B.C. Politics Thread

[NewbieCanuckFan]

13 hours ago, chris12345 said:

Sometimes I think as consumers we are so dumb. Basics are impossible to avoid but if people stopped buying the wants there'd be a shift.

There's a reason why microtransactions exist in computer games today (even though many are just basically slot machines & everybody complains about them).  They make companies like EA millions.  All the crying doesn't stop people from buying dreck like EA Madden and the like.

 

Or just like Vegas.  Price gouging and crappier customer service (why hire people like wait staff or housekeeping if the rooms are still going to be full?  People are just sheep (heh, myself included)

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

16 hours ago, RupertKBD said:

Of course his "eye"is always going to back up his opinions....

 

 

His "eye" needs to have that butter wiped off of it.  It's obscuring his view. 

[The Lock]

On 3/24/2024 at 10:03 AM, Miss Korea said:

 

That's a false equivalency.  I can at least try to make an educated guess on what a PP-led government would look like based on his past body of work as well as his (very limited) platform agenda.  Admittedly it's difficult to pinpoint any policy promises because he hasn't proposed a single policy other than "axe the tax" and "spike the hike".  The whole thing is just "attack Trudeau".

 

Breadboy doesn't have anything going for him.  It's pathetic.  "Aren't you guys mad at the government about everything?"  What a stupid way to think.  Within a carbon tax context, it won't matter to BC who's in charge in Ottawa.  It's not going away.

 

I don't really want to go down this path as I don't really consider an educated guess to be considered equivalent to actual proof. You have to look at things the way Bread is in order to understand my statement. Simply put: I doubt Bread's going to listen to your educated guess. It's not even going to matter whether it's a solid guess or not.

 

So the next best thing is to show to him that what he's asking for is unrealistic; thus, my response.

 

If you expect someone to come up with the same kind of debate you are, you're just going to go in circles. Sometimes it's best to take things as literal as they get.

Edited March 25 by The Lock

[112]

A researcher followed 20 young people living on Vancouver streets. Half of them died.

A new book by researcher Danya Fast raises tough questions about how to keep youth alive during the toxic drug crisis. We share the poignant stories of some young people, featured in Fast's book, who lost their lives

https://vancouversun.com/feature/researcher-followed-20-young-people-living-on-vancouver-streets-half-of-them-died

[The Arrogant Worms]

B.C. Supreme Court approves $51M settlement for Facebook users

https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/bc-supreme-court-approves-51m-settlement-for-facebook-users-8503032

 

Images of Facebook users were used in advertising without their permission

 

Payments for estimated 4.3 million class members expected to average $35. Online opt-in forms are expected in two to three months, say Vancouver lawyers

Edited March 25 by The Arrogant Worms

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

17 minutes ago, The Arrogant Worms said:

B.C. Supreme Court approves $51M settlement for Facebook users

https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/bc-supreme-court-approves-51m-settlement-for-facebook-users-8503032

 

Images of Facebook users were used in advertising without their permission

 

Payments for estimated 4.3 million class members expected to average $35. Online opt-in forms are expected in two to three months, say Vancouver lawyers

 

Awesome - just enough for a two-four of cheap swill from the liquor store.  Who can I toss the empties at for such a generous settlement?  

[UnkNuk]

6 hours ago, The Arrogant Worms said:

B.C. Supreme Court approves $51M settlement for Facebook users

https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/bc-supreme-court-approves-51m-settlement-for-facebook-users-8503032

 

Images of Facebook users were used in advertising without their permission

 

Payments for estimated 4.3 million class members expected to average $35. Online opt-in forms are expected in two to three months, say Vancouver lawyers

 

Wonder how much the lawyers got.   

[Bob Long]

1 hour ago, UnkNuk said:

 

Wonder how much the lawyers got.   

 

1/3 plus expenses.

[Gurn]

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/other/first-nations-group-condemns-bc-united-statement-on-haida-land-agreement/ar-BB1kvNBE?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=f700044d7dbe45e887235f71e084dd61&ei=83

"

The First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC) has condemned a “misleading and factually incorrect” March 22 statement from the BC United Caucus which criticized a recently drafted Haida Title Land Agreement. 

The FNLC said BC United’s statement — which called for an immediate pause in land title talks — politicized First Nations peoples’ human rights as outlined by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). 

“Rather than seeking to deny First Nations our most basic human rights, in clear violation of domestic and international law, we encourage all British Columbians to stand with us in celebrating the current provincial government and the Haida Nation’s tremendous accomplishment,” read a March 25 news release from the FNLC, which is made up of members from the B.C. Assembly of First Nations, First Nations Summit (FNS), and the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs. 

