Friday, December 03, 2010

 

BC Rail in the post-partisan era

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BC Mary comment:  Sometimes it cheers me to imagine that there's a positive form of communication going on amongst people ... such as this, from "Evil Eye", which came in only seconds after I had written the rebuttal to a call for a Third Party. 


Evil Eye wrote:

We live in a 19th century style colonial democracy, where the most advanced media was the telegraph; the fastest transportation mode was the train. Average travel time to the legislature 48 hours (night boat and over night in a train. The Premier had to have supreme power to deal with problems, etc., that just could not wait for caucus meetings when the legislature was adjourned.

Today, we have instant media, via the INTERNET, phone, etc. The fastest mode of travel, jet aircraft. Average journey time to the legislature 3 hours.

Yet the premier retains his 19th century supreme power and as Campbell has shown, wielded it to the benefit of his political friends.

In essence our so called democracy is a vestige of 19th century democracy, based on supreme power held by one man.

The result is that BC is ruled by despots, elected in 'show-case' elections, which makes any hint of real democracy a travesty in this province.

Enter Gordon Campbell and BC Rail. As he is the Premier with supreme power, he wielded his power to benefit his cronies and as we all know, power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

The plain fact, that under our so called democracy, political corruption is part and parcel of our form of law and order, thus the courts will not deal with political corruption.

In fact one could say, our legal system & political corruption go hand in hand in BC. It is how things were done, giving [given] the legal precedent on how things will be done in the future.

To change our political system, will require more than voting for another party, rather it must be changed by a popular uprising of the public and as far as I can say, the public are mere sheep, being lead to the slaughter by BC politicians.

If one wants true democracy in BC, one must fight for it and even shed a little blood and to date I just do not see this happening.



Now ... here's what BC Mary wrote, in response to a well-written but naive article in the Parksville Qualicum News:


Veteran politicos whip up third party plea

by Neil Horner
Parksville Qualicum News - December 2, 2010

Read the news story HERE

http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_central/parksville_qualicumbeachnews/news/111247049.html


Then BCMary replied:                                        
Those who love this province enough to have watched the tragic unfolding of the BC Rail Political Corruption Trial expecting answers to how a huge public asset could slip secretly into private pockets ...

have long ago come to the conclusion that Partisan Political Parties can't provide the accountability needed by the public.

We've learned a lot in the 9 years since police raided the BC Legislature. We've certainly learned that having citizens squabbling with one another's political choices ("Me good, You bad!") is a cruel distraction. More bad things keep happening as we squabble. E.g., the  recent creation of a monstrous new BC Ministry of Natural Resource Operations which effectively alters legislation without consultation, wipes out venerable ministries, and becomes "The One-Stop Shop" for anybody, anywhere, to obtain government permits to exploit anything they fancy in BC. This was an "achievement" of Gordon Campbell who kept it secret from most of his own Cabinet for the past 8 months. And Big Media remained silent.

These massive issues are important to every British Columbian. Clearly, the challenge is to find ways to join with our neighbours in achieving a fair, informed, and democratic society. Peckford and White need to go home and think this through: that the last, cruellest, most divisive thing B.C. needs is a further splintering of the electorate.

Who, for example, would benefit from a Public Inquiry into the loss of BC Rail? Answer: all of us. And this is important because BC Rail was the first and largest public asset to slide into private pockets -- but it certainly wasn't the last.

So let's hear Peckford and White speaking up in favour of a Public Inquiry into the "sale" of BC's economic lifeline: BC Rail. Oh ... and let's hear them talk about changing the early Campbell legislation which keeps the findings of Public Inquiries secret.

BC is in deep, profound trouble. We'll never solve it by name-calling.           

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BC Mary conclusion: There will be plenty of "BC Liberal good, anybody else bad!" in the next little while. I won't be participating in that cruel game.  Campbell's taxpayer-funded Public Affairs Bureau doing enough of that already.

British Columbia is in deep, deep, terrible crisis.  Let's cut to the chase, and ask candidates to answer one pivotal question: "If elected premier, will you guarantee that a Public Inquiry is opened immediately into the obviously tainted sale of an important public asset, BC Rail?"  The evidence obtained there will, i.m.o., inform us as to how to begin the clean-up. If candidates have dumb excuses for NOT obtaining that evidence, well, they are obviously part of the problem. Me, I'd ask Leonard Krog first. 

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Major thanks to Skookum1 who remembers: 

Basi was hired through a selection process that went straight through Lara Dauphinee....

And it was before he got the leadership when she was with him; but also SFAIK throughout the persecutions launched by his office against Gordon Wilson. And against Glen Clark.....

She was hired as his personal assistant, not as part of the civil service; that position would seem to have been added to her portfolio, and probably paycheque, once he got into actual power. She was a personal choice, and also a political appointee. Such positions having nothing to do with government hiring processes and credentials.....credentials? Yeah, what are those credentials anyway, for such a high salary?

