Over the years I’ve heard a lot of politicians make some really questionable comments – the tweet above is but one in a sea of many by Premier Clark. But after her most recent thoughtless remark made news, I’m thinking she might want to lay off the Star Wars for a while…
Clark had sharp words Monday for what she calls the “forces of no” in British Columbia who mount resistance efforts to government initiatives purely out of a fear of change.
First Nations leaders quickly shot back at the premier, labelling her comments “paternalistic” and “mindless.”
Clark made the statements during a news conference where she fielded questions about opposition to the Trans-Pacific Trade Partnership,environmental concerns over liquefied natural gas developmentand tax breaks for the mining industry.
She said negotiating trade pacts and resource developments involves tough, but potentially rewarding benefits and she would rather be known as an achiever than a quitter.
“There are people who just say no to everything, and heaven knows there are plenty of those in British Columbia,” said Clark. “But just because it’s hard doesn’t mean you give up. It doesn’t mean you should be a quitter.”
She criticized a coalition of First Nations, environmentalists and Opposition New Democrats who signed a declaration demanding a protection zone near a proposed multi-billion-dollar LNG project at Lelu Island near Prince Rupert.
“I’m not sure what science the forces of no bring together up there except that it’s not really about the science,” said Clark.
“It’s not really about the fish. It’s just about trying to say no. It’s about fear of change. It’s about a fear of the future.”
Ms. Clark, I’m not even sure where to begin on this one. There are definitely people in this province that would like to see all reliance on fossil fuels stop right this instant and have everyone hand over the keys to their vehicle while munching on kale chips as an alternative food source to anything else. And, that’s their prerogative.
But to be honest and pragmatic, we know that isn’t going to happen anytime soon. Those people are not the people saying No in Prince Rupert. Nor are they the people saying No to Site C, or No to the Massey Bridge. And your comments are not only patronizing, they are completely hypocritical and thoughtless.
Having been born and raised in northern BC and having now lived here in Metro Vancouver for many years, your lack of understanding of the diversity and concerns of interior and northern residents is appallingly clear.
Yes, people want good paying jobs to support their families,but they also have a deep concern for what the impact of the resource industry is having, in and around their communities. They want to know that things will be ok for their children, and their childrens’ children. They want to see vast forests,clean lakes with fish,wild animals to hunt and yes, trap. But they need good jobs as well.
Without a doubt,it’s a complicated issue that in many cases divides not only communities but families as well. They see the writing on the wall, and want a future that is bright,not bleak. It’s not anywhere as cut and dried as your government pretends it is. But when your government only offers one option to a community and says ” This is it! Take it or leave it!” IS that defined as success? Not to me. It’s called no way out.
At a time when the world is bravely facing economic and social challenges new to many, British Columbia should be in a position to take a leadership role in adapting,evolving and diversifying… yet we see very little YES from your government on anything that isn’t directed towards trolling some targeted votes from certain sectors,or placating corporate supporters.
Why is that? Ah yes, the forces of NO…..
- Your government said NO to funding adult education courses that help vast numbers upgrade their education to allow themselves to provide better for themselves and their families… but then gave $$ to tech sector employers to allow their employees only to upgrade.
It just doesn’t make sense. Allowing every adult the opportunity to upgrade basic education and english, takes the burden off of all provincial services when they are able to achieve financial independence, and contribute to our economies locally, and provincially.
- Your government said NO to funding public education fully, demanding cuts last year to school district budgets... yet significantly re-tooling the curriculum to suit the LNG industry... and now again announcing what seems to be a spur of the moment re-jig again this year at a tech conference. Teachers and parents are still paying for needed items, there is no money to make any of this work properly.But still. NO funding.
It just doesn’t make sense. Good solid core essentials must be met before re-tooling education to meet demands of industry- particularly odd in the face of so many funding cuts.
- Your government talked big at the Paris climate talks, reduced emissions, greenhouse gases etc etc… but while you were gone, the Port of Metro Vancouver approved the application for a US thermal coal transfer facility in Surrey.
- Yes, we’ve been shipping thermal coal used for heating and power, for years to Asia via mile long trains from the US. Which flies in the face of everything spoken to in Paris.
- You gave Petronas an out to pollute.
