tell Harper to Screw off!!
I have strong concerns with some of the statements coming out of Dix since he has become leader. Enbridge is a big one. It is, in essence, a deal breaker for a lot of people in this province whether they live in the north or not. For Dix to say that the province can’t be harassing the feds is a joke. In fact, I think it is a slap in the face of everyone who has protested this pipeline from the beginning, including myself,going back to 2009 and earlier.
The Enbridge pipeline is a deal breaker that knows no political boundaries.The impact of a spill in the interior or along the coast has implications that extend into the decades and if you don’t believe that, look at how long Exxon Valdez has haunted us.
Dix has, in two separate interviews now, stated he opposed the pipeline, absolutely! Absolutely! Yet in both he goes on to qualify those statements with mention of jurisdiction issues and now with Meisner he takes the big BUT…. to an entirely new level.
So let’s take another hypothetical journey into the future where Dix is premier. Remembering while we do, that I have worked very hard, for years, to see these Liberals exposed for the rats most of them are, and that I wish to each of them gone; again, that does not mean I wish the people of this province to become complacent in holding the NDP to the same account!
It’s 2014, and Dix of course is premier thanks to Christy Clark having crashed and burned the Liberal party and brand in a spectacular flame out. Enbridge has been pushed through, Dix of course was helpless to stop it because of “jurisdictional issues”, and the dozers and work crews are in place at the B.C.- Alberta border.
And so are thousands of protestors, myself among them, with linked arms refusing to budge. They let us sit, they get an injunction and eventually it will come down to either the RCMP or the military coming in to handle the situation because it is so volatile.
What exactly, hypothetically of course, will Dix do faced with this likelihood? Will he at that point support those fighting for our land,our waters, or is that out of his jurisdiction too?
I think the people of this province are smart enough to know that while Dix states he is opposed to the pipeline, the stark truth is that there is a very strong union lobby connected to the oil business. It leads me to ask the difficult question,will the unions allow the NDP to oppose Enbridge if union jobs are involved?
It’s the same with Site C. Dix hasn’t taken a stance on that, preferring to wait until the environmental assessment is completed, which of course will give the green light. And this too will prove to be a contentious battle with several First Nations signing a declaration in opposition of Site C. Christy Clark has been very clear that Site C is essential for the energy sucking LNG plants planned for this province, not for export or residential energy needs.
That’s why I’m concerned. I’m worried when Dix talks like a Liberal, and in my opinion,in this interview, that’s what he’s done. He stands in opposition yet qualifies his helplessness and even states the province can’t be harassing as a jurisdiction, even though it’s our land. And what he isn’t saying concerns me even more. Yes, we need to grab this province back from the Liberals, but look to the NDP with open eyes and hold them to the same scrutiny, for they will get no free pass from me.
These are interesting times in the province of B.C., politically and environmentally. After years of endless misuse and abuse of our lands, of horrific mismanagement, corporate giveaways of our resources, we have reached a crucial juncture. We know we have a very small window of time to turn things around in forestry and we know we need to be absolutely firm on managing resources in this province in a sustainable manner, to the benefit of British Columbians. Stopping Enbridge is a no-brainer in my eyes.
Christy Clark is handing the province over to Dix on a silver platter with champagne on the side. It’s how he serves it up that will define him as a leader.
***This video by The Commonsense Canadian shows the truth behind the recent cancellation of hearings in Bella Bella. It is a must watch. This was a peaceful demonstration of so many passionate and concerned residents,not a threatening protest. It is quite stunning to see the National Energy Board spin this one.
Westcoast Views with Laila Yuile 
Thank you for working so hard to keep us informed, Laila.
Serious fence sitting from both the Liberals and the NDP will continue right up until the next election, I’m afraid. Actually talking about and taking a position on important issues has, unfortunately, become an obstacle to getting elected.
Are we really going to be dependent on our First Nations communities to take the lead in trying to stop the tankers? If we are, perhaps we need to be looking at some serious province wide fundraising to support their efforts and legal challenges.
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Thank you Michael for your kind words and you are bang on. Better to get voted in and then let the people know where you stand..lol… when there isn’t much they can do about it. I certainly agree with your suggestion of province wide fundraising!!
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Thanks Laila. I agree with so much you have posted. Dix better not just be sitting back with his party and think it’s a shoe in. It’s not Adrian! People are sick and tired of what comes out of politician’s mouths – fence sitting – lying – and expect YOU AND YOUR PARTY to stand up to the corporations, unions. This province is for “ALL” British Columbians, not a token few on either side of the political spectrum.
It’s time to stand up to the Cons back east as well. The deceit is as bad from them as it is with Christy and Co. And Gordo before her. Robocalls? Proroguing Parliament just to win? Billions and billions in debt created by THEM, as Gordo created the same mess in BC and was then rewarded by Stevie and Co. with his job overseas. (I guess if I was him, I wouldn’t hang around BC either.)
Hypocrits. Liars.
So Adrian and the rest of the NDP and supporters, the people are watching, they’re ready to fight. You better be too! None of the wishy washy hogwash. Think long and hard about who and what you support, and WHO SUPPORTS YOU.
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Glad we are on the same page. Yes. Screw Harper. I can not for the life of me think what was going on in Adrians head when he said we can’t be harassing as a jurisdiction!! This is not the time for pussy footing around, it’s a time for bold leadership.
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This write up Laila is so perfectly written, I am still sitting here in aww.
