Tuesday, May 12, 2009

 

A very important day in B.C.

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Today May 12 is B.C. ELECTION 2009 DAY at a polling booth near you.

But it is also a BASI, VIRK, BASI pre-hearing day in B.C. Supreme Court, 800 Smythe Street, Vancouver. Performance starts at 10:00 AM. and it, too, is open to the public.

Good luck on both, British Columbia!

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Noted in passing, a remarkable insight by Kevin Logan:


" ... we have not once heard that Carole is a Metis Woman ... this coming on the heels of listening to our counterparts in the south choose a president where the debate amongst the Democrats literally revolved around gender and race.

"I would like to think that here in Canada we have evolved past prejudiscism of this nature, however it is obvious we have not and I am not suggesting the debate should have focused more on racism of sexism, I am saying I am surprised at the silence on this front.

"Not a word here in BC about the progressive nature a candidate like Carole presents. Very odd indeed. I remember when Ujjal took the leadership of the party and both his leadership bid within the party and his run for premier focused quite a bit of energy on the race issues his candidacy presented.

"In fact the NDP often works very hard to shine the light on the progressive nature of the candidate it forwards, you need only look at the policy designed to get women and visible minorities in the legislature to see what lengths they go to on this front.

"So I am just saying that I find it odd we did not hear more about gender and race in this election for a number of reasons one of which is the obvious and distinct difference her candidacy offers voters over the incumbent.

"Finally when Carole knocked out Campbell live and in the flesh in the television debate there was no David Goliath type framing where gender could have entered the fray.

"It was no small feat for Carole to not only withstand the patronizing glib of the Premier but to push back and actually defeat him. This was downplayed by the media but when I think of all the debates I have witnessed and I can barely think of another time where one participant so clearly won.

"It was not that she stood out on policy or capitalized on a wedge issue, it was more a result of the incompetence of the others combined with her confidence and ability, but in the end this was one huge victory for Carole, the NDP and women in general. Yet very little about this in the media except to kindly acknowledge that Carole won.

"It made me proud to be an NDP. And that doesn't happen very often."

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Comments:
Thanks to you Mary, and thanks to all the others who have tried to speak out for the truth, for the importance of the justice system and, most important of all, for the future of British Columbia as a place where all citizens are recognized for their contributions, for their vitality and for their shared humanity.

Above all the last 8 years have demonstrated what this place turns into when we forget the broad needs and desires of the whole community and focus solely upon the selfish interests of one small class.

It was that neglect which led to the aberration of democracy and into selfishness, meanness and tragedy - all of which are epitomized by the sale of BC Rail and the sellout of the public interests.

Thanks for giving us all an opportunity to examine this vital part of modern BC history - only by learning from this can we move on.
 
Very insightful comments, Kevin and G West. I agree with your perspectives.

Just saw the Good Old Royal Hudson chug past. How wonderful to see this grand Lady that was mothballed for too long by the Campbell Liberals.

Like everything they sidelined that was the People's wishes for the best interests of his pals, like Peter Armstrong who got to run his private and very expensive Whistler Mountineer. Any wonder why he didn't want the competition from the famous Royal Hudson. Enough of this Insider Dealing.

If a miracle happens for the PEOPLE tonight . . . I'll bet Carole will bring back the Royal Hudson as well as TAKE BACK BC RAIL after a full Inquiry reveals the depth of the rot.

Here's to justice and a fresh start!
 
Here Here!!

And we must all raise a glass to BC Mary, who in her indefatigable manner has made this long and seemingly never-ending fight for that justice.

On that note, I leave you with this quote Mary. It is the second of my two mottos. The first is the headline of my blog post today.

To BC Mary,in the words of the great Theodore Roosevelt:

"It is not the critic who counts, not the one who points out how the strong man stumbled or how the doer of deeds might have done better.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred with sweat and dust and blood;
who strives valiantly;
who errs and comes short again and again;
who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause;
who, if he wins, knows the triumph of high achievement;
and who, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat."
 
I notice radio news today reports that Campbell and his wife voted today near UBC. Does that seem at odds with reality? Doesn't one vote in the area of their primary residence?
 