- And while even small oil towns in Alberta see the sense in using solar, your government doesn’t even give grants or incentives to promoted this clean energy source. Your government said NO to truly green initiatives that do make a difference.
It just doesn’t make sense. US ports will not ship that thermal coal. The cost of solar has dropped dramatically. Why BC isn’t legislating the use of it in certain new builds and creating a market for jobs and industry,is beyond me. Oh wait… the forces of NO in Victoria won’t let that happen.
- The last time the BC Utilities Commission turned down Site C because it wasn’t needed, your government was told to explore options like solar, geothermal energy and other alternatives, but again, government forces of NO prevailed and nothing was done. We are the only jurisdiction along the fiery Pacific Rim not capitalizing on geothermal. Why? No political will.
It just doesn’t make sense. Geothermal would be cheaper, create more jobs and be more environmentally friendly than Site C. And there’s evidence to back that up. Don’t take my word for it. It’s all out there to find on Google.
We’ve seen a host of other No’s over the years.
- No progressive taxation, which would raise provincial revenue in a fair manner. As revenues fall in other sectors, we need to have a provincial discussion on taxation- it is long over due.
It just doesn’t make sense that we aren’t.
- No to funding the twinning of the single lane and dangerous Transcanada Highway between Kamloops and the Alberta border – a long overdue move that would provide years of jobs and bolster both tourism and trucking via that route and give the Premier an out for not building Site C.
It just doesn’t make sense. With a new federal government committed to vital infrastructure projects, the funding could be found at that level, and at a fraction of the cost of Site C, which is not needed.
- No funding for Ministry of Children and Families , despite repeated reports indicating it was needed for years.Sadly, it took several tragic deaths and a redundant report for a promise to be made, tied to the ‘success’ of the economy.
It just doesn’t make sense. Education and the care of children is well recognized as a cornerstone for a societies future success. Every support should be there to ensure every single child succeeds, that their family succeeds. It costs less to do this early, than deal with social issues later on that result.
I could go on,but the No’s that have come from this government far outweigh the Yes’s. I think you know this better than I, Ms.Clark…it just doesn’t make sense.
While average British Columbians face difficulties paying BC Hydro bills that have been raised every year for years – and who get cut off if they can’t pay it- they see government that is now looking at allowing resource companies to defer their bills! A questionable idea if for only the reason of BC Hydro’s questionable practice of borrowing from Peter to pay Paul.
In fact, while years ago the resource sector was a driving force in BC, it hasn’t been for years. Norman Farrell has been looking at this for a while, but even apart from his fine work, the facts don’t lie.
Take a look at some startling facts that totally negate the provinces continual subsidy of the resource sector: http://credbc.ca/role-energy-sector-bcs-economy/
Oil, gas and support services make up just 3% of our GDP, compared to 15% for manufacturing and construction and over 23% for financial and real estate services. When secondary energy services are added into the equation, the total contribution to GDP is still only 11%. While this number is significant, it’s certainly not where most provincial economic activity is coming from.
Where are the jobs?
In BC, the mining, oil and gas sector combined employs just 1% of the workforce.
Source: 2012 British Columbia Financial and Economic ReviewInstead, the biggest employers in the province are:
- Construction – 205,000 jobs
- Manufacturing – 164,000 jobs
- Tourism – 127,000 jobs
- Real estate and property development – 121,000 jobs
The film sector adds an additional 36,000 jobs and the technology sector employs 84,000 people – more than oil, mining, gas and forestry combined.
Do you see now, Ms.Clark, why there is so much concern? Why people are so worried that the province has not been taking a leadership role in adapting and innovating a new path?
We are worried that you are not helping those whose industries are suffering, train for new careers and paths where they can use those skills?
We are wondering why your government sticks to the same dire path simply if for no other reason than you cannot confront the fact there is a better way. You don’t ask communities what they want or need, you march in and tell them…and then ask what you can do to compensate them after the fact. A cheque here. A pond there. People give in quickly in the face of steam-rollers.
Yet British Columbians are asking for a better way – they are saying No to the plans that just don’t make sense and yes to the ones that show innovation, leadership – but those aren’t seen very often.
It’s not about saying No to everything, it’s about saying YES to good policy and the right projects, with proper oversight -case in point, Mt. Polley. A failure on two points. You cannot compromise on environmental or community protections.
