B.C. Politics Thread

[aGENT]

2 hours ago, Bob Long said:

 

true, but I've tried starting conversations many times over the years looking at NDP politics, its a lead balloon on here. Meaningful criticism of the BC NDP just isn't a thing on these boards. 

 

I don't think that's true at all. Especially federally (where there's plenty to critique, along with the good). There's really not much to complain about with the current BC NDP though. Not nothing, but not much either. So it's understandable why you're not going to have people "frothing at the mouth" over them.

[Optimist Prime]

I am trying to think of what I would complain about for the BC NDP: my only one so far is that my cousin, a city mayor, wanted to run for the NDP two cycles ago and was told that their last candidate in that riding was male and so the next one needed to be female, by party rules. 

I am not involved with the party so i can't determine how true that is but he was very disappointed and said basically that unless a riding has an elected MLA in the BC NDP then the candidate nominated for that riding must alternate between male and female. Sounds really bassackwards to me. You don't get the best candidate if you restrict who can run for the nomination.

seems a small thing to complain about but I would always like the best candidate to be brought forward, not limit anyone based on sex. 

 

EDIT: that was the 2017 election cycle and sure enough the NDP ran a lady in the riding and lost to Sonia Furstenau. lol The Green party leader who has declared this month she is not even running here again, she is moving to Swan Lake or Beacon Hill or something like that in Victoria. I really hope she loses. 

[The Arrogant Worms]

3 minutes ago, Optimist Prime said:

I am trying to think of what I would complain about for the BC NDP: my only one so far is that my cousin, a city mayor, wanted to run for the NDP two cycles ago and was told that their last candidate in that riding was male and so the next one needed to be female, by party rules. 

I am not involved with the party so i can't determine how true that is but he was very disappointed and said basically that unless a riding has an elected MLA in the BC NDP then the candidate nominated for that riding must alternate between male and female. Sounds really bassackwards to me. You don't get the best candidate if you restrict who can run for the nomination.

seems a small thing to complain about but I would always like the best candidate to be brought forward, not limit anyone based on sex. 

 

EDIT: that was the 2017 election cycle and sure enough the NDP ran a lady in the riding and lost to Sonia Furstenau. lol The Green party leader who has declared this month she is not even running here again, she is moving to Swan Lake or Beacon Hill or something like that in Victoria. I really hope she loses. 

She is moving into my son's riding in Victoria in Jame Bay I believe

[Optimist Prime]

8 minutes ago, The Arrogant Worms said:

She is moving into my son's riding in Victoria in Jame Bay I believe

she was first elected in 2017 so she now has almost 7 years in office, the pension is payable for life, (full at age 65, and minus 3% of total for each year early it is taken) based upon best 3 years salary, which for her is $143,807.42. 

 

If she is defeated and doesn't continue to hold office after October this year she would get $35,232.82 a year for life, adjusted for cost of living annually, from age 65 onwards. For 7 years in office. (if she wins another term and adds four more years to that pension she would get $55,365.86 a year from age 65 onwards so lets cut our losses and fire her this year. 

[Gurn]

1 issue with the provincial NDP is the 'unelected' premier.

15 months in, and no talk about 'legitimizing' him in his role. 

12 minutes ago, Optimist Prime said:

then the candidate nominated for that riding must alternate between male and female. Sounds really bassackwards to me.

sounds like discrimination based on sex- which is against some rules and laws.   ohh well.

Which is what I told them a few elec cycles ago. Sadly as soon as I said it, I could feel the chill in the air.

Me leaving the campaign office " Well I can see you have just labeled me as a misogynist, so I'll leave; rather than wasting our time".

[Optimist Prime]

Just now, Gurn said:

1 issue with the provincial NDP is the 'unelected' premier.

15 months in, and no talk about 'legitimizing' him in his role. 

sounds like discrimination based on sex- which is against some rules and laws.   ohh well.

Which is what I told them a few elec cycles ago. Sadly as soon as I said it, I could feel the chill in the air.

Me leaving the campaign office " Well I can see you have just labeled me as a misogynist, so I'll leave; rather than wasting our time".

That will come this October for sure. 

[Warhippy]

3 hours ago, Bob Long said:

 

There's a lot to discuss about the BC ndp, it won't happen on this board tho. 

why won't it?

 

I recall the doom and gloom statements about them taking power.  ABout their biggest gaffe is the massey tunnel/bridge issue.  I am not a fan of the warehouse solution regarding the addiction struggles in our province.  But really.  None of the usurious taxation, cancelling of development or projects or the migration of business out of the province has happened.  The few things they did attempt to stop a few things or change some things but by and large respected the courts decisions when they were shot down for them.

 

So by and large the BC NDP has done quite well for our province but are absolutely open for critique.

[Optimist Prime]

After Horgan stepped away for health reasons, there hasn't really been a need for an election to 'confirm' the new premier, at least as far as polling goes: The BC NDP currently enjoys almost 50% support. I could see wanting to test him early if his party was below water in popular support, but the poll of polls 20 days ago shows they would gain seats, not lose seats. 

Popular Vote Projection Feb 1 2024:
NDP: 46%
CON: 22%
BCU: 18%
GRN: 11%

 

seat projection from above numbers:

NDP: 81
CON: 7
BCU: 3
GRN: 2

[Warhippy]

So, Mike DeJong and Dan Ashton are looking to step away from and down from the BC Liberal...United...alliance...socred whatever they call themselves now to

 

*checks notes*

 

Run for the Conservatives federally.