My opinion on Dix has been like you described right from the get go, an NDP’er in a liberal suit not capable of looking after us BC people.
Like you and so many others, I worry about our BC & Canada very much, we have moved into an American style ruling system, and people are just not awake long enough to realize we are being overlooked on every level.
As long as money will buy a seat and votes, huge corporations endorsing our Leaders, I have to wonder, who is ruling our Country? who is speaking for us? Enbridge is another great example.
None of these Leaders are really doing anything for us, they have their own agenda against each other, they are so busy calling each other names and putting each other down that they forget all about their job, their job is to represent us the people, I have not seen any of these candidates actually concentrating on what they are suppose to do for all, yes, all of us British Columbians.
no different than what is going on in the States, we are just a step away, left and right, where does this leave us? it leaves us hanging in the middle like a rubber doll.
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Thank you Maggie, this means a lot. We must speak for ourselves and hold them all to account. I hear Dix is not on the same page as some of his MLA’s with regards to Enbridge and another contentious issue, fracking. Should be interesting where they go on this. Hope you are keeping well!
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I agree whole heartedly with what you have said Laila.
It seems to be more true now, that no political party can be believed to carry out what they preach and get elected for. That is the whole sorry part of the political system we have in use – much better to have all the MLA’s be independent when elected and then manage through general concenus (which I believe is how the Swiss model is set up, though not 100% certain on that ).
Adrian Dix and his party had better wake up and smell the rotting. festering dung pile that the BC Liberal party have been busy building. If something is not done soon, to start to rebuild this province and country, there will literally be hell to pay. The FN people will not let the government wreck “their way of life on their land” without a very big fight – which will escalate into something even bigger given the public’s support to date.
The politicians are playing with fire and had better be very carefull of what they are doing. The military and/or RCMP are not big enough to stop what could very likely happen if they go about this project the wrong way.
Thank you for all your hard work and research – it ghoes a long way to help keep people informed.
Thanks.
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Thank you too workforfun, for all that you do. I have no doubt this is going to end up in the situation I described as do many others.A defining moment in our province and in politics.
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The statements by Dix are horrific and disgusting. In actual fact there’s hardly enough jobs, and then only during construction, to even be worth the unions’ support in Enbridge…..not to mention that it will likely be built by Albertans, Texans and Chinese guest workers. Site C is more nuanced, at least its negative aspects are a question of land use, of the land that will be flooded and the effect on waterways, which has been dealt with all over B.C. for decades now, for better and for worse – as a resident of the Kootenays I’ve lived this debate forever. At least with hydro power there is something of value to BeeCee that is not likely to create even more horror stories down the road, unless of course the dam breaks. Still water isn’t bitumen.
Anyway, Laila, I liked your picture of the scene at the Alberta-BC border. I figure that if Treason Steven tries to push this hideous and stooooooopid project on us that Clayoquot Sound and Lyell Island will seem like teddy bear picnics in Stanley Park. Sometimes I think before they raze the hurtland anymore to create money for Howe Street and Wall Street, they should be asked to log (and mine) Stanley Park – though I am being facetious here.
We already have a government in Victoria and Ottawa, neither of which do I consider legit. If Dix wants to be so spineless, he will just be doing his part to hasten the demise of any respect the actual folks have for government anywhere.
BTW it was laughable for our Little Stevie to proclaim that Keystone has “overwhelming” support south of the border. That’s why it is currently on hold…….yeah, Obama allowed it to be shut down because it has overwhelming support………if you believe that Stevie you ain’t as smart as I thought.
Mind you, I support Keystone, well compared to Enbridge, cuz it keeps the crap in Alberta and middle America, where it belongs. But even more, IF they are going to develop the Goo Sands, then build a pipeline to Sarnia and make Canada energy self reliant and actually provide JOBS for Canadians rather than Chinamen and Texans!
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Haha… I love you Koot! Can you imagine logging Stanley Park? Oh no… not where the public can see it down here. No this government likes to log where the public down here can’t see it. You should see how small the logs are they are cutting now, in vast piles at the mill in Quesnel and in PG. And this new article by Mark Hume of the Globe and Mail is frightening for what the implications are. They want to log in protected areas now! http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/mark-hume/politics-trumps-reason-as-bc-eyes-bid-to-raid-protected-forests/article2388741/
We just had the auditor general Doyle state there is a very slim window to turn this all around… and now this.
Yes, the scene I describe is pretty damn accurate. There will be a battle. On this front, I can’t sit by and shut my mouth up about Dix and frankly I am tired of the implications from some NDP members that I should. We have to work just as hard keeping the NDP on the straight and narrow as anyone else.
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Laila, thank you for bringing this to our attention because too many people are mindlessly running to support the BC NDP without taking a good look at what they are, what they are saying and what they’ve done (or haven’t done). We need to scrutinize all parties, and hold their feet to the fire when it’s warranted, or we’ll just corruption of another flavour.
I believe that many people who will vote for the BC NDP in the next provincial election will have a rude awakening once they gain power. The NDP here are just another party seeking power for themselves and their pals (they just have slightly different pals than the Liberals, those being heads of unions instead of corporate CEOs).
I voted for the BC NDP for the last two decades, and I loathe the Liberals who I believe decimated our once-prosperous and vibrant province into oblivion (except many people don’t yet realize that, especially in Vancouver). As for the BC Conservatives, I believe they are nothing more than a chip off the Harper neo-con block, hard at work surreptitiously building a fascist empire. As for the BC Greens, I don’t think they’ve done enough for me to judge one way or another.