BC United’s statement argued the Haida Title Land Agreement would deter private investment across the province. 

“By advancing an agreement that stretches beyond the constitution and established legal precedents, this government is fostering a climate of uncertainty that will deter investment and destabilize the land base across our province,” read the March 22 statement from Leader Kevin Falcon and Michael Lee, BC United Shadow Minister for Attorney General and Indigenous Relations & Reconciliation. 

The FNLC denied BC United’s claim, pointing to a backgrounder released by the provincial government which said no private property would be affected by the land agreement. 

Falcon and Lee said the agreement between the province and the Haida Nation was made behind closed doors and lacked public transparency. 

“The NDP’s approach, shrouded in secrecy and lacking broad public consultation, is not in keeping with the spirit of reconciliation or the public interest, which demands open, honest dialogue and a commitment to finding solutions that respect the interests of all parties involved,” BC United’s statement read. 

The FNLC said the agreement would be beneficial for the entire province, saying it would offer clarity in what are frequently murky land disputes in the courts and in public protests. 

“It allows all British Columbians, and not just large corporations, to plan for the future of this province while enjoying both the wealth and natural beauty of B.C.,” the FNLC said. 

BC United said the draft agreement harms the whole of B.C. and undermines the province’s legal system. 

“They have chosen to disregard the nuanced balance of rights and responsibilities that form the bedrock of our legal system,” Falcon and Lee said. 

“This draft agreement clearly demonstrates the NDP Government’s continuous failure to prioritize the public interest of all British Columbians.” 

The NDP government’s proposed changes to the B.C. Land Act — which the province said were designed to align with UNDRIP — were paused in February after sharp criticism from BC United. 

The FNLC denounced the province’s pause in February, saying the changes became overly politicized. 

Seth Forward, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Prince Rupert Northern View

[Bob Long]

1 hour ago, Gurn said:

 

The NDP government’s proposed changes to the B.C. Land Act — which the province said were designed to align with UNDRIP — were paused in February after sharp criticism from BC United. 

The FNLC denounced the province’s pause in February, saying the changes became overly politicized. 

 

There are some valid reasons to not want to take UNDRIP too far, imo. But I don't know that we can have that discussion without being labelled a racist.

 

For me, its:

1) I didn't vote for the UN, nor what it tabled. I have no say in UN policy as a voter whatsoever.

2) UNDRIP can be used as an instant appeal to authority without proper process into large scale changes. Oh you don't like UNDRIP or have concerns. FU racist.

 

 

[The Arrogant Worms]

B.C. warns of 'identical' government payment website made by 'malicious actors'

https://www.timescolonist.com/bc-news/bc-warns-of-identical-government-payment-website-made-by-malicious-actors-8508237

 

VANCOUVER — The British Columbia government is warning people about a scam involving its PayBC website, where an "identical fake website" is collecting personal and credit card information. 

 

The PayBC site gives residents a secure place to pay their bills or for services from the provincial government, but it says it has become aware of phishing attempts against users. 

 

A statement from the government says the two sites can't be told apart, although the website addresses are different. 

 

It says the site was created by "malicious actors" to steal personal and financial information.

 

The Ministry of Finance provided an example of the scam texted to a person's cellphone that says, "our automated speeding system has caught your vehicle doing 46 kilometers per hour in a 30 kilometers per hour zone."

 

The text then provides the fake website address, saying the person can pay the ticket without a court at that site. 

 

A spokeswoman for the ministry says the province has never utilized an "automated speeding system," and neither the province nor the Insurance Corporation of B.C. sends text messages to people about traffic violation tickets or payment requests. 

 

Nanaimo RCMP also sent out a statement Monday, warning people not to fall for the "speeding ticket text scam" after receiving numerous calls from people who had received the texts about speeding in a school zone. 

 

The fake website shares a similar logo and identical fonts with PayBC's actual site and once people click on the "pay now" button, they'll be asked to provide credit card information and their name and home address, said Const. Gary O'Brien, the media relations officer at the detachment. 

 

"It’s just another scam to get a hold of your money via your credit card. Just delete it but afterwards make sure you share the text message with friends and family so they don’t fall for it," he said in a statement. 

 

The government said people need to be vigilant against such phishing attempts and to make sure they are in the proper pay.gov.bc.ca website address. 

 

They say those paying on a website should never pay or offer personal information unless they have verified the legitimacy of the website. 

O'Brien said "dozens of individuals" in Okanagan also received the same text, promoting Kelowna RCMP to issue a statement. 