And we’re not quitters either Ms. Clark. Because unlike you, we will all still be here long after your time as premier has ended.
The forces of No that are hurting this province aren’t the ones in Prince Rupert, or Fort St. John, or even Richmond who are standing up for what is right.
They are the one’s right beside you in Victoria.
Westcoast Views with Laila Yuile 
Wow, this is a fantastic snapshot of a corrupt government that has lost its integrity.
The likes of Coleman, Bennett, Bond, Clark and the other crooks in Victoria that only respond to the wishes of their contributors. They surely don’t give a damn about Education. Any opposition and back comes spite. She is surely getting even with the Vancouver School Board as Bacchus has shown what a fool Clark is wiith her lies about education
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Nice turn of the tables on CC, Laila! YES!
It seems she really got you heated up.
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When I heard her say that, it sounded like a Trump-ism. It is so stupid. Testosterone levels out of control for a minute. This is a province of people who want to do the right thing and do it well. There is NO NEGATIVITY except against stupidity and cheating.
That CC is selling us out is what is limiting us from being MORE productive. We are saying NO only to corruption and the enriching of the 1% on the backs of the people and the environment.
I say to Christy-ditzy, ‘Get out of OUR way. Get away from US. Take your ill gotten gains and get the hell out! And take your friends with you.’
Is that too negative? I would tend to see her departure as constructive, positive and healing, myself.
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So refreshing to have someone telling this incompetent Premier how to run the province and respect its citizens! Thanks a bunch, see you at the poles. While we’re at it, I would work my buns off for u if you decided to run.
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So just as Premier Clark starts prattling about the so-called “No to everything” crowd, Phil Hochstein and his “Independent Contractors and Businesses Association” have started a “Yes” to development campaign (http://icba.ca/2015/12/01/philip-hochstein-pro-development-majority-must-fight-b-c-s-bad-reputation/), Coincidence? Or are both these campaigns being tested out in the current by-elections for possible use in the next provincial election?
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2017 NDP election campaign TV advertisement:
Camera slowly moves in on a smiling John Horgan having a coffee at his kitchen table.
“Good morning. My name is John Horgan, leader of the BC New Democrats, or as my friends in the BC Liberal Party call me, ‘Dr. No.’
The reason they affectionately gave me the name is because they recognize there are some things I simply will not say yes to. Let me list a few:
• I say no to routinely breaking the law by deleting public records to avoid accountability.
• I say no to firing public servants without cause and then covering up and paying out of court to avoid accountability.
• I say no to ordering a public servant to break the law, replacing him with someone who will, and then paying three times the likely damages out of court to avoid accountability when sued as a result.
• I say no to ordering BC Hydro to borrow $10 billion to build a dam to deliver power that will be sold at a loss and refusing to allow the BCUC to review to avoid accountability.
• I say no to promising the citizens of BC the public debt will be eliminated and billions of dollars will be deposited in a public prosperity fund when I have information that it will likely never happen.
• I say no to pretending I’ve balanced the provincial budget when I really just have unpaid obligations and BC Hydro borrowing hundreds of millions to pay me a dividend.
• I say no to forcing school boards to close schools to raise funds to upgrade earthquake protection I’ve already promised and failed to deliver.
• I say no to withholding funding from the Ministry of Children and Family development while paying record subsidies to corporations.
• I say no to conducting a two-week investigation by the Public Service Agency into improper conduct by my Chief of Staff without creating one documented word.
• I say no to having government employees working on partisan political endeavors during regular hours and then having my deputy conduct a misleading investigation into the affair.
• I say no to partisan control of legislative committees to avoid accountability as occurred in the consideration of the Auditor General’s report on the Basi/Virk payoff by the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts.
Now let me give you some examples of when I’ll say yes…”
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Send this to the NDP. It is brilliant.
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What a great comment. Send it to Keith Baldrey, Vaughn Palmer. Les Leyne and that other sad excuse for a journalist…. you know the guy that takes his talking points from anyone in the Liberal Party…. sorry just can’t remember his name…… shows how much he means in our home.
Guy in Victoria
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Michael Smyth?
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Actually it’s Tom Fletcher…. I just didn’t want to give him any mention because he has got to be the worst journalist in history.
Guy in Victoria
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That would be great but you have too much faith in these guys. The NDP needs an enema and re boot.