Before anyone calls me out for hysterical exaggeration, please just read some history of any country or region that fell under the spell of those who wield power irresponsibly, to see how easily a country or region can slip into fascism with an apathetic, distracted and/or poorly-informed population. Here are some examples: Pinochet’s Chile in the 1970s, Duplessis’ Quebec in the 1950s, and of course Mr. Hitler, who “somehow” managed to turn an otherwise normal society into a population of dumb, deaf and acquiescent citizens who looked the other way and eventually participated in committing horrendous atrocities.
Canada, is nearing the tipping point, and BC “leads” the way in corrupt leadership in every authority, government, law, policing, health care, etc., etc. etc. The media is doing their part to suppress and dumb down stories, filling the public airwaves with sports and animal stories instead so as to keep the population preoccupied and distracted while our house is being looted.
The old saying is true. If we ignore history, we are doomed to repeat it. If we simply run back and forth, on and off bandwagons supporting this, then that, political party, we’ll just get the same double-speak and hidden policy that you uncovered with Dix.
We need to shine a light on all instances of devious double-speak and inaction, no matter which party it comes from, and hold all parties’ feet to the fire when they deserve it. Otherwise, no matter who is in power, they’ll just continue to serve themselves and their pals, and ignore the plight of the people FOR WHOM THEY WORK AND ARE WELL-PAID TO SERVE. (I’m “shouting” in ‘caps’ because, apparently, our politicians and bureaucrats are selectively hard of hearing on that point.)
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Must read comment. Thank you John. I call it like I see it. You are right about politicians serving themselves most of the time. I’ve just had enough of it from all sides.
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Campbell thieved and corruptly sold our BCR. He thieved and sold our rivers. The dams in those rivers, are killing fish. The next river for destruction is, the Kokish River. There are Salmon, Steel Head, and Dolly Varden fish, to leave hundreds of carcasses all over the place. The filthy diseased fish farms are killing off our wild Salmon. Now, there is open hunting on our Grizzly Bears. Anything that has life, Harper and the Campbell/Clark BC Liberals, are killing.
The stupidity of stringing a pipeline through, Northern BC, boggles me. There are, mudslides, rock slides, earthquakes, many, many avalanches. there are swift flooding rivers, that take out highways and houses. BC has a vast wilderness. How do they get through 15 feet of snow, to get to the pipe burst? Or perhaps, Enbridge won’t bother to clean up the spill, as the did on the Kalamazoo River. Enbridge just had ANOTHER spill, ten miles from their other spill.
How many times have we heard of hurricane force winds, off the coast around Kitimat. There are 40 t0 50 foot waves. The channel narrow, the dirty oil tankers massive, that have to make hairpin turns. This is one of the most treacherous seas in the world. There were high wind warnings, just yesterday. The wind tore some of the siding off my house. I have someones vent cover in my yard. Tree branches torn off. These high winds are many, many in BC.
Recently, there were three freighters, caught in one of the bad storms off, the northern coast of BC. The storm tore off a top load of logs. The ship put in a distress call, they were afraid if the bottom load of the logs shifted, that could capsize their ship. It took many hours to reach the stricken ship. The other freighters had the storm tearing their cargo off the ships, and into the sea. The ships managed to limp into BC harbors. Their were rogue waves, over 70 feet high.
And, those fools want to bring that filthy oil into our province, and our sea.
Dix is letting this slide? He is going to allow Harper the fascist, to turn BC into a polluted wasteland? There will most certainly will be a tanker spill, and a pipeline rupture. I read somewhere, Enbridge has had, 604 pipe bursts within the last ten years.
Harper and his Conservatives, the Campbell/Clark BC Liberals and the BC Conservatives, have interchangeable parts, or one size fits all.
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I appreciate having the opportunity to read your thoughts Laila. While often times I am in full agreement, on this one I beleive and feel the jury is and must continue to be out until all the facts are in.
It may indeed end up being the worst possible thing we could do … but then again it could also provide hundreds and thousands of much needed family supporting jobs. It could also provide to the provincial treasury much needed financial resources for classroom assistants, the opening of more hospital wards, and better transportanbtion infrastructure.
AND it could also bring about a huge eco disaster.
I am going to wait to make my decision on whether this is good or bad, until more is known and studies are complete. I persoanlly beleive that is what all of us should be doing
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I feel the same about you Alan and I like that we can agree to disagree with class, and this is one of those times, clearly! ; )
If you haven’t, you should read this link, written by Marc Lee, in which he addresses and pulls apart the Enbridge and Liberal claims to jobs, using the facts he could obtain http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/mgregus/2012/01/are-enbridges-job-numbers-credible
I think the provincial treasury would be best served by raising some of the taxes that Campbell cut over 10 years that resulted in a massive loss of revenue. Sure we have the lowest personal income tax rate here in BC, however where did that get us when we have one of the highest child poverty rates? Nowhere. Raise the corporate tax back up, and raise personal income tax at the BC level, on those higher middle income and wealthy income earners who can pay a clever accountant to find those write offs to negate the increase.
There are so many ways a visionary government can balance the business/corporate needs of the province with the social and environmental needs. So far I have yet to anything but one extreme or the other.