[UnkNuk]

4 hours ago, Bob Long said:

1) I didn't vote for the UN, nor what it tabled. I have no say in UN policy as a voter whatsoever.

 

 

But we all have a vote regarding our provincial government.  And the government did vote to harmonize its laws with UNDRIP.  For better or worse.

 

https://www.bcdripa.org/#:~:text=BC is the Canada's first,the rights of Indigenous peoples.

 

On October 24, 2019, British Columbia unveiled Bill 41, legislation intended to harmonize its laws with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), making it the first province to do so since Canada endorsed the UN declaration in 2016. The Bill went through committee and passed third reading on November 26 and will receive Royal Assent on November 28 at 11:30 am. 

Edited March 26 by UnkNuk

[Bob Long]

Just now, UnkNuk said:

 

But we all have a vote regarding our provincial government.  And the government did vote to harmonize its laws with UNDRIP.  For better or worse.

 

It did. What's worrisome to me is how the NDP are choosing to try to implement it. Why try to sneak through massive changes to the land use act? All thats going to do is make people, particularly in rural areas, very suspicious of the whole thing. It also hands the BC Con's an instant wedge issue at the expense of First Nations people. 

 

It bothers me that we would harmonize with the UN, as that organization imo isn't great at many things. I also see it as unnecessary and like I said, sets up a false appeal to authority. 

 

I'm also concerned about how the public debate will go, I suspect opposition will be met with a lot of racism accusations. 

 

I just see this as ultimately hurting First Nations people in BC because of the poor implementation by the NDP. 

 

[The Arrogant Worms]

Parksville property owners get exemption from short-term rental rules

https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/parksville-property-owners-get-exemption-from-short-term-rental-rules-8520733

[The Arrogant Worms]

B.C. Conservatives dump controversial doctor candidate hours after announcing him

The B.C. Conservative Party dropped a doctor, who has stirred controversy for his views on COVID-19, as a candidate just hours after announcing him on Wednesday.

 

The party described Stephen Malthouse as a “seasoned family physician” as it announced his candidacy in the Ladysmith-Oceanside riding.

 

But by Wednesday evening, social media posts and a website announcing his candidacy had been removed. Late Wednesday evening, party president Aisha Estey confirmed on social media that was no longer a candidate but did not offer an explanation.

 

The party did not respond to a request for comment.

 

Malthouse, a Denman Island family doctor, became a controversial figure in the anti-COVID-19 mandate movement, speaking at a number of rallies, in videos and through open letters — including one to Dr. Bonnie Henry in which he claimed COVID was no more deadly than the flu and that people “rarely” become sick from it.

 

His licence to practise medicine in B.C. has been suspended since March 2022, amid an investigation launched after complaints from other doctors.

 

 

[Gurn]

12 minutes ago, The Arrogant Worms said:

B.C. Conservatives dump controversial doctor candidate hours after announcing him

The B.C. Conservative Party dropped a doctor, who has stirred controversy for his views on COVID-19, as a candidate just hours after announcing him on Wednesday.

 

The party described Stephen Malthouse as a “seasoned family physician” as it announced his candidacy in the Ladysmith-Oceanside riding.

 

But by Wednesday evening, social media posts and a website announcing his candidacy had been removed. Late Wednesday evening, party president Aisha Estey confirmed on social media that was no longer a candidate but did not offer an explanation.

 

The party did not respond to a request for comment.

 

Malthouse, a Denman Island family doctor, became a controversial figure in the anti-COVID-19 mandate movement, speaking at a number of rallies, in videos and through open letters — including one to Dr. Bonnie Henry in which he claimed COVID was no more deadly than the flu and that people “rarely” become sick from it.

 

His licence to practise medicine in B.C. has been suspended since March 2022, amid an investigation launched after complaints from other doctors.

 

 

Hard to be considered a credible party, when they screw up this badly.

[Maninthebox]

36 minutes ago, The Arrogant Worms said:

B.C. Conservatives dump controversial doctor candidate hours after announcing him

The B.C. Conservative Party dropped a doctor, who has stirred controversy for his views on COVID-19, as a candidate just hours after announcing him on Wednesday.

 

The party described Stephen Malthouse as a “seasoned family physician” as it announced his candidacy in the Ladysmith-Oceanside riding.

 

But by Wednesday evening, social media posts and a website announcing his candidacy had been removed. Late Wednesday evening, party president Aisha Estey confirmed on social media that was no longer a candidate but did not offer an explanation.

 

The party did not respond to a request for comment.

 

Malthouse, a Denman Island family doctor, became a controversial figure in the anti-COVID-19 mandate movement, speaking at a number of rallies, in videos and through open letters — including one to Dr. Bonnie Henry in which he claimed COVID was no more deadly than the flu and that people “rarely” become sick from it.