Hi Mary and Co.
Since we will not be blessed with much TV coverage of your election in our Fiefdom, can anyone suggest any links/websites that may provide up to date coverage of results as the info comes in?
watchingfromnextdoor.
 
A commentator on a blog a few months back mentioned she travels up and down the elevator in her condo tower with Gordo and ?. Where? Out by UBC.
 
SharingIsGood, here.
To annonymous 11:41 AM

Try the Pacific Gazetteer it is in the links on the left or probably if you click:

http://pacificgazette.blogspot.com/

Best wishes, SIG
 
The comment about the Royal Hudson reminded me of the time some socred minister told folks they would have to stop running the train as they couldn't get parts, especially wheels. I had some contact with the Professional engineer who, for free, worked designing chunks to keep the train operational He told me he was Socred and the Minister was not telling the truth. He was quite ashamed and angry. He could put his hands on lots of spare wheels. A bit off the story line but indicates to me that certain governments have no problem lying when they are losing a argument. The BC Rail case has lying folks all over it. Sure hoipe the defence lawyers get their hands on a few of those emails from King Gordo and pals.

HOpe we all go vote because "If you don't vote you can't bitch" as the old saying goes.
 
"HOpe we all go vote because "If you don't vote you can't bitch" as the old saying goes."

I agree, DPL, that all should get out and vote, but can we please retire that tired old phrase? I'm a taxpayer; I'm a citizen; and nobody will put conditions on my right to comment on what the government is doing.

Find a more positive way of encouraging people to vote. Making empty threats like that just gives cynics another reason to thumb their nose at the process.
 
Thanks SharingIsAbsolutelyFabulous!

Yup.....

We'll be Interactive Live-Blogging over at my place starting about 7:30pm (polls close at 8:00pm Pacific Time)

Here's the link.

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Gazetteer,

What a treat!!!

All Gazetteer, all election happenings, all the time, for hours and hours, starting at 7:30 PM! Wahooo!!!

Please keep close tabs on Mel Lehan in Vancouver-Pt Grey. Does he know how many angels have been sent to hover over him and his high vote-count this day??

Thank you, RossK. If this ain't just like you.

This calls for popcorn.

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Popcorn!

Ya.

Lots of it.

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I found this earlier while news-googling "Gordon Campbell"

http://www.canadaeast.com/rss/article/664490

I haven't created an account and trumped up anything yet (been at the gym) and pondering what to say, maybe. I think, though, I might monitor coverage at the Seattle P-I website and any WA/AK bloggers that may be onto things. My contention is that if liberal/progressive Americans knew what their right wing and corporate sectors are pulling off in BC, environment-wise, anti-democracy wise, illegality-wise, buy-out wise, they might get upset about it.

Think about it outside the boundaryis of the Rockies and the 49th Parallel. Essentially, tonight is about California getting a secured power supply and GE's stock going up, and NAFTA's anti-water export restrictions being scrapped (which applies country-wide, not just in BC). Tonight is about the perpetration of the coruppted political process in Canada, for which there are equivalents in other provinces and federally, but none so shockingly off-the-edge as BC's. Tonight is about the outsourcing of not just government services, but of the government itself.

But as you can see in the article linked above, the rest of Canada has little awareness of what's going on in BC. Just like in 1983 or at other times since. I'm not sure my kind of post would survive the "moderator" (censor) behind that article's forum, as it's part of the mainstream media; maybe I'll try. But I think getting other Canadians riled enough about what's being done in BC won't make anywhere near as much stink as if righteous Americans are brought to comprehend what their rightist/corporatist sector is doing in BC. Virtually annexing it, without the messy details of statehood and the US constitution.

Why conquer a place when you can buy it?

Money, of course, has no real nationality. And politicians' souls are often an easy commodity.
 
Geoff Olson at his finest in The Courier:

http://www2.canada.com/vancouvercourier/story.html?id=dd904649-2d3e-4b42-a252-42267300e04c&p=1
 
"I notice radio news today reports that Campbell and his wife voted today near UBC. Does that seem at odds with reality? Doesn't one vote in the area of their primary residence?"You forgot to specify - Which Wife? Perhaps it wasn't the one from Squamish, and if it was, maybe there was some Electoral Fraud going on to hopefully defeat Mel Lehan, the man who actually loves Kitsilanto.
 
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