BC elections

Okay we got the election coming up. I wonder if any BCer read rafe Mair and what there opinion is of his articles. I like what he says about fish farms. I think on the island fish farms will be one of the things that matter here on the island. Fish farming is a real issue for me, so I will be looking at what each party is saying, except the liberals, I already know how gordon campbell feels about them.

Its hard to say who to vote for. I will not vote Campbell, The green party I do not think much of that Adrian Carr, so I will have to vote indapendent or hold my nose and Vote NDP. Too bad the NDP here elected such a weak leader.

We've got a good NDP candidate here and he's got my vote for the sheer fact that FAT HEAD Kevin Kruger has got to go period

Well here are some of the alternative parties



Some natural coalition partners may be ascertained. The Work Less, Marijuana and Sex parties may find much common ground. At the very least, just imagine the fun to be had at the founding convention.)

B.C. MARIJUANA PARTY
PROMISE: “The insanity of prohibition must end.” SLOGAN: “Tokers of the world unite.” CLAIM TO FAME: Earned 3.22 per cent of the vote after running a full slate of candidates in 2001.

EMERGED DEMOCRACY PARTY OF B.C.


POLICY: “We must stop the destructive swing left-left-left and then swing right-right-right pattern in B.C. governments.”

TRUE FACT: Only party whose initials (ED) match those of Erectile Dysfunction.

WEIRD ADMISSION: Party has placed “poison pills: in its constitution “should 10,000 ICBC case lawyers join the party and try to hijack our agenda.”

LEADER: Tony Luck of Abbotsford. Good luck.

B.C. CITIZENS ALLIANCE NOW
MOTTO: “Yesterday is history.” POLICY: Premier “should not be allowed to become a dictator.” STAR CANDIDATE: Kaldep (Kal) Gidda of Okanagan Falls manages two vineyards for his brother’s Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery. Hic hic hooray.

CITIZENS ACTION PARTY
SELLING POINT: “A party comprised of new people, not recycled politicians.” BEST CAMPAIGN RHETORIC: Leader William (Bill) Savage of Delta calls Gordon Campbell’s Liberals a “band of brigands.”

B.C. MODERATE DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT
SELLING POINT: “BC’s only true middle‚ party.” SLOGAN: “Turning me to we is not only essential, it is natural.” BEST CAMPAIGN RHETORIC: With Liberals on the right and NDP on the left, “why keep swinging?” (See Sex Party, above.) BEST IDEA: Free post-secondary education for all citizens. NO-****-SHERLOCK DEPT.: “We believe the way to prosperity is through all of us being prosperous.”

FREEDOM PARTY OF B.C.
PLATFORM: “Free enterprise with a social conscience.” EXPERIENCE: Party leader Kenneth M. Keillor has lost three elections for Abbotsford mayoralty; finished only 11,822 votes behind winning Liberal candidate in Abbotsford-Clayburn in 2001. DOG-ATE-MY-HOMEWORK DEPT.: “Having my life threatened while campaigning for mayor interrupted some of my courses at the University College of the Fraser Valley.” BIOGRAPHY: Keillor is a recording artist and founder of The Punks Inc. “He has been referred to as a ‘phenomenon‚’ and a ‘genius.’ Ken believes in humility...”

PARTY OF CITIZENS WHO HAVE DECIDED TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES AND BE THEIR OWN POLITICIANS
MOTTO: “Th?nk for yourself.” INSPIRATION: Party name inspired by H.L. Mencken aphorism. CLAIM TO FAME: Most unwieldy acronym in politics with POCWHDTTFTABTOP OUTRAGEOUS CHARGE: “Canada is developing its first gestapo under “welfare administrations.”

PEOPLE’S FRONT
INSPIRATION: Follows the Maoist line of the Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada. CONFESSION: “Our hearts throb with the throbbing of the hearts of millions upon millions of workers.” BEST INSULT: George W. Bush is “U.S. imperialist chieftain.”

WESTERN REFEDERATION PARTY
SLOGAN: “Less Ottawa — More B.C.” PROMISE: “To turn the present phony democracy into a true democracy.” UNKNOWN FACT: Leader Dennis Shaw of Nanaimo, a former teacher, has had his writings praised on Zundelsite, the Web home of neo-nazi Ernst Zundel.

WESTERN CANADA CONCEPT
PURPOSE: “Preservation of our Christian culture and European heritage.” CALLS FOR: An independent nation of Western Canada. LEADER: Douglas Christie of Victoria, a lawyer notorious for making “common cause with a small, lunatic anti-Semitic fringe,” according to the Law Society of Upper Canada.

PLATINUM PARTY
FULL NAME: Platinum Party of Employers Who Think and Act to Increase Awareness TRUE CONFESSION: “As an outsider looking in at the operation of the government, it is mind boggling to try and figure it all out!”

ANNEXATION PARTY OF B.C.
POLICY: Province should join the United States as 51st state of the union. WEIRD HISTORICAL OBSESSION: A petition signed by 43 residents in 1869 calling for annexation to United States. TRUE FACT: B.C. would have been the 38th state in 1869 (after Nebraska but before Colorado).