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Alan, you must be kidding. BC may get a few jobs during construction but not many. Once in place BC will get absolutely nothing in dollars. Except the cleanup if and when there is a spill. Anywhere that Enbridge has pipelines there has been many, many, many spills. Many of them are fenced off, not cleaned up so if BC wants cleanup we will wind up doing it with our own dollars. Do some study on Enbridge, see what they have already done to this planet. Also Like Laila, Rafe has stated that he will be standing in front of the bulldozers as must the rest of us. It is time to take ALL of these politicians to the woodshed. I have little money, am 74 years old but I will be there with Rafe and Laila if I have to crawl there. This is as the saying goes, “THE LAST STRAW”
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I take a risk, simply getting up in the morning, that something may injure or harm me — I balance that against the likelihood however. That needs to be the same approach we take the jobs, resources, and the environment.
YES there are spills and problems that occur — hundreds of them, BUT to what degree are they … small minor issues and problems that have controlled remedies aren’t on the radar for me — BUT they get lumped in and added to ANY major disaster thus inflating the real issues and problems.
There will indeed be many good jobs during and after construction — and there will indeed be resources revenues that the government will realize.
I love BC … I love that I can walk within minutes and be in the woods … or take a short drive and be in the midst of hundreds of lakes … and that there is abundant wildlife I see all the time. I DO want to see that protected.
Don’t get me wrong — I have NOT decided one way or the other if this is a good or bad idea. I simply want to see a realistic discussion and study of the issue — not passionate (but at time inflamed) talk.
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Alan, see my link in my reply to you above. It’s about as realisitic as we are going to get on jobs.
I continually wonder why there is no real talk or push for a refinery to process that product here and sell the finished product instead, thereby creating revenue and long term jobs.
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Thank laila … I saw that and hope to have a look tonight. One of the things I understand, on the refinery front, is that payback on investment is 20+ years. NO fuel company wants to make that investnment with so many choices / options being worked on, no one wants to make the investment needed to build a refinery here. Can’t say as I blame them — that said it makes all kind of sense that if we have the fuel(s) here, we should do the refining as well.
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http://www.vancouverobserver.com/blogs/earthmatters/2012/03/27/happy-23rd-anniversary-exxon-valdez-thanks-schooling-us-enbridge
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just up over at tidal station
http://tidalstation.blogspot.ca/
ps anyone know what has happened to the “on the waterfront” blog
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Great blog! Thank you for the link. I don’t know the other blog you are speaking about, sorry!
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Just out of Ottawa
http://www.international.gc.ca/media/aff/news-communiques/2012/04/3a.aspx?view=d
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Well you know Curt, democracy isn’t really a huge concern for Harper..lol… eek!!
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Interesting post, however inflammatory and ill informed, you expressed passion,…So let`s tear down the only option out there..Cummins is in strong favour of Enbridge, so our the faux BC Liberals..
I have spoken to Horgan and Dix on Enbridge, they are opposed…Gary Coons and Nathen Cullen making waves at Enbridge NEB hearings, the only party in Canada opposed and mot just provincially but NATIONAL…
What we have witnessed over the last 2 -3 years is a campaign of fear launched by corporate powers and Governments..The fear of empty bank accounts and no jobs, look at Greece, look at Wall Street, the sky is falling…NDP(Dix) came out against Jumbo resort..And maybe Site C dams, three or more should have been built rather than destroy hundreds of rivers…
Poiltics of fear are here, and you Laila have thrown the fear card at the NDP….The NEB hearings are underway, NDP is opposed, no matter what the results First Nation law suits will be filed, meanwhile the Federal Clock is ticking on Herr Harper..
You Laila want Adrian Dix to poke a stick at Harper and Say..”When we take power Enbridge is dead so you might as well end the NEB hearings now, have you not seen the polls”
And with that type of hypothetical threat Herr Harper rams through a bill calling Enbridge Gateway pipeline a “War measures act”
And the line gets built tomorrow.
For you information, Alberta unions ARE Against the pipeline, Central Canada manufacturers are against, the enemies are lining up….
The Feds and BC Libs are still capable of inciting fiscal terror, and here you are trying to scare people away from the one party that may care about the future..
You have three real choices…Cummins and Harper…BC Christy and Harper…Or the NDP…Don`t bother chiming in about 85 independents, not going to happen.
.
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Grant, I am not trying to scare anyone away from the NDP that you love so much. Yes, I know you are on damage control right now. I have been upfront and stated many times that I think the NDP is the only chance to turn this around.
You, however, like several other NDP devouts, would rather I shut up and pretend I didn’t hear, or see, or read what I have read. You would rather we just let all these little things slide by and hope for the best.
Well you can do that and you can hope things work out like you believe they will, but I will still be here asking questions and wondering wtf Dix will really do as premier. We aren’t talking about the MLAS working so hard to protest it, we are talking about DIX. DIX who thinks the province shouldnt harass the feds… lol..
I think the entire review process is a sham much like the missing womens inquiry is a sham -designed to make it look like the powers that be are concerned and to soothe those that wish to speak out. ” Let the people have their say, let them think they live in a democracy”
Someone told me on facebook that this statement from DIX wasn’t possible, that he wouldnt say that because it would be suicide. I said why not, instead of attacking me, go ask DIX personally why the qualifiers on his opposition? Or is he banking on the First Nations doing all the work?
And while you are at it, ask him what his position is on using P3’s in the province, because he hasn’t answered any of my queries on that, another huge concern when you look at the offbook commitments on the current P3’s in BC.