 

His licence to practise medicine in B.C. has been suspended since March 2022, amid an investigation launched after complaints from other doctors.

 

 

 

Jesus wept! 

[bishopshodan]

4 hours ago, The Arrogant Worms said:

Parksville property owners get exemption from short-term rental rules

https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/parksville-property-owners-get-exemption-from-short-term-rental-rules-8520733

Good.

 

Parksville is a beach / resort town. 

 

They need this allowance.

[Bob Long]

5 hours ago, Gurn said:

Hard to be considered a credible party, when they screw up this badly.

 

They all pick loonies from time to time.

 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/b-c-ndp-candidate-quits-over-hateful-comments-on-1st-campaign-day-1.1399591

 

Edited March 29 by Bob Long

[The Arrogant Worms]

What's going to cost you more in B.C. starting on April 1

https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/whats-going-to-cost-you-more-in-bc-starting-on-april-1-8530904

[Goal_thecup]

On 3/26/2024 at 4:06 PM, Bob Long said:

I just see this as ultimately hurting First Nations people in BC because of the poor implementation by the NDP.

The NDP has lied and cheated First Nations people in BC for years, just like every governing party ever.

Talk and Log has killed most pristine old growth forest and people still vote for the incumbents.

 

Always vote against the incumbents; at least they do not get as comfortable in their positions of power.

There is little else to do when you have party politics and all are corrupted and/or incompetent.

[Bob Long]

39 minutes ago, Goal_thecup said:

The NDP has lied and cheated First Nations people in BC for years, just like every governing party ever.

Talk and Log has killed most pristine old growth forest and people still vote for the incumbents.

 

Always vote against the incumbents; at least they do not get as comfortable in their positions of power.

There is little else to do when you have party politics and all are corrupted and/or incompetent.

 

thats why I'm a big supporter of First Nations led projects and economic development, takes the government bs out of it. 

[Goal_thecup]

24 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

 

thats why I'm a big supporter of First Nations led projects and economic development, takes the government bs out of it. 

I have learned a lot the last few years and am very impressed with the leadership, common sense, and respect shown by their leadership (true leadership; not the government-installed and corrupted 'chiefs').

The poise, self-control, and empathy shown to all during the Fairy Creek Blockade was incredible and powerful.

The CIRG were showing all the symptoms of hate-filled police/military-state simple-minded evil and their personal fears were taken out in totally unnecessary violence.

How the peaceful protestors were able to smile and sing and not react to police abuse was absolutely inspiring - I know I could not do it.

 

The System still treats them as The Problem and still exploits all and everything for the big money corporations and damn the environment, the natives, in fact all except the friends and families of the rich and powerful.

They do it with the promise of 'jobs' and I have had work in forest products and been paid well and am aware of my own hypocrisies.  Regular folks need work, work that pays, not welfare unless necessary, and so get sucked into the vortex.  The jobs run out, most are in construction of the projects and not in the ongoing operations.

It makes me sick. 

 

[Bob Long]

2 hours ago, Goal_thecup said:

I have learned a lot the last few years and am very impressed with the leadership, common sense, and respect shown by their leadership (true leadership; not the government-installed and corrupted 'chiefs').

The poise, self-control, and empathy shown to all during the Fairy Creek Blockade was incredible and powerful.

The CIRG were showing all the symptoms of hate-filled police/military-state simple-minded evil and their personal fears were taken out in totally unnecessary violence.

How the peaceful protestors were able to smile and sing and not react to police abuse was absolutely inspiring - I know I could not do it.

 

The System still treats them as The Problem and still exploits all and everything for the big money corporations and damn the environment, the natives, in fact all except the friends and families of the rich and powerful.

They do it with the promise of 'jobs' and I have had work in forest products and been paid well and am aware of my own hypocrisies.  Regular folks need work, work that pays, not welfare unless necessary, and so get sucked into the vortex.  The jobs run out, most are in construction of the projects and not in the ongoing operations.

It makes me sick. 

 

 

thats why I'm hoping to see more diversified investments with jobs attached. I like what the Oyosoos band did with Nk'Mip resort e.g. Hoping that the TMX investment, and other proposed gas pipeline, what the Squamish nation is doing in housing projects, etc. leads to more of what you're hoping to see. 

[The Arrogant Worms]

B.C. tackling 'bad-faith evictions,' banning rent hikes for having babies

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/b-c-tackling-bad-faith-evictions-banning-rent-hikes-for-having-babies-1.6830616