50 shades of wrong round deux: Clark government again shows why they’ve lost moral authority to govern

Posted on by Laila

There are few things in politics that have left as big of an impression on me personally, as the continuing disgrace of the health firings scandal. To this day, it pains me to think of what Rod MacIsaac must have gone through leading to his tragic suicide. It’s not hard to believe this government would mislead the public- they do it usually several times a week-but that they would as far as to mislead the RCMP as well, was unfathomable. And in my opinion,posted here last year, unforgivable:

When it was revealed in June of this year, that the government had intentionally misled not only the public, but the RCMP, it further called into question the ability of this government to continue with authority to govern:

Despite claims from MacDiarmid’s ministry that its had “provided the RCMP with interim results of an internal investigation,” RCMP emails show the ministry simply gave “high level explanations of the allegations,” and that “the province’s investigation had not reached any conclusions that could support a criminal investigation.”

RCMP investigators tried five times over almost two years to get more information, but received none of the reports the Health Ministry had promised into what it had publicly billed as one of the biggest privacy breaches in B.C. history.

The Mounties closed the file on July 16, 2014, and informed the province. But it wasn’t until seven months later that the government publicly admitted it no longer expected police to pursue the matter.

The records, obtained by The Vancouver Sun through the federal Access to Information Act, show that the B.C. government repeatedly pointed to an RCMP investigation over several years, while at the same time doing virtually nothing to inform police about the case and failing to provide any evidence of a crime.

“Despite inferences in the media that the RCMP has undertaken an investigation or received information from the Province, this has not been the case,” wrote Const. Dean Miller from the RCMP’s Federal Serious and Organized Crime section, in a late 2014 report. “No tangible evidence or reports related to the allegations have been handed over. As such, no investigation has been initiated.”

NDP critic Adrian Dix said the documents “show a government that not just misled the public but misled the police. And it’s a very serious thing.”

The government “smeared” the reputation of the researchers by repeatedly lying about a police probe it knew did not exist, said Dix.

One of the researchers, co-op student Roderick MacIsaac, committed suicide after he was fired and it was suggested he was under police investigation.

Think about that. The government deliberately misled the public, the 8 wrongly fired workers- one of whom is no longer with us – and the RCMP.  

Who lies about an RCMP investigation that never happened? And then goes… whoops! Sorry about that! Sorry just doesn’t cut it. It is government malfeasance. A clear attempt to mitigate their own culpability in the entire issue.

And now, two scandals have merged as it was revealed that there are no records… none… after two years of requests into the terribly wrong health firings of those 8 workers. None.

Still hard to fathom. And the news this week that the implications of that scandal continue, was equally disconcerting to me:

Critical research required for a national study on birth defects caused by pregnant women taking an acne medication was delayed by at least one year because of the B.C. government’s botched firing of a group of pharmaceutical researchers, the study’s lead author says.

The warnings, contained in a medical report published Monday, would have been issued earlier, but researchers had to wait for the B.C. government to conclude an internal inquiry into its firing of eight workers over a breach of medical data.

David Henry of the Canadian Network for Observational Drug Effect Studies said in an interview the study was sidelined by the B.C. health firings. The study found that one or two children are born in Canada every year with preventable birth defects as a result of isotretinoin treatment – a drug also known by the brand name Accutane – because some women of child-bearing age are not being properly warned about the dangers of the drug.

“We want to change practices, we want to make doctors and pharmacists and patients more aware. During that year, unquestionably there were women becoming pregnant while on the drug,” Dr. Henry said in an interview. “We would have liked to have got the warning out earlier.”

While the  concerns and risks of  using Accutane during pregnancy have been known, this study confirmed how critical it is for women to be properly warned by doctors & pharmacists. There was no need to block this data, researchers stated, because the patient data was anonymous.

This issue however was completely overshadowed by the news today that Premier Clark is getting a salary from the BC Liberal party for partisan work she does while sitting as premier….