And yes, for the record, since I firmly think all these hearings will be completely ignored by Harper anyways… YES I do want Dix to poke Harper with a stick, a really sharp one and tell him ” When we take power Enbridge is dead so you might as well end the hearings now. ”
Harper can go ahead and ram it through, the people here would rise up like nothing ever seen before if he does, and if a premier actually had the balls to stand up to Harper it would be just what this province full of voters with no hope need to take notice of whats going on around them.
Imagine that. The premier who stood up to Harper on this would likely stay in power for more than one term. The premier who doesnt think the province should harass the feds, not so much.
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what an awesome come back, this is the second time in one day you impressed me, again 🙂
NDP just doesn’t cut it, Carol James didn’t and Dix won’t.
I would like to add, that NDP MLA’s are just sitting on their asses and all they can talk about is their next dinner venue or where they go and try to gather some potential votes.
there is a huge need in this Community and BC where “low income” residents need help, so many people left out in the cold either financially or otherwise just don’t get the representation they need and deserve, why do we have oppositions? just so they can talk each other down? Their job is to protect us and represent us, all, every one of our parties here have failed terrible in doing so.
they all seem to be in it for the power, position and pensions.
not one party, not one official Leader has come to actually help, talk is so cheap, their speeches are not even worth the ink and the paper they are written on.
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Grant….I was really disappointed from the Union 488 newsletter that they support the Enbridge pipline. You are wrong on this one.
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You saying I`m on damage control…That Laila is amateurish…have you seen the polls?..And you talk as if I am on the NDP payrole, wrong again..
John Horgan has stated IPP`s will be reviewed and possibly revoked.
And what is your point?…What party do we vote for, BC Liberals no, BC Cummins,that`s Harper, so who..The Green won`y win and aren`t running in the by-elections.
And your insults towards me look very unbecoming on you, name one story on my site that has promoted the NDP in the last year?..Name one?….
“I`m on damage control”…Damage control on what?..A skytrain ticket..Put up or shut up Laila, unless you believe my comment here is damage control.
Who else in BC has has made the case that LNG as a future gold mine is a fools game..
http://powellriverpersuader.blogspot.ca/2012/02/chinese-tigers-playing-with-canadian.html
Only me, who else wrote on Aveos, only me,…..
Who else has written more on Enbridge than me?…No one except maybe Rafe Mair
And you accuse me of Damage control.
This must be won(Enbridge) for the right reasons, for when the 2008 corporate meltdown fraud was in full view, people would have run pipelines up their ass if it meant their money was safe..
And you Laila owe me an apology for your remarks, yet I suspect one won`t be forthcoming
Damage control
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Grant you are insulting when you come here and accuse me of fearmongering. I dont see an apology for that, nor would I expect one. When you accuse me of being ill-informed and inflammatory you are out of line.
Horgan has stated IPP’s will be reviewed,not that P3’s will be reviewed and neither has taken a stance on future use of P3’s in anything but healthcare. So until I hear Dix state,unequivocably that his government will not use P3’s or otherwise, that remains an unknown.
My point is this. No one should gloss over obvious statements of concern by Dix, as I have pointed out. Hearing Dix talk like this tells me we have much to do to keep the NDP on the straight and narrow. When you come here defending those statements and Dix, sounds like damage control to me Grant.
Please,if you believe in Dix so much,If you know something we don’t know, come back with some answers for those of us asking questions, so we know what we are jumping into before jumping….until then, as you so succinctly stated above: ” Put up or shut up.” Your words, Grant, not mine.
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Grant,wow,get a grip dude!It’s not a contest.Laila is asking the questions a lot of us,I think,have in their heads but are afraid to ask.I’m a long time ndp voter but when I first hear Dix on Rafes interviews my eyebrows shot up.This interview segment is really,really bad for all of us,and Laila is pretty brave in going there,imo.I will still vote NDP but not because of Dix,but because of my mla Guy Gentner.
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AMEN LAILA!
The people are getting tired of the political BS. Someone take the bull by the horns and do something for the people of this province/country, not the(ir) party.
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I will vote NDP because I do not believe in the religious people behind the conservatives,and the liberals have raped our lands,mismanaged our tax money,but I am grateful to you Laila for taking the closer look and bringing your thoughts to us to make up our own minds.
I believe you do this well and Grant is out of line for what appears to be an attack on your character.Thank you and I will continue to look to your site for the excellent work your bring us.I also feel Mr.Dix has given himself an ‘out’ when he talks about Enbridge,which is worrisome to me.
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Is it time to resurrect the idea of West Canada and East Canada? 🙂 Then Ottawa would have no say in our province.
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Laila, my I butt in here with another scenario? It will no doubt be viewed as some sort of ‘conspiracy theory’, but something a friend of mine asked when we were discussing your blog made me stop and think. She said, “Why is Dix saying this? What is wrong with him, anyway?”
Now, I may not be as politically savvy as many of you in the blogosphere, but I’ve made it a point to watch Question Period in the BC legislature as many times as possible during the last session, and I’ve been impressed with our NDP MLAs. They are intelligent, articulate, and they make the BC Libs look exactly like what they are………incompetent liars.
I’m the first to admit that Adrian Dix was not my choice for leader, but so far, he has done better than I expected. And this is where my theory comes in. We all saw how Harper cheated to win the last two elections. His fraudulent actions are well known to everybody but the most avid Harper Conservative. What if…….just what if…..Harper could rig the next BC election the same way he rigged the federal one? If Dix comes out against Harper and Enbridge with guns blazing before the election, his chances of winning might be very slim indeed. If he keeps quiet, and flies under Harper’s radar, he has a much better chance of becoming our next premier. Like I said, we have a very competent party in opposition right now (federally and provincially), let’s not rock the boat because Dix is being evasive about his post-election plans.