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The NDP had an enema in the last election as the BC Liberals. They have polluted BC and it is time to get rid of them and clean up BC.
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I say Yes to developments which make sense economically and environmentally, and provide benefits to BC and its citizens.
I say No to ridiculous projects like LNG exports and Site C.
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Saying things that don’t make sense, or are at odds with facts are a specialty of this premier.
This “NO” approach, aided by people like Hochstein, Liberal MLA’s and assorted back room financier will be the mantra in the next election. They will paint the NDP as the “NO jobs” party. The NDP has to be ready this time. The response by Lew, above is brilliant. They should hire him.
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BC libs are basically a corporate front. The whole framing of the politics is such that NO to inappropriate development is not part of the picture. We know this to be completely wrong. Resource extraction while giving some jobs is all about in the end profit for a minority.
Sustainable based practices and economies are more equitable and are thus a threat to the corporate paradigm, they are thus resisted vigorously. A good example of this is home solar. Imagine generating your own energy and not having to be subservient to the utility and the power grid. Then imagine having an electric car and not having to be subservient to the gas companies. The richest corporations in history.
Clean energy threatens their profits and dominance, so was not an option till #climate came along. #climate is the lighthouse that wont move. We are the ones that have to adapt or disappear.
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What’s most disturbing considering how embarrassingly Clark conducts herself in public, is that she is most assuredly not the author of the 2017 election tag-line “the forces of no”. Expect to hear that until its engrained on our brains. John Horgan if you’re reading this, get out there and expose the “real” forces of no in this province, led by our pathetic and hapless premier. She simply has no clue of the real power of the private sector economy and her policies continually leave vital industry in the dark to wither away and move out of the country. In a province riddled with idle manufacturing plants and a vastly under funded tourism industry, with treasury draining projects on the horizon, to name just a few, she has absolutely nothing to brag about.
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unfortunately Horgan and the NDP have been asleep for a long time. I don’t expect them to wake up in time for the election. (have been an NDP voter since I was 19) this time the party is so deeply asleep they won’t even be awake to read this column and ask to use it as part of an advertising campaign.
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The MSM is in bed with the BC Liberals and it ignores the policies of the BC NDP. It never brought up the NDP environmental platform, “Sustainable BC.” It slagged Dix for altering a memo more that 15 years ago, even though he apologized for doing so. And it ignored Christy Clark’s corrupt involvement in the sale of BC Rail.
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Excellent points Laila.
Unfortunately I think you lost Christy Clark after “Over the years….”.
Her vacuous attention span doesnt bode well for introspective thought. A lot of furrowed browed, lips-moving-while-reading and constant checking with a dictionary would test her patience and she’d skip to the end.
“Kinda like ya know” why she probably didnt finish University or the 2 week vacation stint at the “Sorbonne”
Anywho.
I like the reminders of her anti environmental, anti union, anti balanced budget, etc. etc.etc. version of a “better world” without us “No’s” to ruin it. Apparently negativity only runs in one direction when you’re the leader of the Province.
“Pave paradise and put up a parking lot”, comes to mind
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What I find interesting is the Clark govts insistance on continuing to invest taxpayers dollars into a resource based economy(fracking, pipelines, terminals, tankers, dams to power it) all while we’re watching the Alberta “meltdown” due to what most economists are predictiong is a multi years long oil price( with LNG prices in lockstep) depression.
Whatever happened to govt that built roads, schools, funded police, fire, health, etc through taxes and left the rest to the economy and entrepeneurs? Apparently its now up to govt( taxpayers) to fund 0% interest loans or taxfree subsidies for multinational corporations to “invest” here?
What a pile of bullshit.
ANYTHING the govt attempts to do with business ends up costing us the taxpayers millions if not billions and reeking like a BC Rail sale……………..
I cant wait to see who hires Christy Clark and how soon they hire her after she’s punted from office. Kinder Morgan?. Mt Polley? CN?
Although with the NDP’s current nonexistance opposition in the legislature………I’m not holding my breath.
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You obviously never watch Question Period in the BC Legislature. The NDP has done an excellent job of trying to hold the BC Faux-Liberals accountable to British Columbians. It’s people like you who have kept this inept, corrupt political party in power for 15 long, recessive years.