Premier Christy Clark is paid tens of thousands of dollars each year by the BC Liberal Party – an income that is drawn from coffers infused by donor contributions and is in addition to the nearly $200,000 she earns annually as the head of government.

The Globe and Mail has learned that Ms. Clark is given between $30,000 and $50,000 a year from the BC Liberal Party for work she does for it throughout the year, including attending fundraising events. A spokesman with the Liberals of Ontario said that Premier Kathleen Wynne does not get a salary from the party. The BC NDP Party does not pay its leader anything, either. A spokesman for NDP Leader John Horgan said he has been reimbursed for a “couple of suits” during his time in the job.

The revelation about Ms. Clark’s extra payments follows Globe reports that she has been appearing at intimate donor get-togethers at which well-heeled patrons pay large amounts of cash for a chance to get rare, private face time with the most powerful politician in the province.

Cue the memes. Get some sweet photo-ops planned on a feel-good issue that warms the hearts of the herd. Call out the digital influencers to try and smooth it all over like organic peanut butter on gluten free bagel…

Sorry friends, this woman isn’t buying what you’re selling. It doesn’t matter if you declare it on the MLA disclosures that 99 % of voters in BC don’t even know exist. It’s still wrong. A premier, or any MLA for that matter of any party, should not be taking a salary from party coffers,based on the donations that party receives.I have to ask if any other MLA’s are receiving similar top-ups for party work!

It’s not just a perceived conflict of interest, it is a real one that every public official elected to office should strive to avoid at all costs.It’s about a not so little thing called integrity. How can voters have faith of impartiality and public trust,when the premier who is getting paid for partisan political party events with funds coming from corporate and other donations to her party? While she is making executive decisions for the future of BC?
Is it just me that finds this so damn appalling? This is a complete breach of public trust!

As Kashif points out so very well in his bang on tweet, BC went nuts over a home deck reno on Glen Clark – the deck that collapsed a premier.  He resigned when police confirmed he was the subject of an investigation.

Yet skimming some money off corporate party donations? Misleading RCMP? Removing the Offence Act for document destruction? Deleting Emails requested under an FOI?

Just another day in BC politics these days…

“Honesty, integrity and accountability, the values which should be the hallmark of this government, have instead been thrown under the bus by an arrogant majority, casualties in a misguided campaign to shield from accountability those who abuse this house.”
Louise Slaughter

http://omnyapp.com/shows/the-john-mccomb-show/topping-up-the-premiers-salary-the-jon-mccomb-show

42 thoughts on “50 shades of wrong round deux: Clark government again shows why they’ve lost moral authority to govern”

  1. I can usually comment. But, somehow, this one is like the straw that breaks the camel. There’s just grief. There’s bleak despair. There is simply a breathless vacuum in me. Hopelessness infinite. They kill the doctors and let the children die. This government is a huge and ugly black hole from which no light is possible. Honestly, the only solution I can see is borrowing a few billion now and just paying them to leave and never come back. It would be worth it. Whatever the amount.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Don’t be bleak and in despair. Yes,this is terrible news,on many levels. But this is important to know and to share. People need to know the kind of decisions that are being made in government because they are not all being made for the right reasons,nor altruistic ones. This serves no one. Government is not to be used as a self serving tool for the political party in power and it continues over and over. It must stop.

      The line for me was crossed with the health firings scandal,more than any other. You do not intentionally screw with peoples lives. At any level. It was callous and self serving on the part of those involved. And it must not be forgotten,to do right by Rod MacIsaac’s memory. I didn’t know the man or his family or friends. But it was damn wrong how that all went down.

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      1. I agree. And the despair will lift. But, after thinking about it, I have to add: for evil to be done good people only have to do NOTHING. And Jane Davies was right – why the hell didn’t the remaining bureaucrats ‘leak’ like sieves? The government is so wrong, as you say, on so many levels but, like Harper’s influence on his bureaucracy, the Liberals influence is clearly causing rot to permeate the whole of the institution. If just one child is born with complications from Accutane, law suits should be filed. And lawyers should be lining up to take the case.