REFORM PARTY OF B.C.
TAKES CREDIT FOR: A fixed election date. PROMISE: “Our party policies come not by rubber-stamping plans hatched in smoke-filled backrooms but from ideas put forward by ordinary members at the constituency level.” HARSH FACT: Some members left to join new Democratic Reform B.C.

WORK LESS PARTY
BEST IDEA: Outlaw unpaid overtime. SALES PITCH: “Help us make the rat-race history.” PROMISE: “You could have a life again.” REALITY SUCKS: “The Work Less Party is not going to win this election.” OVER-THE-TOP RHETORIC: “Gordon Campbell is a 21st Century version of the Reverend Jim Jones. He’s got a big smile, a reassuring manner, and a nice big glass of Kool-Aid for every one of your children.”

In the “where are they now” drawer:

SOCIAL CREDIT
PROMISE: Believes in “special treatment for none and equal opportunities for all.” HARSH FACT: Party history mentions W.A.C. Bennett four times, Bill Vander Zalm twice and Rita Johnson once; former Socreds Rafe Mair, Grace McCarthy and Flyin‚ Phil Gaglardi relegated to dustbin of history.

CONSERVATIVE PARTY
SLOGAN: “Ethos, Logos, Pathos.” WEIRD HISTORICAL FACT: Has not formed government since 1928. UPHILL SLOG: Has not elected an MLA in 25 years. STEEP UPHILL SLOG: Party leader Barry Chilton is homeless since house fire; plans to run in West Kootenay-Boundary while crashing with relatives.

And last but not least:

NONE OF THE ABOVE PARTY OF B.C.
GOOD NEWS: Best name in politics. BAD NEWS: Sal Vetro has a weakness for cliches: “This is a grassroots party of the people, for the people and by the” yadda yadda yadda.

well, i don't want to vote liberal, that's for sure. what with the hospital situation, the labour situation, etc. i have a feeling the liberals will get back in, but i don't think we will see such a landslide. usually vote green but haven't even seen my candidate. ndp i think - carol james doesn't look too bad, she has been quite active in politics here on the island. she was fairly active on the school board for a number of years - took up a lot of causes....of course i can't remember any! ha! anyways, will have to start attending the meetings and grilling these guys.

How the Daily Scum cooks the news!

Dwelling somewhere near the very bottom of the social order when measured in terms of status and respect in the community, newspaper reporters are a pitiable lot. But the impulse to feel sympathy for the miserable despised gang should be strongly resisted, at least when it comes to reporters employed by the CanWest News Empire.

Anyone doubting the sleazy, lying habits of the Vancouver Daily Scum, once upon a time Vancouver's newspaper of record, would do well to check out "Budget out of Balance" by Donald Gutstein on The Tyee.

Gutstein is a senior lecturer at SFU's School of Communications and so he maintains a fine tone of scholarly detachment even when comparing in detail the outrageous coverage of this year's Campbell government budget with the equally outrageous coverage of the 2001 budget of Ujjal Dosanjh's government.

Journalistic ethics along with any sense of public obligation to present news in a balanced manner in the Scum's ungracious denigration of the NDP’s budget, as well as the paper's unrestrained enthusiasm for the Liberal one. It is no wonder the paper's subscription base continues to dwindle in spite of the Scum's persistent efforts to drum up readers with every device short of doing their journalistic job well.

So its pretty clear we are only going to get bias coverage on election issues in this province from our newspapers, where do you people in BC look for independent media information? Maybe we could post some of the websites that we think are unbiased. Sorry ten paks I know this is gonna bug you, but I cannot get my tools to work for me.

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The problem with voting Marijuana party is they rarly run someone in my riding, otherwise I would vote them first and NDP second. But I like my NDP candidate and I am campaigning for him, even though he just won the seat in October. So I will vote NDP this time, for the local candidate not Carole James or Carol Lames. ha

It is sad all the media here is pretty well owned by Can west. So we will get to hear and read pro Campbell drivel until May 17.

Where the hell did you find that stuff big P?

Honestly, the Marijuana Party? Give me a break! If this province is going to make progress, we need to focus on the real issue here (and it isn't pot, and it sure as hell isn't LESS WORK), and that is continuing to be financially responsible. I GUARANTEE you that the NDP will chase investment RIGHT out of this province! I guess that would be great for the LESS WORK PARTY (they could change their name ti the NO WORK PARTY!

Don't get your nickers in a knot, the list was more for comic relief, something british columbians are good at. Lets try and discuss the politics of our province a little different than the usual way its discussed on this board.

Since we cannot depend on the scum newspapers in this province we have to look else where for the whole deal picture. My local scum paper today has the NDP platform for the up coming election. I will skip that scum writing and go directly to their website and read the platform. As we all should do with every party. That is how you decide on how to cast your vote. Read and study every platform from every party, than decide who best meets YOUR ideal respresention.