Okay, I’ll just go put my tin-foil hat back on now and wait for your reply……(lol)
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gini, you know you can butt in anytime, everyones opinion is welcome, whether we agree or not, I just dont care for attacks without basis,crude language etc.. which rarely happens here anyways.
I agree the NDP have a lot of great MLA’s, many in my opinion who are not in agreement with Dix on certain issues,but they carry on for their constituents nonetheless and that’s great. I too watch QP when time allows and read Hansard and there is plenty of fodder to support that statement. They do make the Liberals look like fools, an easy feat these days anyways..lol.
Dix was not my first choice as leader either, for the same reasons that I am seeing now. He has done better with the public than I expected, however that infamous poll last night where Clark turned on Mi-Jung Lee, while it showed the NDP up as a party, it also showed Dix down 1%, nothing really but still… I can’t help but wonder if there are even more people like me wondering the same thing?
I would like to say that Harper could not rig any election but really, in this day and age, who knows? The consideration is neither here nor there for me, I think Dix is making a big mistake if indeed he is lying low – and I don’t think he is. This is very clear double speak to me in this interview. And I would argue that the NDP has not been perfect in opposition by far,failing to jump on many items that could have seriously injured the liberals early on while Campbell was still in power.
Norman Farrell made a very astute comment on the NDP tactics over at Ian Reids blog recently, which I bring for you here : http://therealstory.ca/2012-04-02/bc-politics/how-long-will-she-last/comment-page-1#comment-4451
” The NDP braintrust chooses now to stand back and watch the Liberals in their downward spiral but the opposition may regret not being more active. Much of that 46% of NDP support is soft, made up of people angry with greedy, unethical and plain nasty behaviour of the current government. (No better example than Rich Coleman this week.)
The business lobby that controls the Liberal purse strings will change the cast in a heartbeat if they can continue the show with a similar script. Adrian Dix and friends should aggressively go after the middle ground where most BC voters stand. The old ideologues won’t like that but by nature, they prefer to remain in opposition, outside the mainstream anyway.
Liberals and Conservatives are the parties of big business. The NDP should be the party supporting average citizens, education, the environment, innovative enterprise and small businesses.”
I agree with Norman the NDP should be aggresive as hell right now, and continue that until the writ drops. Never assume you have an easy win and sit back quietly. And never tell the fed up people you cant be harassing the biggest single threat to Canadian sovereignty and democracy in this province…. geesh, now I’m all pissed off again.
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And for those who might not yet have read Rafes latest, I suggest you do so, at this link: http://thecanadian.org/item/1414-rafe-on-why-budgets-gutting-of-environmental-laws-is-a-good-thing
Here is a tease:
“A spill on the coast is inevitable and the consequences horrific.
What must we do?
Let’s not pussyfoot – there must be and will be civil disobedience. This will be a long way from civilization thus will require careful planning.
First, we need a “ways and means” committee to galvanize the huge number of angry citizens and to start, I would recommend that First Nations and all environmental groups come together.
It’s impossible to get groups to amalgamate because each has different specialists. The fact is, however, that all environmental groups and, at last count, 131 First Nations are all against this pipeline/tanker traffic.
It would be wrong of me to second guess what recommendations would be made by such a group, although I have a suggestion – create a ‘Club” called the I’LL BE THERE CLUB, meaning that the member will be part of the protest.
Secondly – and here I would ask First Nations to lead – we must formulate a plan to protest when construction begins and as it goes along. I call upon First Nations leadership because they are already well organized and deeply committed.
It will take time – and leadership.
The time to start is right now.”
Wow… powerful stuff. Time for everyone to decide what they believe in and take a stand, or stand back.
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Hi Laila,
I would just like to say well done everyone…..and…..I hope it’s not totally off topic, you did mention the Libs and the Cons!!
I do not believe van Dongen really bailed, nothing gets past the Great Leaders Coleman and Falcon. van Dongen did exactly what Harper told him to do – get the Harper/Cummins/BC Cons a seat/voice in the ledge. We’re just lucky he can’t open his mouth unless someone pulls his chain, so far so good. I watched vD in the ledge for about 10 minutes, all I could bear. He sat stone-faced, looking ‘very angry’, STRAIGHT AHEAD, not daring to look to his friends to his right nor his enemies to his left. Cummins said he was not going to take on any Harper/Campbell/Clark BCL’s and he did – more will follow. They have to unite, as they all know the NDP would win for sure with a split. Remember Campbell said he would do whatever it takes to make sure the NDP never gets in power again.
HARPER is outrageously interfering in B.C.’s elections.
Meanwhile the NWO moves in for the kill.
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It’s an interesting take on the situation for sure Jean and with Harper, who knows.I guess I am jaded enough to consider anything. Harper has to go. I am working on a post right now about the Chinese business interests in Canada, sure to rock some boats.
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Sean Holman on his website “Public Eye”, 11 July 2010, raised a very important point. The BC Liberals deliberately create crisis to their benifit.
Quote:
“Create a crisis to force change” so they can “capitilize on the best opportunity”.
Think about that statement. It was part of an advertisement for a BC government job and that small statement says volumes about the BC Liberal integrity and honesty. Out and out sabotage to get what they want, in other words. I have tried to find the exact job advertisement, but it is no longer on the BC government website – just maybe Sean Holman has a copy of this ad ?