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        1. I agree- which is why I must write this even though it makes my stomach turn too 😦 You cannot learn this stuff, turn away and do nothing and expect to not be complicit in the implications,regardless of what is known or not known. The point is we can always do more to prevent things like this and should be!!

          On another point. it appalls me that the party made such a fuss and continues to refuse to end the bus pass clawback, all while Clark gets paid for going back and forth to party fundraiser events of a partisan nature….

          Liked by 1 person

        2. She gets $200K a year as ‘salary’. She gets another say, $40K from the party. That’s $20K a month! All pocketed. She doesn’t pay for a bloody thing – her ‘life’ is all expensed and/or ‘covered’ by allowances from we the taxpayers, generous donors or ‘the Liberal party’. Like that incredible expense for private jets. Then there is the possibility of ‘extras’ from sources untraceable. I don’t know her real income. But THEN she ‘claws back’ the bus passes! As Mark E might say, what kind of pig…?
          For evil to be done……………

          Liked by 1 person

  2. Regarding the risk of birth defects, surely this would have been one of those cases where an anonymous ‘leak’ would have been justified?
    It is an outrage that this information was delayed.

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    1. Accutane and its risks for pregnant women ( all women who may become pregnant as well) have been known for some time,but sadly not all women are properly informed or advised-if you read the entire story,the data would have enabled the study to be completed much earlier,thus the release and publication would have given greater weight for physicians and pharmacists. I agree this info should not have been held back.It makes me angry,but more-so sad.

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  3. As much contempt as I have for Christy Clark and the Liberal Party corruption in the final analysis it is the apathy and or stupidity of the voters in this province.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I agree voter apathy still a big contributor to the repeated election of a party that clearly will do anything to win. This is not moral. These are not ethical decisions being made. Which is why each of you reading and sharing with others outside our immediate regulars is so important. This is not even a partisan issue,this is right now an issue of what is right or wrong. Period.

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  6. The first thing that comes to mind for me is the question of double dipping. If Ms Clark is being ‘paid’ to attend these Party functions, how often has she then also claimed expenses against the public purse?
    All members of the legislature are entitled to repayment of certain expenses for activities carried out on behalf of their constituencies, legislative business plus travel to and from Victoria. If the Premier is claiming such expenses while at the same time being paid monies, which are subject to a 75% tax credit to the donors of these funds, that is an inexcusable abuse of not only her Office but also the Income Tax Act (I can’t quote section etc., sorry).

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  7. This is a government run by a sociopath for her sheer personal ego. Her minions are neutered nobody’s enjoying their fleeting 15 minutes of infamy; they have no moral compass.

    We now see that those in the religious/economic right are bereft of morals as well, as supporting this travesty, is supporting corruption.

    That this is allowed to happen in this province only reinforces my opinion that government; the courts; and the police are irrevocably corrupt and now it is the rule of the elites – might is right.

    Whatever one wants to call it, gangsterism; entrenched criminality; or just pure evil, that it is allowed to happen, tells everyone else that BC is weak and the rule of law can be bought with a simple donation to the BC Liberals.

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  8. If Christie is so busy fundraising to the point of up $50,000 in commissions then her salary (taxpayer funded) should be reduced by an equal amount. I think that’s fair. Actually for what she does for the province maybe the Lieberal party should be covering her salary to the tune of 100%. So this money is coming from donations, I would like to know if these donations are tax deductible contributions. If they are then the taxpayer is paying again to make up for what the wealthy aren’t paying. To add salt to the wound we are now paying for her lawyer in her conflict of interest charge(s), is that a taxable benefit? Or just another funded perk? (would like to insert oink here).

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  9. Brian Bonney’s trial is coming up. Christy Clark as the Leader of the BC Liberals, paid Christy Clark as the Premier of the Province of British Columbia, 1/2 of the salary that Mr. Dyble decided that Brian Bonney siphoned off of the Government while working as an GCPE OIC appointee 50% of the time, in the Premier’s Office, during the Ethnic Scandal in preparation of winning the 2013, by any means.

