A B.C. Government For The People…Not At The Expense Of The People.

Posted on by Laila

Today I couldn’t help but wonder… at what point in a politician’s life does spewing hypocritical crap become so second nature that they fail to smell the aroma of the barnyard they’re sitting in?

It was a mere two weeks ago when the story broke of excessive and frivolous spending in government, not only by the premier, but by all ministries.

The premier justified her spending, saying it was a once in a career instance as host of several events, but failed to comment on the excessive and very questionable spending in other ministries, which included everything from Lululemon clothing to liquor and wine. Oyster dinners in the thousands? Cases of wine from vineyards? Yes! Simply the cost of doing business!

Despite substantial evidence to the contrary, the premier just released her second quarter infomercial this week in which she claims that her government has done a great job of ” keeping government spending down to keep taxes low for you.” I could barely keep the bile from rising in my throat! Seriously Ms. Clark? What planet are you on? Perhaps Mars with the rover mission, and suffering from oxygen deprivation? We all read the lists of items charged to government cards! What’s wrong with you?

Another example of hypocrisy in action came last week. Finance Minister Kevin Falcon was crowing foul over the excessive spending on managers and perks over at ICBC, claiming the rest of the B.C. government has cut back, and so must ICBC.

 

The only problem is that one, it isn’t true the government has cut back spending, as I have just shown you, and two, documents released Tuesday by Integrity BC show anything but fiscal restraint.

As the result of a Freedom of Information Act request by the non-partisan organization Integrity BC, it was revealed that former chief electoral officer Craig James, spent more than $40,000 in four months. Those expenses included a trip to Nairobi, which included his wife.

When confronted by reporters, James defended the expenses, including his wife’s ticket, stating that all spending was in line with the policy of the day.

What stinks even more than his excessive travel expenses, was that James himself approved this policy when he took over the position. His successor reverted it back to the previous, more appropriate protocal. Yes that’s right, James himself made it possible to take spouses on government business when it was not required to do so — a policy change completely at odds with the rest of government.

What could possibly lead these politicians to make such claims of fiscal austerity when the evidence is all over the news to indicate otherwise? They must either think we are all completely daff, dumb and blind, or simply not give a damn.

I’ve written much about the air of entitlement this government has come to display, an attitude which sets an example from the top of government for all the levels below. How can one expect any government executive or bureacrat to display restraint when those in charge demonstrate a proclivity for excess?

The truth is the average person is British Columbia just doesn’t even listen to any of this bizarre hypocrisy anymore. The average person in this province is still struggling to make ends meet, evidenced by the amount of debt we carry. Whether or not it’s the most basic of needs such as food and shelter, or meeting mortgage and car payments, most people in this province are far removed from the reality of luxurious “vacations” oops I mean, conferences in Nairobi.

Falcon announced Wednesday he won’t be running in the next election, not a surprising move for many like myself who have followed his actions in government for years. While he claimed loyalty to former premier Gordon Campbell and our currently, still un-elected Premier Christy Clark, we all know he could see the writing on the wall.

The Liberal ship is sinking and not running again is his only life raft capable of keeping a future political career afloat provincially or federally. With that decision, he effectively buttered his bread on both sides, in one stroke.

I think I speak for many when we say that we want a government of the people, for the people. Not a government for themselves, at the expense of the people. To accept anything less is to condone the bizarre hypocrisy of the B.C. government and make a mockery of what little democracy we have left.

 

15 thoughts on “A B.C. Government For The People…Not At The Expense Of The People.”

  1. Hi Laila,
    Just wanted to thank you for the service your blog is providing to your readers. I have followed your blog and others for over a year – since I discovered blogs and their behind the scenes digging for critical information for the public that does not surface in the MSM.

    Much appreciated.

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    1. Thank you Arnold,that’s very kind of you to share that with me!I’m really glad you enjoy my work and hope you continue to do so! I love hearing from my readers, and love hearing that you find the stories and thoughts here important.Thank you again!

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  2. Like your point, the average citizen is too busy struggling financially to have time to care. So out on the South Fraser Freeway they are working Sundays and midnight shifts paving in our Bridgeview neighbour at double time over time no doubt. I challenged them on this as all the noise was interfering with working people and BC families sleeping, but they refused to identify the name of their company – found since it was Imperial Paving. Said they had permission and were from the government. Now they need permission to work out side the noise by-laws, if the work would interfere with traffic, but the stretch being paved in Bridgeview is independent of the road system right now so there was no excuse for the late hours and noise.
    Oh one more comment the phrase that comes to mind is “like rats deserting a sinking ship” Falcon being the biggest rat of all and the South Fraser freeway as well as Port Mann, Highway Mann debacles being his major contribution to unnecessary government spending – funded by cutbacks to programs like autism support, education, healthcare, seniors support etc. Oh and paid for by HST….

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    1. That entire project is a joke. Remember when Falcon said it was sooooo important to get those trucks off of the side streets and onto a dedicated road to the port? People must never forget that was the sole reason presented by the Falcon/Campbell crew while Falcon was transportation minister, as the reason for construction.