So there is good reason why people have become totally cynical over the BC Liberal party and it’s members.
Nothing the BC Liberal party says can be believed or taken at face value – and that includes all of the cabinet ministers (Clark, Coleman, Bond, Bell, Hansen etc).
Thanks
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OK – I have done a bit of digging and found some archived material from Sean Holman.
This link will take you to the above mentioned article – maybe someone can actually retreive the document.
http://www.publiceyeonline.com/archives/005128.html
I am fairly certain that what Campbell did was orchestrated via Ottawa. I doubt that it could be proven, though connecting the dots leads to this assumption.
Thanks
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Workforfun, you are bank on the Liberals create and manufactures fake crisis’ or real ones for that matter, to create opportunities… this link to Sean Holmans is a wonderful reminder of that, for it shows exactly how calculated this party is.
This article I did last year show exactly that…. http://www.abbotsfordtoday.ca/?p=59000 Create a crisis to capitalize on the best opportunity. And with P3’s they sure as hell did- for the benefit of their corporate supporters and friends: Kiewit, SNC Lavalin,Bilfinger Berger, Macquarie…. the list goes on.
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I find Mr. Dix’s statement very dissapointing and outright cowardly. To lace it with words like JURISDICTION and HARASSMENT is totally misleading!The bottom line is what Mr. Dix really means is that he doesn’t posess the balls to oppose this and would want all of us to take the same stance and roll over and take it up the butt.
How is it harassing anyone ? I don’t see it as harassment to stand up and oppose the federal government on this matter. I see it as simply speaking on behalf of this province and it’s people who oppose this monsterocity, and there are many!
This is lawyer talk gibbledegoop at it’s best. I now have my answer as to why the opposition isn’t more vocal on may issues.
The one thing that is correct about his response is that we own the land and with that thought we must make our plan to save it. I don’t think it wise to rely on any politician to step up and do it for us. I plan on being on the front line when it comes time and I sure as hell don’t expect any politician to be there with me. In my mind that is a good thing.
To carry Mr. Dix’s statement one step farther I would ask if this is his position than what good is a provincial government to it’s people and furthermore why do you exist?
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Don, yes indeed,glad you see it like I do. Kindasortareally like legalese, that hard to understand language of lawyers most hate. Read between the lines and you get a surprise everytime.
Excellent question!!! What good would be his position if he wont do what we want?
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re:Rafe’s piece – OCCUPY NORTHERN BC.
As to dude enjoying working (workforfun)-
“Quote:
“Create a crisis to force change” so they can “capitilize on the best opportunity”
This is a neo-con and neo-liberal template which is thoroughly dissected and debunked in the “Shock Doctrine” by Naomi Klein – crisis capitalism as practiced by Pinochet in Chile, but the Campbell liaRs used it, the Harperites use it – they create their own crisis (deficits) to justify austerity and if a natural disaster happens, then they take advantage of it without the chore of having to cause it (the big Tsunami in South Asia, Hurricane Katrina – both have led to displacement of locals for gentrification and real estate development/speculation.
I am amused that Greece, the originator of the Olympics and recent host, may not participate this year in London as the bankster/fraudsters have necessitated defunding of all amateur sport as they scam/sham austerity regime laid on the Greeks. As much as I respect athletes (was one in my younger days) the Olympic movement today is just another scam run by the 1% to provide cover for their various exploitation schemes at the expense of taxpayers where ever they go. Cities will start competing to NOT host this scam soon enough – well cities with rational logic and concern for their citizens!
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Laila, I think it’s time to repeat your hard work and previous posts re: Falcon’s Follies and Gateway = ALR = BC Rail + BC Rail properties and the government involvement and just how disgusting and the length and depth of deceit they are involved in right when El Gordo “promised not to sell BC Rail”. Vicky Huntingdon is doing her job as an MLA, I wish “others” would do their jobs that they’re elected to do.
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Hi Curt, yes I see you have been busy spreading the word..lol.. thank you! They are all on my Best Of page for posterity!
Vicki is very lucky to have people like Debbie McBride on the publics side… Debbie did a lot of the research leading up to this , and she is a wonderful writer!
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Yes, I refer to your site as often as I can as we must keep reminding people of the deceit, lies, by Cristy and Co. and her former boss, El Gordo and his boss, Stevie and Co. and the entangled web they all weave. And Cummins was/is a Con as well.
I hope at some point soon, people will have the courage and stand up and say enough is enough! We are the 99%.
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It isn’t always smart to make promises you can’t keep. Dix is playing it safe & I can’t say I blame him. If he promises no pipelines & comes to office & finds out there is no way out of contracts the lieberals signed then he lied. Dix also knows the federal government can over rule a province so why go where you can’t really do anything. It will be up to the citizens of this province to take the lead. We need to get out & protest & write letters to the editor & our MPs.
Things are starting to pile up on the Conservatives/Harper. I expect Stevie & his neo-cons to sign as many agreements as possible which will bind Canada to dispicable contracts before he is tossed out of office in 4 yrs.
I saw a letter to the editor in my local paper, Comox Valley, & it suggested the pipeline be run through to the east, instead of west. I don’t like the idea of any pipelines or the tar sands, but why export all this tar for refining somewhere else while we pay so much for gas it is starting to cripple people’s lifes. We have refineries in the east. We need to keep our tar/oil in Canada to keep gas prices low so we can develop, not export it to another country so they can get rich.