    Therefore it’s not out of character for Christy Clark as Premier to be double dipping by receiving funding from the BC Liberal Party of which she is their LEADER. In essence, Christy Clark is paying herself.

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  11. The Health firings, plus the suicidal youth left to their own devices were two issues that should put a stake through the heart of this vampire leading a zombie troop of MLA’s, none of whom seem to have the balls to challenge her, or the integrity to question these issues. This is a despicable group of people who should be shamed into oblivion, but, I fear will probably get re-elected by screaming “NDP is the pary of NO” and the media will act once again as their promotional arm.

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  12. And lets not forget it was (once again) an Eastern Canadian newspaper (Globe and Mail) that “broke the story”.
    Kinda like the National Post breaking the “Real Estate foreign money” debacle that currently is pumping property values in the Lower Mainland to unaffordable, stratospheric levels.
    Perhaps the lickspittle, presstitutes that infest the Vancouver Sun , the Province and Global TV should take a long, hard look in the mirror and ask themselves, “Why oh why are our customers deserting us in droves?”
    The “news” in this province is vetted by big business first and the govt second before its allowed to see the light of day……
    Pathetic.
    Jack Webster would be apoplectic at the goings on in the media these days and spit on the local recipients of the annual “Webster awards”.

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  14. I am too upset to respond about the latest health scandal- did that in the Comments Section of The Sun and am working myself up to write a letter to Ms. Anton, my MLA for all the good that will do Just wondering, was that $50,000 “car allowance ” from the Party considered a gift and tax free. It’s bad enough she gets this but even worse she doesn’t have to publically declare how much. I will email David Eby to get his take on this.

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  15. I’d suggest an RCMP investigation is in order. she skims the take at these “meet the premier” soirees yet she collects a salary. Now the thing we, as taxpayers need investigated is: does she claim expenses for these functions also. we know as Premier she has flown back and forth to Kelowna to attend “functions” in her riding. Now were they functions in her position as MLA OR premier or as a member of the b.C. Lieberal party. We know Christy billed the province for the jet, but if there was party politics involved also, was she entitled to be reimbursed by the province when she was also collecting money from the party. Enquiring minds want to know.

    This does look ever so much like “duffygate”. In that instance there weren’t a lot of rules for the senate, but in provincial governments there are rules about what can and cannot be collected from the government. so if she is double dipping is it an infraction of provincial game rules. we as taxpayers have a right to know.

    Wonder why the Vancouver Sun and Province did cover this?

    this is a person who collects a salary of $200K a yr and still wants/needs more. yet this same person Christy Clark said the province until this year didn’t have enough money to allow children to keep their child support. The province needed that $14M a yr. this is a person who forces the disabled to live on $908 plus $21 per month yet she can’t make ends meet on $200K and I’m sure some child support from her ex. She thinks a parent and child can live on $1,200 per month, but she can’t make ends meet on $200K per year.

    it wouldn’t be so bad if our province was in great shape, but we aren’t. Schools are over crowded in surrey, 500K of us don’t have family doctors, B.C. Hydro paying out $670M last year for over priced electricity, the list goes on. if that is what the business community of B.C. thinks is good business, its a wonder any of them make any money. of course if they are having contracts tossed to them by the b.c. lieberals I’m sure they’ll get by.

    Its time for Christy to go. In my opinion she is just another political and I don’t mean to speak ill of sex trade workers. they actually work. Christy, not so much.

    Question: What is Christy doing with this extra money? Is it an advance on if she retires early if the party thinks they can’t win with her? is it a bribe from big business to ensure they continue to get their contracts?

    If Christy is being paid by political supporters and by the provincial purse, who is she working for? We need to know.

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  17. $50,000 car allowance meanwhile the disabled have their meagre travel allowance clawed back. How do politicians sleep at night?

    Silly me they have no conscience.