Side note: There are no guantree's in life, I myself have seen it turn on a dime

I looked at the NDP website - they talk more about "THE EVIL" GORDON CAMPBELL then their own platform. If you goto the bc liberal website, you can see the framework for the next 5 years - a solid plan. If we are going to compete on a global level, we need to think globally, and quit trying to make union leaders happy.

"Hey Marge, look at me - I'm making people happy. I'm the magical man from happy land who lives in a gumdrop house on Lollipop Lane ... In case you didn't realize, I was being sarcastic."

We all want a drunk controlling our prov. for another 4 years :P :P and a liar

Have no fear sig, I will read all party platforms, even the conservatives :P But please let me read the NDP platform before I comment.
Mom the one thing that bothers me the most about the drunk driving charge is this.

Mr. campbell was very apologetic and contrite when he was caught and charged. Hey, I have made mistakes who has not. Some people learn from them and try to do better. What I saw was gordon campbell coming away from that and wanting to extend the hours of operation in the bars until 4AM. Now, explain to me the lesson if any Mr. Campbell learned from his drunk driving experience.

yup, the liberals are really doing a swell job here in b.c. just ask anyone who might be involved in the medical industry/hospitals here in the province. a wee bit of an eye opener. but note - only an eye opener, you don't dare open your mouth and make any comments. not before an election my dear, or else you will be quickly out of a job.

Good point galianomama don't get old either because we have no place to put you were shutting down all the extended care beds even thuogh are population is aging :P

I wonder why we have a shortage of Doctors??? If you have an emergency, who would you like to see - A Doctor, or an overpaid janitor and cafeteria worker? Hmmm...

The drunk driving thing was a total lack of good judgement - however, I wonder if anyone in this forum has ever exercised poor judgement!

yup, we have definately entered into the 'golden decade'. thanks gordo....we know who has all the gold eh?

but yeah, i have no idea who to vote for. i know who i won't vote for, but where my vote goes is still up in the air.

Isn’t socialism fun....I can't wait for a lot more of it....

Well I don't drink and drive....Anyone else?

Nice choices socialism or fascism consevative style .No matter what I don't want to be a yank!

Jay do you mind, we would like to try and have a real discussion here about British columbia, if you have nothing to offer other than the usual arguments, could you post them for the many other political threads at this website.

"Jay do you mind"

Yes I do Pea, Thanks for asking.

Why are we always stuck between rocks and hard places?

Can't win for loosing sort of thing.

Well I did ask Jay, and well I knew where it would get me. I view your contribution to the discussion of british columbia politics TROLLING so I will discuss it with andem. If you have nothing to offer except the usual socialism rant..than you degrade our discussion.

Pea, you viewing contributions as TROLLING is so worn thin that I don't give it any credit. The policy around here (incase your not aware of what your doing) is any conservative who bothers to sign up and say anything is immediately voiced as "WE HAVE A TROLL HERE" and treated like dirt.

So while your wasting Andem’s time, tell him that you’re completely bias and anything Jay says about socialism bothers you and you consider it degrading and TROLLING.

well, i don't see very many janitors or cafeteria workers.....weren't they all laid off? no there were around 8,000 that were fired.

why do we have a shortage of doctors in bc? whoa, there insig...that is whole other can of worms!

Yes it is trolling, its the same stuff you post in all the other threads. I don't really care, but I want to have a real discussion in my provincial forum as we have a election coming up. And again, you do not tell me what to do, and really I never waste andem time
So unless you are going to offer us some insight into the working of our province beside the socialist rant, I feel you are trolling and trying to turn this thread into the usual political garbage. I am hoping that we british columbians can have something different here before we decide how we are going to vote.

Exactly my point. Janitors/cleaning staff/support staff were forced to take cuts, and a lot of those positions have been contracted out to private companies in order to facilitate a raise for the skilled staff (doctors and nurses) 2 years ago.

As for the doctor shortage - we need more spaces in our medical schools. At least the Liberals have recognized this, unfortunately, we won;t see the benefit of this for another 4-5 years.

yeah we do, but what about the fact that the tuition fees have been doubled?

Another point I would like to add sig, don't you think it might also have to do with money. Its hard to compete with the huge salaries being offered in other places. I think money has also played an important factor in why doctors are leaving the province. Thank goodness there are still a few "country" doctors left in the province, not many but there are still a few.

One of the ideas that the liberals have mentioned in their policy is british columbians eating more leafy green vegetables. Well that is a good idea, but how do you put this into action? They have not elaborated on that. You can force people to do this? And the last time I looked those leafy green vegetables were very expensive. I don't have to feed a family, so the price does not usually concern me. But I am a very small minority. You also cannot force good eating habits on people, so although I feel in some respects its a good idea, to make it mainstream seems a little absurd to me. I think the liberals have to come up with some better ideas than that.
Also the story about supplying welfare receipts with blenders so they could puree there food was a bit of a stretch. Seriously, you expect welfare receipts to go out and seek employment toothless When was the last time you had a customer service representive serve you toothless. I don't want my tax money going into blenders so people on welfare can eat their food. I want them to go to school, have some teeth, and go out into the work force. I don't mind my tax dollar going for that.