I suspect they want to export tar sands to China because their enviornmental standards are lower than Canada’s. this will make it cheaper for multi nationals to produce gas & increase their profits.
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e.a.f.- the point is not that I think he should promise no pipelines, but that he should not be sounding as if he is trying to mollycoddley Harper. Go back to the story and read it carefully.. he is stating we(he) cant be harassing the feds despite this being our land. THAT is the issue. You want a leader who cant even commit in words to doing whatever he can to stop it ? Not me. I want someone who thinks we absolutely should be harassing the feds and making sure they know we the people do not want this pipeline.
As for the rest, Harper sold us down the river long ago. Foreign interest is one of the greatest threats to this country as long as Harper is willing to do anything to appease them.
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Dix was/is a compromise after the Carole James disaster. Remember she was the one that threw Michael Sather out of caucus for refusing to vote against NDP policy when it came to the Tsawwassen Treaty? It’s obvious no one in the NDP either had the brains to see the implications to see the consequences–loss of the best farmland in BC, the impacts of the South Fraser Perimeter Road on Burns Bog, the community or that farmland again.
( I haven’t talked to anyone who was/is opposed to Tsawwassen getting the land. They are/were opposed to it being pulled out of the ALR. It’s clear that the Libs used the Treaty to pull the land out of the ALR. I see that people at Metro are objecting to Tsawwassen voting on certain issues relating to the rest of Metro. I don’t blame them. Tsawwassen can do as it pleases. It doesn’t have to ask for rezoning or anything. In other words, it’s a one-way street.)
Or was it a case they didn’t care. Bertha Williams, Tsawwassen First Nations cares. She has gone to the UN three time and CERD (Committee to Eliminate Racial Discrimination) agreed with her. The Treaty is illegal!
Bob Simpson was thrown out of the NDP caucus as well. He was an environmentalist from a way back!
Laila, it’s wonderful that you are willing to fight the Enbridge pipeline. But when are you going to start to fight for your backyard where you live, work and breathe?
The Dix crap is the same that Mayor Lois Jackson used to avoid invoking Section 5 of the Conservation Covenant on Burms Bog. The Bog is the reason that the Lower Mainland is so liveable. It produces the fresh air we breathe, it filters water to the Fraser River for our fish and some of the best farmland is on reclaimed bog!.
The Europeans are realizing after decades of destroying their peatlands that the best thing they cando is keep the peat in their bogs/peatlands to reduce climate change.
It’s mess but we can’t give up. If nothing else, we have to keep fighting. Win or lose we will be able to look future generations in the eye and say, “we did our best.” We have to keep all the polticians’ feet to the fire.
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Yes in deed I do remember that! For those who don’t.. here is a link to revive your memory. http://billtieleman.blogspot.ca/2007/10/suspended-ndp-mla-michael-sather.html
He wholeheartedly and with conviction stood up for what he beleived in and was suspended for it. This is also part of why I would never run with the NDP- although at one time I did think I could – I can’t imagine NOT finding myself in the same position. Party politics should never go ahead of ones personal convictions.
I have been fighting for many issues in my own backyard for a long time,to no avail in some cases although I keep at it. The problem is that there are only so many writers like myself and several other great bloggers, and yet so many provincial issues of great importance, it is impossible to dedicate myself to just one.My readership has grown exponentially over the years,and I feel it would be a great dis-service to the people of BC to limit what I write about to simply what occurs here in the lower mainland, which really is a relatively small area of the entire province. I am very happy to see the media attention being given to Vicki’s press release, which I think was based on a large portion of Debbie Mcbrides research, and other dedicated researchers like Susan as well.
I agree it is a mess and yes of course, no one is giving up! I will have no regrets when my time comes, except perhaps for wishing I had longer to do more.
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Tell Canadian Citizens to shut up? Tell Canadian Citizens not to harass?
Who the f**k do they think they are?
You damm right there will be a f**king fight on their hands.
Tell us to shut up.
Isn’t that what they have been doing all along? Shutting up and conspiring?
Maybe if the ndp party had vocalised more during the lieberals tenure this crap wouldn’t be happening.
Stop telling us what to do and start listening to what WE THE PEOPLE ARE TELLING YOU TO DO!
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Very well put Lynn. Sometimes (often) these elected officials let a little power go to their heads and end up suffering from “grossly inflated ego’s”
Thanks
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Thanks WFF.
“Politicians are like diapers.
They need to be changed often and for the same reasons”.
–From the movie,
Man of The Year
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There is only so much that can be gained from a legal perspective. However, on a grassroots level anything goes and should not be confused so. Fighting with our fists is illegal for instance. Adrian is simply pointing out that he can only do so much….legally.
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A retired supreme court judge today made it clear on Power and Politics that indeed it is written in the constitution that on issues of provincial and federal overlap, the Feds get to call it. Adrian is correct when he says it is written in the consitution. He doesn’t write the rules, so don’t shoot the messenger.
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Cynic,I’ve stated with what and where I have my issue with Dix’s reply. I don’t see someone who is going to fight, legally or not. I’m not going to write it down again and again.Dix still has not given his stance on P3’s as well and has not answered my queries on his stance on that, nor has he answered readers queries. Can we look forward to an NDP government that uses the same P3’s as the Liberals, that have given us billions in contractual obligations, and lined the pockets of companies like SNC and Macquarie?
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