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  18. Hmmmm, $50,000 per year for fundraising. Say there are 250 working days in a year. That means she gets $200 per working day. Not sure how much a fundraiser gets paid (I suspect a lot work for free), but let’s assume $50/hour. That means she spends 4 hours per day fundraising. Now I wonder how much time she spends per day being Premier?

    The point is, I would expect her to spend her time being Premier. She really shouldn’t be taking a second job….she doesn’t have time for it. Being Premier should be taken seriously.

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  19. Christy Clark is a con artist. I never fell for it. Her sickeningly sweet demeanour hides a ruthless, highly ambitious being who needs to be right, needs to be acknowledged as number one. Like all populist politicians, trump and Palin come to mind, she uses folksy speech, a big grin and cliches to send her message of prosperity for all. But it is a sham. Her projects are unfulfilled and destructive, her folksy language often deteriorates into vulgarity, her big smile can disappear into a mean or impatient scowl when she is crossed. Make no mistake, she is a clever and cunning politician. And she will fight when cornered.But she is one of Eliot’s “hollow” people. Her main focus isn’t the family, it is Christy Clark

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      1. Indeed. No where else in Canada is the opposition being handed such great ammunition to use against the ruling party, and it is going to waste. I can accept that the MSN is not reporting a lot of what the NDP is saying, but they need to keep increasing the noise level till it is at the point of being impossible to ignore.

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  20. Where is Mr. Horgan indeed!

    The leader of the NDP seems ossified, unable to react or take charge. The NDP are so lost navel gazing about LEAP or whatever its all about had better react fast and furious.

    It does seem that Mr. Ebby is the defacto leader as Horgan is lost in the land of ennui.

    My gorge rises with politics in this province.

    Who is in charge of the clattering train?
    The axles creak, and the couplings strain.
    Ten minutes behind at the Junction. Yes!
    And we’re twenty now to the bad—no less!
    At every mile we a minute must gain!
    Who is in charge of the clattering train?

    Why, flesh and blood, as a matter of course!
    You may talk of iron, and prate of force;
    But, after all, and do what you can….
    Man is in charge of the thundering train!

    Man, in the shape of a modest chap
    In fustian trousers and greasy cap;
    A trifle stolid, and something gruff,
    Yet, though unpolished, of sturdy stuff….

    Only a Man, but away at his back,
    In a dozen cars, on the steely track,
    A hundred passengers place their trust
    In this fellow of fustian, grease, and dust….

    The hiss of steam-spurts athwart the dark.
    Lull them to confident drowsiness. Hark!
    What is that sound? ‘Tis the stertorous breath
    Of a slumbering man—and it smacks of death!
    Full sixteen hours of continuous toil
    Midst the fume of sulphur, the reek of oil,
    Have told their tale on the man’s tired brain,
    And Death is in charge of the clattering train!

    Those poppy-fingers his head incline
    Lower, lower, in slumber’s trance;
    The shadows fleet, and the gas-gleams dance
    Faster, faster in mazy flight,
    As the engine flashes across the night.
    Mortal muscle and human nerve
    Cheap to purchase, and stout to serve.
    Strained too fiercely will faint and swerve.
    Over-weighted, and underpaid,
    This human tool of exploiting Trade,
    Though tougher than leather, tenser than steel.
    Fails at last, for his senses reel,
    His nerves collapse, and, with sleep-sealed eyes,
    Prone and helpless a log he lies!
    A hundred hearts beat placidly on,
    Unwitting they that their warder’s gone;
    A hundred lips are babbling blithe,
    Some seconds hence they in pain may writhe.
    For the pace is hot, and the points are near,
    And Sleep hath deadened the driver’s ear;
    And signals flash through the night in vain.
    Death is in charge of the clattering train!

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  21. I checked the Globe and Mail this afternoon and there was another article which advised Christy Clark had received $277K since 2008. Has that woman no shame. What is that woman’s capacity for greed?