The media and the National Citizens Coalition are (rightly) going after band governments where salaries are higher than the prime minister and major executives. Maybe they should be apprised of the salary rolls of those close to the Premier, and also those close to the Liberal Party or to its semi-corporate proxies. As in "how much was Brian Kenning paid for doing what again????"

Somebody pinch me. Shouldn't the NCC be as interested in that kind of pork just as much as they should on some chief or councillor somewhere who's been robbing a band treasury, and steering band revenues in their own direction?

Maybe the NCC should have a deep, long look at BC Rail, and BC Hydro.

And Lara Dauphinee. And those mysterious trips to New York and wherever else. On public business, but talking to who??

And that money given to Patrick Kinsella.....for what, exactly, again?

Maybe we could get the NCC to support the call for a public inquiry (and I'm not talking about just into BC Rail....).
 
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Comments:
"Me, I'd ask Leonard Krog first."

Surely you jest, this excuse for a man never answers - it's a waste of time.

As to Peckford and White, more power to 'em, it is the right wing whackos that are now parked and unhappy in the BC liaRs party that they will please. All those Reform, Alliance and Tory types posing as Liberals can go back there and share the BC liaRs 40%........

For myself, if I were gonna import a politician from Newfoundland - make mine Danny Williams! He's a TWO word Con "Progressive Conservative."
 
Ask Krog? The dance he would do around that would rival the Youtube video of Riverdance I saw the other day. The one with the chimps.
 
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Koot, Watchingfromnextdoor,



I know, I know ... Krog would do absolutely nothing ... absolutely the cube root of sfa,

which is why I thought of him for the start-up shock. You couldn't make up a twit like Krog.

He's the very person -- the highly-paid Opposition Justice Critic -- who should be on his feet, shouting, speech-making, beating on doors, demanding and persisting that BC must have a Public Inquiry into what happened to BC Rail ... but, Krog is the guy who does the cube root of sfa.

Ya gotta see Krog's inaction before you can sense the depth of the BC crisis.

Nobody has convinced me yet that another political party will improve upon Krog's example.

I.m.o., we'd be much wiser is to begin working together. I mean, do you really care what name gets your pencilled "X" in these elections? Would you object if somebody actually came up with a workable game-plan demanding a Public Inquiry into the BC Rail sale?
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... but I'd sure love to see Krog doing a Fraser Riverdance with chimps named Falcon, Abbott, and Clark, though.
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I think an environmental impact assessment should be done before any of those people are allowed near the Fraser River. I believe the money for all politicians mostly comes from the same place. They only play different parts in the theater of politics for our entertainment and distraction. Your idea of working together is good. There would have to be some organization though. It would have to be an organization of 'untouchables' a la Elliot Ness. Greed is god right now.
 
BC Rail give away isnt on the political map of British Columbians.

What is, is the ridding of Carol James and the train wreck the NDP have become.

There is no reason to beleive there will ever be a public inquiry of this thing. THere is every reason to beleive there will not be.

There is no political will to do so on either side.

BC Rail is but a distant memory in the mind of some, mostly nostalgic, decent folk.
 
3:21,

Your endorsement of forgetting is cynical beyond words.

No matter the crime, if there are ways to confuse or discourage the public so that they forget (or want to forget), then it's all well and good? Is that what you're saying?

Bury the crimes and let the crooks go free ... that's OK by you?

A bad contract, if kept secret long enough, becomes a good contract?

You carry pragmatism to a new depth.

You know what they say about those who forget history ... they are condemned to repeat it. Think about that.

Seems to me that cleaning up now, when we have a clear chance to do so, isn't such a bad idea.
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... and by the way, 3:21, history is indeed repeating itself with other Crown assets. This time it's BC Hydro ...



Face to Face with Big Trouble at BC Hydro
Written by Rafe Mair


We at The Common Sense Canadian strongly urge you to see economist Erik Anderson demonstrate how the Campbell government is deliberately bankrupting BC Hydro!

Victoria Community TV Presents:
Face to Face with Big Trouble at BC Hydro

Retired economist Erik Anderson discusses a troubling and possibly sinister financial situation at BC Hydro. And he asks: Is BC Hydro being put in financial jeopardy in order to privatize it. This is shocking and almost unbelievable stuff and must be seen by all.

Once again we see the Media and the NDP silent, the government corrupt, and our future being put at great risk. The stage is being set for something that may make the BC Rail fraud look small.

On Channel 11 in Victoria and Saltspring Island ...
Saturday, Nov. 27 at 11AM and 11:30PM
Sunday, Nov 28 at 10AM and 9PM
 
BC Mary,

I agree with you, but the reality is, very very few care. Take my wife for instance, UNiversity Educated professional. I asked her what she thought of BC Rail deal.