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Yet they voted in favour of the LNG tax regime they blasted in QP.
They were silent on taking a hard stance on Site C when it was debated in the leg last year… waiting until late fall to do so… and even then using waffle words to ” re-visit” the project.
And there are many other issues, like the Surrey Fraser coal transfer, etc etc.
The NDP has done an excellent job on the health firings and other scandals. But where jobs are involved with any union affiliation, not so much. That is honest and valid.
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I beg to differ about Site-C and the NDP. Every government is duty bound to look at all the options. Before Mica Dam, the Peace was a legitimate candidate for future power. One has to keep the issue clear or the forces of evil will mop the floor. Unfortunately, in that sense, Site-C has a history that includes the NDP, and involves all the other issues raised for ammo against the current incarnation. Site-C has nothing to do with unions per se. Everyone understands that the clean power from dams requires land to be flooded. First Nations concerns are relatively new—I mean in the modern context post William (Tsilhqot’in) decision. All these and more are valid areas of concern, but, to be crystal clear, there should be no other reason to shut this project down than its imprudent (I could embellish, but I want to be clear) cost. Governments collect taxes, etc., and spend the money in the public’s best interest. The proposal fails.
There’s no need to argue the other cases when this single aspect would, if followed through, satisfy all other concerns combined.
That’s the thing: we can’t afford it, it’s wrong in so many ways, but, above all, we don’t need it.
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@ lasnomadas.
“I It’s people like you who have kept this inept, corrupt political party in power for 15 long, recessive years.”
***************************************************************************************************************
Ya might want to rethink that statement.
I voted NDP in the last two Provincial elections because Gordon Cambell and Christy Clark didnt deserve what I scrape off my shoe in a dogpark, let alone my vote..
Apparently I’m not allowed to critisize the party I voted for?
We’re supposed to crow from the rooftops,”NDP Good. Liberal bad…” Like trained monkeys?.
Drooling, ignorant, partisan political lickspittles( for EITHER party) have no place in a rational discussion.
Wipe your chin and get with the program.
Lets make it simple for you shall we?
Christy Clark is in constant “election” mode. The NDP are noticable in their absence/silence.
Who do you think the majority of catatonic, 10 second attention span, voters will remember come election day?
A Premier that will wear low cut tops and smile beamingly at funerals? Or a bunch of surly, desk pounding , NDP “battle monkeys” on CPac……a channel that most people couldnt find if you put a gun to their head and my tv antenae( now that I’ve “cord cut” from cable tv) doesnt recieve…..
Grow up.
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SNC Lavalin will be her nest after that buzzard flies away from the carcass of our once great province. The real question is what to do with the opposition if they don’t de throne what is obviously the WORST provincial government in BC history hands down. If people have so little confidence in the NDP they would rather vote for this Neo-Liberal cabal with more scandals under its belt than every other government in BC history combined then the NDP has to go.
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In my opinion, Christy Clark is a stubborn and stupid she-goat, incapable of rationality. I wish there was a way we could impeach her! She has another 15 months or so in office…scary…
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“a stupid she-goat”.
What your statement lacks in eloquence it more than makes up with the visual………..
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😉
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I was thinking about this a bit and it strikes me that it is Christy Clark who is afraid of change, not the “forces of no”. BC has been digging resources out of the ground and selling them overseas for years. To stop doing this is actually a change, and it is a scary change. What will happen to the economy and jobs if we move away from being a resource-based economy? Sorry, Christy, it is becoming less and less socially acceptable to use fossil fuels. It is you that cannot see the changing winds.
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I don’t think it’s a fossil-fuel issue necessarily, or primarily. Way I see it, it’s part a bigger, insidiously integrated agenda to bankrupt BC Hydro so profiteers can supply electricity instead. Neo-right philosophy regards public enterprise as an illegitimate interference in the free market, and that the money we citizens save—not to mention the revenues pumped into public services and infrastructure—distorts this same free market. We pay about a third of the American average price; neo-right tenet says the money saved is, in effect, “stolen” from this supposed “free market. The entire rationalization is that this savings, the other two thirds, is “deprived” from private enterprise. It’s bull.
Ethically, they should ask us what we’d like to happen to our own jointly owned enterprise. People “buy bulk” in cooperative spirit all the time, including private enterprise, so what’s the difference here? It is the huge amounts of money involved. Bank robbers are so called because they prefer banks to lemonade stands—for the very same reason, the amount of money.