      Funny how a couple years later it has been downgraded so significantly that many areas will be traffic hazards upon completion, it’s gone from a dedicated truck route back and forth to Deltaport, to the free alternative route from the soon to be tolled Port Mann, as well as a lovely access road directly to the location of the Tsawwassen bands mega-mall hoildy resort destination….

      Funny how that all worked out eh? And I am seriously laughing at the portrayal of his legacy of the new Port Mann. Gee, it went from being a twinning of the old bridge, which is in perfectly sound and stable condition,at a much more reasonable cost, to a completely new bridge at an outrageous cost,unfairly awarded to Kiewit, guided by Macquarie…. and we even have to pay several million dollars to tear down a perfectly fine bridge.

      Waste and excess at it’s finest. Thanks Falcon. We love you for it.

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  3. Really, there is nothing the people can do to stop this abrasive/galling behaviour by all but the lowest level government employees. Looking at it a bit differently, we could say it is theft from the employer – if people controlled the government.

    The problem laid out above has gone on for years as has the bitching and complaining about it. GET IT? That does not work.

    What would work is the right of the public to press charges such as theft against the individuals mentioned in Lailla’s blog. Members of the judiciary would be charged with complicity if they looked the other way and refused to apply the same rules as they would apply to YOU and me.

    We only need the will of government to make people the masters and governments their servants to solve this and other problems. That means the people must choose a government which is committed to direct democracy.

    We definitely need direct democracy so that we – the people – can take action against thieves and their supports/protectors.

    Stop complaining and start doing something that has a chance of being effective.

    Have you heard of BC Refed? Going on twelve years of advocating direct democracy for YOU. What are you waiting for?

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  4. It truly is amazing watching the Liberal party under Clark implode.
    Reminds me of the old adage,” Death by a thousand cuts.” BUT
    I dont think that the person who originally coined that phrase thought that a person named Christy Clark would self inflict those thousand cuts.
    I, for one, am quite enjoying the show……………

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  6. I’ll start by saying that I’m in no way defending nor do I support Ms Clark, but I’ve got to put this out there. I have to admit, I had a few moments of empathy for her. The more you see of Campbell’s old boys club jumping ship, the more you see how, like the harper conservatives, women take a public lynching in Canadian politics while the slimy,swarmy likes of Kevin Falcon, Peter McKay, Vic Toews, get off scot free after displaying a stunning level of incompetence. Now, we see Clark taking the fall for all of these disgusting “men”; they leave with a bow, and Christy becomes the laughing stock of the country. I really have to wonder how much of the blame for this mess Falcon would’ve taken as the BC reform party leader vs what Clark has. It would be worthwhile to have a Royal Commission on gender bias in Canadian politics, it’s alive and well and we’d be most unpleasantly surprised at the results.

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    1. Ummmm, “waterboy”?
      Hate to burst that bubble you’re in but…….
      The majority of the spineless people of which you speak are politicians to their very cores. Which means they will say and do anything to get elected.
      Lie, no problem. Cheat, no problem. Back stab, no problem. You get the picture.
      Christy Clark was obviously better at these charming attributes than any of her male cohorts because she was elected Leader of the Party after Cambell resigned.
      She’s no innocent lamb being led to slaughter. She wanted that job and did everything she could to get it. Unfortunately she believes her own bs and thought that she could improve the Liberals dismal poll numbers when Cambell jumped ship. If she had called a snap election in May2011 immediately after she was elected leader of the Liberals ,maybe, just maybe, she would have squeeked out a win.
      But we the public have had 15 months to watch her stumble ,bumble and generally let everyone realize how truley venal and incompetant she truely is. Her polling numbers with women are falling faster than any other numbers. Where’s the gender bias there?
      So please take your ridiculous statement about “gender bias” and your ludacris statement about forming another taxpayer sucking “Royal Commision” to determine there is no gender bias in Canadaian politics.
      There are only smart politicians that know when to quit and stupid politicians that dont know when to quit. Christy is in the latter group in case you havent figured it out.
      My prediction, she will not resign unless she’s offered a plum job in the private sector otherwise she will drag the entire party down with her.
      Golda Meir, Indira Ghandi, Margret Thatcher, and hopefully Hillary Clinton some day. All excellent politicians that Christy Clark couldnt hold a candle to their farts.

      get off your high horse and cut the bull. She’s a National laughing stock because she’s way way over her head and she proves it at every single press conference she open her mouth……..
      And the public realizes it.

      Thats the nature of politics.

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  7. Thanks for the thorough whipping there non-confidence. I don’t disagree on what you’ve said about Clark but I stand by what I said about Falcon (most likely not) taking the same fall as her had he been elected leader. For the record, I neither live in a bubble or prop myself up on a high horse 🙂 Have a great day!

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  8. I regret so bad to believe I could settle in Bc despite I been here for over 8 years the province and the way they do thing are inhuman I have to abandon my farm land and my dream to move out for better support I have to give away my animals as well this place racism, no moral and rotten government no hope for generation this suppose to be the best place in the world but it’s a lie it’s just to attract people and destitute of their belong heartless, corporate own people and slave them until they leave shame, shame, shame I lost at least 10 years of my life today I will move cause if I stay I will be homeless serious disappointment I will propaganda the word to Other to do not got Bc and tell them truth around the world people deserve better

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