    When the photo op queen took the job she knew what the salary was. so why does she need this “top Up.”. The woman is a greedy, greedy bitch who lets the children and disabled in this province go hungry while she skims money from her political party fund raisers, which all on their own leave one holding their nose.

    she does receive then approx. $50K a year extra. Could be that is what she is using to send her kid to St. George’s where the fees are apprx. $20K a year and then the parents are expected to pony up approx. the same amount in “donations”. Ah, guess its nice to have your kid get a good education while the rest of the kids in the province are not getting one. Time for the B.C. Lieberals and Christy to do far, far away.

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  22. I rather doubted that Chrispy even had a car to drive, until I recalled her red light transgression. Perhaps that’s a skill she picked up at the Sorbonne. Wonder what kind of car warrants a $50,000 allowance? And I wonder who picks up the cost of the lease on the vehicle? Does Chrispy pay for the fuel and maintenance out of this ‘allowance’, or is it billed to the taxpayer?
    Perhaps she also deserves an airplane allowance too?

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  23. According to the Globe and Mail, CC does NOT care what we think about her ‘extra’ pay. All WE care about is ‘the economy and our own wallets. WE don’t care about ethics, morals, right, wrong or anything the ‘elites’ get or don’t get. We don’t CARE about kids and families, law, environment or even outright lying. We just care about what WE get!
    Damn! I think she’s right. Think about it: the only other time the hoi poloi squeaked together was over the harmonized sales tax that WE thought might cost us a penny or two more. POGO was right; we are the enemy.

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  24. yes, we keep voting for the b.c. lieberals so we are to blame for that. The Vancouver School Board has voted against the budget for the district so now it will be interesting to see what happens next. (my guess is they appoint a trustee and sell of the land schools sit on and you can bet their friendly developer friends will be the ones buying)

    If education is important to people then they need to make that their no. 1 issue when it comes time to vote. it has been my observation that at election time people don’t see it as issue no. 1. Last time it was going to be jobs, jobs, jobs, and LNG. Well there aren’t any more jobs, there is no LNG. We still have the highest rate of child poverty in Canada, we still have the lowest min. income in Canada and the highest cost of housing. Now please some one tell me how is that working for you? Because if the election were to be called tomorrow, I’m not so sure Christy would be tossed out.

    I do recall back when WAC Bennett got the heave, people were concerned about education and to the best of my recollection teachers got involved in some ridings. They went door to door in pairs, introduced themselves as teachers, said they weren’t supporting any political party, but this is what they saw as going wrong in education. If I’m not mistaken one of the ridings this activity was carried out in was Delta. We know what the results were in that election, Dave Barrett as Premier. People sent WAC for the toss.

    What is interesting, is the hospitals weren’t as bad as they are today, people had family doctors, WAC wasn’t skimming on fund raisers; kids weren’t dying in foster care; schools in some areas were crowded but not as crowded as today; don’t even think there were any tolls on bridges and ferry fares were reasonable. Oh, right there was a bit of “scandal” VGH kept the admitting department open an extra couple of hours so a cabinet minister could check in for surgery the next day. Yes, that raised quite a few eyebrows back then. Now we have the province paying over $600 Million in one year than they need to for electricity and they’re still in office. I can recall when they kept admitting open for a couple of hours, the amount in salary which was required was an issue. How times have changed.

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  25. We have become inured to political evil (maybe all sorts of evil). The standard just keeps dropping. And talking won’t fix it. Committees won’t fix it. White papers won’t fix it. And neither will Royal Commissions or Special prosecutors. Why? Because our societal values are skewed. We worship the dollar, not what is right, not what is good, not what is sustainable.
    We don’t even care enough about the children! How do you convince people who only care about the money?

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  26. Here is one I bet no one has thought of. To “balance” their budget the provincial government receives millions every year from BC Hydro and ICBC. This money goes into general revenue. Now I may be wrong here, but monies that go into general revenue are a tax. Where is my provincial tax credit for that portion of my money that goes to general revenue?

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