I heard Michael Walker of the Fraser Institute explain how everything can be eval “monetized” so it can be integrated into the capitalist system, creating wealth, tax revenue, jobs, etc. He scared me with his passionate example, air. Yes, the air outside, monetized by the cubic inch, to be bought, sold, rented.
But, the big “but”—a free market, an “invisible hand” has never been shown to exist. In fact, the saint of capitalism Adam Smith who wrote the seminal book “The Wealth Of Nations”, the capitalists’ “bible”, the definer of “monopoly,” “competition,” “interest” and the like, concluded that ultimately the state, not some “invisible hand”, is the arbitrator by necessity to ensure against excesses that potentially threaten the welfare of the state which, of course, includes it citizens, livestock, vegetation, and other resources. The fact that his conclusion is printed on the very last pages of Volume II might explain why so many economics students have never heard of it and believe Smith said the exact opposite, as the neo-rightists of today do, that the state “interferes with the free market—illegitimately”. These last pages are easy to tear out without missing them.
So that’s why I think Site-C is such a huge big deal for the BC Liberals to get under way. Keeping to the fundamentally treasonous principles of neo-rightism, the BC Liberals want to do things that furthers their dastardly ideal and which can’t be reversed, as in “too late to stop now…” It’s an old trick applied to a new technique of capitalism, suited to, neo-rightists feel, the modern, globalized world electronically networked and entirely polluted by human activity.
What “Christy” is afraid of is losing control of the government and the public purse, not simply because ideology is frustrated, but because much of this agenda is affected in “illegal” ways that might warrant penalty (prison) for the perpetration
of one of the biggest breaches of public trust since First Nations had their land illegally confiscated. This is huge and it smells.
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Christy Clark is going to find out just how strong the ‘forces of no’ are in about 15 1/2 months. I’ve been saying ‘no’ to the BC Liberals for 15 years. I hope there will be enough of my fellow British Columbians who will get out and vote with me in May 2017.
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Speaking of the election. Anyone else notice that the price reduction in health care premiums for single parents take effect next Jan……
3 months before the election……..
A coincidence I’m sure.
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Sad part is not enough will read this. You did a great job too a few years back with the 100 reasons to get rid of BC Liberals but sadly most people are not listening but listen to the likes of CKNW, the Province and Globull BC which are all part of the BC Libs propaganda networks.
Plus we need a viable opposition party in this province. It is funny going back on various sites with articles and comments after last couple BC elections and reading articles and comments on what NDP needs to do, yet they do ziltch..
We are stuck with Clark and the fake libs for a few more elections I hate to say. There are many that want them gone but the official opposition does not appear to want the job.
A great opportunity for a new party in BC.
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It was said of George W. Bush that somewhere a village was missing an idiot; of this Premier it can be said that somewhere a peeler bar is missing a pole dancer. Could someone remind us all of Krusty’s extensive post secondary c.v.? Keep on keepin’ on, Laila.
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I was just getting over the visual of her as a stupid she-goat, then I get whacked with the visual of her swinging about the shiny brass pole!
Ugh! My visualizer is now officially broken!!
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Speaking of that highly memorable election of May 2013, not a lot of attention was given to the “real” story which was how Clark’s forces of no obliterated the BC Conservatives. The writing was really on the wall for the NDP when it selected Dix as their “leader” who couldn’t manage to utter a word about even one of the 100 reasons to not elect this corrupt sham of a party. The forces really at work were the ones who got rid of the John Cummins, the NDP blew the election without Clark’s help, but her gang sure did a number on Cummins and it was no coincidence.
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Petronas LNG put on review by Moodys for potential downgrade- could mean unlikely to get affordable financing for projects unless province assumes risk – H/T to Erik Andersen for this https://www.moodys.com/research/Moodys-places-ratings-of-MISC-and-Petronas-LNG-on-review–PR_342905
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The Guardian, again had an article about Malaysian politicians and Swiss banks. an interesting read. They received approx. $600 Million in donations, which was placed in a Swiss bank. Even the swiss bank is asking questions. So Christy wants to do business with Malaysia, o.k. sounds about right.