"What BC Rail deal?"

SHe hasnt a clue. I tried to inform her. She said she didnt care and didnt want to hear anything of it, clutter her mind with what she referred to as "boring, irrevelant" details of the trial.

I took a poll in my office the other day. No one cared about the BC Rail deal. But almost everyone wanted Carol James gone, especially the woman.

The men said jokingly, "I get yelled at at home already, why would I want to elect James to yell at me?"

The woman said straight out, "I dont like her; she is so negative; she is always whining about something; I would never vote for her."

Respecting the dynamics of the recent Kwan announcement, we are watching the wholesale implosion of a political party, in real time.

Enjoy. Forget about BC Rail. Everyone else has.
 
The link to that video is here:

http://thecanadian.org/k2/item/402-erik-anderson-4
 
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Here's an anecdote I like better: it's about the guys who came to check the septic system at my friend's house. Those guys knew about BC Rail. OK?

But I don't see the connection between people not liking Carole James as NDP leader (who does?) and the loss of BC Rail.

Am wondering if that bag they're fitting over your head is a bit too tight?
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To Anonymous at 4:12,

Hey! I think your wife is correct:

What BC Rail deal?

... and like,

is this the first time you've ever mentioned BC Rail to your wife? Or your office colleagues?

Sheesh ...
 
A Nonnymoose said:

we are watching the wholesale implosion of a political party, in real time.

No, we are watching the wholesale implosion of TWO political parties, and an entire political system, in real time.

"If you build it, they will come..."

Hey nonny nonny, moose....

And as for apathetic people who don't want to care...they'll be like that whether the system is reformed or not.

Our current system is unteable, and as Evil Eye points out still bound up with the vices and day-to-day reality of colonial-system governance......not much has changed since the 1860s, only the crimes have gotten larger, as have the egos and the scale of public ruin that such people contrive for their own sake, and that of those who manipulated them to power, and manipulate them once in power.

Gordon Campbell is, after all, only the Sherriff of Nottingham to the corporate money's King John.

We need a Magna Carta, come to think of it....
 
Campbell does not recognize our Constitution. Our Civil Rights and Liberties, have been taken away from us. Democracy and Freedom, is totally ignored. Corruption and greed govern Campbell, which we BC citizens have to pay for. His election lie, the BCR wasn't for sale. The election lie, the HST wasn't on Campbell and Hansen's radar, was the only way Campbell could win, dirty tactics are Campbell's forte. The honest, decent people of BC, are sickened by, Campbell, Hansen, De Jong, and the BC Liberal party. The evil Campbell has done, will live on after him. BC is now beyond repair. BC hydro is destroyed, forever. Campbell's pollution plans, will turn BC into a wasteland. We now know, Campbell clinched the deal, for his corrupt sale of the BCR. If you will, please read, Rafe Mair's, the Common Sense Canadian. You will find more of Campbell's evil. Campbell should be tried for treason.
 
The Magna Carta is the law all else is Acts and Statutes having the force of law by consent. I do not consent.
 
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Campbell does not recognize our Constitution

I often hear this reference to "our Constitution" and have never known in BC terms what it refers to. What Constitution? So I went looking.

There's a "Provincial Constitution Act" which is made up statutes and laws, many of which are marked "cancelled". That can't be it.

So Anonymous Nine-Eleven, can you explain?
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Mary Nonny Moose 9/11 (catchy) (and thanks for the new way so say shy guy Skook)is probably referring to what knowledgeable people call the Charter as Canada doesn't have a Constitution (that's an American thing) and whatever BeeCee has doesn't matter beause BeeCee doesn't have the "rule of law!"
 
Look up I think the British Columbia Act, of the federal Parliament, 1870. It was written by, IIRC, Georges Etienne-Cartier. Unlike the BNA Act though I don't think it lays out the strictures of parliamentary convention and tradition which were assumed already. Much of the British constitution (and its progeny) is unwritten; cf. Walter Bagehot's "The English Constitution", available in Pelican I think.
 
i too am sickened by de jong, pedder, chong, hansen, collins, christi clarke. i dont beleive for 1 second that HST wasnt in the works just prior to the election.

I know it was.

Funny thing is, if they had announced that is was on a done deal, and sold it from the 1.6B inducement as a much needed budget balancer, BCers would have elected a Liberal govt anyway becuase James doesnt oppose the tax.

We all know how slow govt deals happen. It would be impossible for the HST deal to have crysalised without months and months if not a years meetings and negotiations.

Why the Liberals lied about that, and continue to lie about that; something most folk could careless about is mystery to many, but is proof they are totally out of touch with the electorate.

Fortunately, so is Carol James.
 
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