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Now what would be really nice is if Lailla’s post were printed in the newspapers of this province and read out on the t.v. news. But that would be a big fat NO because they all root for the forces of NO led by Christy Clark and her B.C. Lieberals.
No to telling the truth
No to providing homes for the homeless.
No to better mental health services for children
No to more funding for public education, just yes to private schools.
No to disability rates which at least reach poverty level.
No to welfare rates that take into account todays costs for housing and food.
No to a progressive MSP plan.
No to just about anything which would benefit the average citizens and yes to any request by the corporations.
No to a fair wage in B.C. so working people don’t have to go to food banks.
No to more specialized nurses and doctors.
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Thinking of crowdfunding a few full page ads. What do you think?
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My money order would be in the mail. Just print the address you want the cheque sent to.
The NDP nor any other organization has taken out adds or purchased space in newspapers to run ads against what the B.C. Lieberals have done, i.e. $600 to the film industry, $100 Milion to the techies to come party, and then all the money given to mining/oil/gas, when we know via Norm Farrell’s columns they don’t bring in the money that would act as an incentive for most governments to be generous with an industry. People don’t know how the amount of exported resources has increased but the money coming to the government is going down.
How deeply in debt is B.C. Hydro? does the average citizen know? doubtful.
Did the average citizen know B.C. Ferries refurbished a ferry for $15M and then sold it to an insider for $2M?
ICBC had a big press release for print and t.v media about fraudsters increasing he cost of car insurance because they defrauded ICBC of approx. $250M a year. No one talked about Christy and the B.C. Lieberals raiding the ICBC bank account for $500M. I say, keep Christy and her lieberals out of the bank account and just leave the fraudsters, at least we’d be ahead of the game.
I don’t know what ads cost in community newspapers these days, but they used to be a lot less expensive than the Sun/Province, so I think it would be fun to run the truth about the B.C. Lieberals in some community newspapers.
at some level you don’t want to give money to organizations who don’t print much of the real news but hey, if the other side of things can be publicized I think its worth it.
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I’d be in on crowd funding for exposé ads.
In the meantime, all readers here can help get the word out by making links to their favourite BC poli-bloggers known.
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Okay everyone,I’m going to do some looking into how much a series of ads would cost in papers across BC and report back. Working on a new post now, for Monday.
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Yes! You’ve many brilliant ideas here!
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When I retired, I gave some advice to my main main who was taking over the business: I told him, “Sometimes you just have to say ‘No’—you’ll see what I mean.” Like when clients want to change contract terms in the middle of a job—but not remuneration, or when they want you to do something not-to-code; there are, in fact, so many occasions when “No” is appropriate, that it became my favourite word, at least while I was contracting. But what Christy is doing is something altogether different: she wants to figuratively, and sometimes literally, change the terms of contract—without consideration of the cost, at least not prudent consideration—and she’s constantly asking us to accept BC Liberal behaviour that is not-to-code.
Christy is currently, and transparently, starting her election campaign; yes, it’s a bit…a lot early, but she and her government are so deep in the goo she needs the extra time (come to think of it, maybe she should have started three years ago, just to be ready for the one next year—hmmm, maybe that’s what she did do—I mean, really, what exactly has she done in the last three years that didn’t look like campaigning?) Plus, for the same reason, she needs to disadvantage her chief rival as much as possible by unfairly availing the considerable advantages power, that is, by improperly using public funds and facilities for her own partisan purposes. Oh that Christy!
Christy’s ploy isn’t that ingenious, rather, it’s classic competitive politics—characterize your opponent before voters can make up their own mind. If I was John Horgan, I’d take it as a sign of how deep in the goo the BC Liberals really are—that she has to start this early. I mean, believe me, John, she’s no qualm about repeating a one-note pean ad nauseam and incessantly. Like last time.
The BC Liberals crossed into Absurdia soon after Christy led the parade out of Whopperland last election. It’s a perfectly hospitable land for Christy and her sergeant of absurdism, Bill Bennett; here they can say “Yes”, in response to any issue, at any time. I wouldn’t be surprised if Christy actually does use the “forces of No” (or “yes”) exclusively for the next year. Her handlers will try to photo-op her in congruent situations appropriate to either, or both, “Forces of No” and “Yes”, but it won’t trouble Christy too much.
Christy likes campaigning—she’s a natural prancing majorette—and she likes fun. Throw in the “Forces of No” and “Yes”—maybe a bass drum—and you got a campaign. This is what you get when you shoo the Premier out of the policy kitchen from day-one: a Premier who doesn’t know or care much where policy comes from or what’s in it, kinda like thinking milk comes from a grocery store instead of a cow.
But, as I’ve said—probably too many times now—the BC Liberals didn’t win last time because Christy whopperized the word “LNG”, although it was impressive that she could attach a bigger and bigger number every day in correct sequence and without tripping up—I mean, really, what other proof is there that she does math—or, uh, arithmetic? Not Site-C, that’s for sure. That just wouldn’t make sense.
That’s a great counter-slogan, Laila: “It just doesn’t make sense…”
Fantastic! You’ve had advertising experience, I’ll bet.
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Yer finest writing, Laila.
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Great contributors by your readers and your self,i think it would be a great to get a info ad going.Fifteen months to donate funds to this project could make a big difference,i would be more willing my-self even though on a fixed income it would be okay over fourteen months.and would urge them to donate.We can no longer depend on the M.S.M and they cant seem to get why they are going down hill.Your great Laila! along with Norm F,Ross K,Grant & the rest of the concerned authors ,Best of luck to you all.
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Only a corrupt government skirts the regulatory bodies that are in place like the BCUC to push through projects like Site C dam. This would be one of the worse man made environmental disasters in BC. And we don’t need the dam at all. I don’t get it. There are so many green, cheaper, and non destructive alternatives.
Christ maybe some people are right from what i read that the Federal government must stop this dam and the corruption of the processes of transparency by the Clark Clan of Corrupters . Its no different than what’s going on at the NEB .This is all tied together.
Why did Clark go to the Paris show when she’s such a hypocrite and doesn’t give two figs about the environment unless it furthers her political advancements. Wow and she had the nerve to be there alongside Trudeau. I really hope Trudeau knows what kind of creature feature he’s dealing with and does something about it.
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[…] me,as a British Columbian fully invested in my families future in the province,it just doesn’t make sense. Are the Forces of NO, striking families- and successful singles and couples in British […]
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If BC is paying 2.95% to Chinese buyers of the Panda Bond, why aren’t the bonds being sold in BC? Or are they?
The best GIC I found in BC is about 2.2%.
“Officials said the proceeds from the bond issue on Friday were reinvested in an RMB-denominated instrument with Singapore-based United Overseas Bank, adding that the investment will return gains for B. C. taxpayers because the rate-of-return on the investment is higher than the 2.95 per cent payout rate of the bond of Chinese bondholders.”
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/asia-pacific/chuck+chiang+bonds+prove+popular+with+chinese/11673471/story.html?__lsa=597f-c896
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Maybe we are actually The Forces of Know!
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[…] for hers. It’s time to stop the project before more taxpayers money is wasted. Listen to the Forces of Know. Do the right thing. There are good, solid, job creation alternatives. Twin the Transcanada to […]
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BC Jobs Plan
http://thenelsondaily.com/news/bc-starting-become-overrun-lobbyists-40518#.VrVzncL2aUk
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As someone else mentioned, Clark is always in election mode and this “force of no” comment was just part of their Election 2017 framing of the issues. Their campaign kicked into high gear in November 2015 when they blanketed the NDP convention with pamphlets depicting John Horgan as Dr No. They even parked a U-Haul across the road of the convention site with the same message. Clark’s “forces of No” statement a few months later was just part of the framing and yesterday’s release of the “Get2Yes” video is just another link in the framing.
As George Lakoff has explained, once framing is in place, it’s very difficult to dislodge. Spin doctors who are experts at it know how effectively it limits the scope of the discussion. Clark needs the frame in place so that all the other failures of her government are left out of the frame and thus out of discussions. She wants to limit the debate to the issue of jobs because who can argue against anyone who just wants to create jobs?
Those long lists of reasons the BC Liberals have to go will be outside of the frame. The destruction of waterways and land, and the decimation of public services in this province during the BC Liberals tenure will all be outside of the frame.
Don’t get framed BC.
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[…] story I do has a heart, and soul. And the forces of know keeping tabs on Site C with us, are the steady strong beat behind this one. And they’re still […]
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