 

Fantastic

[The Lock]

3 hours ago, Bob Long said:

true, but I've tried starting conversations many times over the years looking at NDP politics, its a lead balloon on here. Meaningful criticism of the BC NDP just isn't a thing on these boards. 

 

To be fair, I have noticed things a little more open-minded since we moved to CFF from CDC. The fact that we're seeing less bans overall shows there's a little more of a tolerance (until someone goes too far of course).

 

I'm personally very open to attacks on the NDP. I'm very much in the middle and, while I'll admit some changes were nice to see since the NDP took charge, I don't think they've been perfect either.

 

The main issue I see right now is the fact that the BC United and the Conservatives are likely to split what would have been votes towards the Liberals, leaving the NDP able to kind of do whatever they want. This is actually what concerns me the most: the point where a party knows they are almost "untouchable". We saw it happen with the BC Liberals and the scandals that surfaced after the fact, and I don't think corruption cares whether it's left or right leaning.

Edited February 20 by The Lock

[NewbieCanuckFan]

1 minute ago, Warhippy said:

So, Mike DeJong and Dan Ashton are looking to step away from and down from the BC Liberal...United...alliance...socred whatever they call themselves now to

 

*checks notes*

 

Run for the Conservatives federally.

 

Fantastic

Removing any pretense of being "Liberals" (United, Alliance, etc.,) might make it easier for them to win/keep votes in the interior; but you have to seriously wonder how much (if any) inroads these former Socreds are going to get in Metro Vancouver.  There's a reason why Slick Gordie hijacked the comatose Provincial Liberal party way back when to get into power.  Going full on "social Conservative" I'm not sure is a 'winning formula' if that's the direction they're going.

[Optimist Prime]

1 minute ago, The Lock said:

The main issue I see right now is the fact that the BC United and the Conservatives are likely to split what would have been votes towards the Liberals, leaving the NDP able to kind of do whatever they want. This is actually what concerns me the most.

The last time the Socreds were in power my cousin was the BC Minister of Lands and Forests. When they were resoundingly booted from office, the whole kit and kaboodle infiltrated the BC Liberal Party, including him...turning it to the right in conjunction with BC Conservatives folding into the mix, as that brand just doesn't fly out here in the Left Coast. 

Once the Liberals (small c conservatives) lost power after 16 years and the party changed its name to the BCUPS, my cousin and all his old cronies moved lock stock and barrel to the BC Conservatives. 

 

I am hopeful that perhaps the BCUPS will over time regain their slightly left of center balance and perhaps at that time may choose to retake the Liberal mantle. In the meantime I am glad they changed their name. They were anything but liberals. 

[The Lock]

9 minutes ago, Optimist Prime said:

The last time the Socreds were in power my cousin was the BC Minister of Lands and Forests. When they were resoundingly booted from office, the whole kit and kaboodle infiltrated the BC Liberal Party, including him...turning it to the right in conjunction with BC Conservatives folding into the mix, as that brand just doesn't fly out here in the Left Coast. 

Once the Liberals (small c conservatives) lost power after 16 years and the party changed its name to the BCUPS, my cousin and all his old cronies moved lock stock and barrel to the BC Conservatives. 

 

I am hopeful that perhaps the BCUPS will over time regain their slightly left of center balance and perhaps at that time may choose to retake the Liberal mantle. In the meantime I am glad they changed their name. They were anything but liberals. 

 

This is true that now, at least the naming is more correct. I agree that Liberals weren't really Liberals. I don't think the Liberals were crazy far right overall at least, but there was certainly some of that showing nevertheless.

 

Also, I'm from Prince George. Why do I have a feeling I know who your cousin is...

[the destroyer of worlds]

25 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

So, Mike DeJong and Dan Ashton are looking to step away from and down from the BC Liberal...United...alliance...socred whatever they call themselves now to

 

*checks notes*

 

Run for the Conservatives federally.

 

Fantastic

Got their provincial pension.   Good time to go for a Federal one.

[Warhippy]

1 minute ago, the destroyer of worlds said:

Got their provincial pension.   Good time to go for a Federal one.

That's literally it.

 

I have gone head to head with Ashton for some time.  I do not believe he can beat our local Richard Cannings but I also believe Cannings is stepping down.  The idea of running against Ashton is appealing to me as I am absolutely ruthless and have a large history of calling him out and holding him accountable in various meetings and media releases on and off the record.

[Optimist Prime]

Just now, Warhippy said:

That's literally it.

 

I have gone head to head with Ashton for some time.  I do not believe he can beat our local Richard Cannings but I also believe Cannings is stepping down.  The idea of running against Ashton is appealing to me as I am absolutely ruthless and have a large history of calling him out and holding him accountable in various meetings and media releases on and off the record.

Jump in! I think every riding needs more people willing to step up and get involved. Regardless of political leanings: being active politically leads to better futures for everyone in the Province. 

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

8 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

That's literally it.

 

I have gone head to head with Ashton for some time.  I do not believe he can beat our local Richard Cannings but I also believe Cannings is stepping down.  The idea of running against Ashton is appealing to me as I am absolutely ruthless and have a large history of calling him out and holding him accountable in various meetings and media releases on and off the record.

 

If you win the riding, will you change your username here to "Warhippy, MLA"?  

[Optimist Prime]

I wonder how many municipalities in BC are facing 20% property tax hikes this year?

 

The tone deaf CVRD and Duncan City council are pushing for 20% in the Cowichan Valley, basically pushing a 3000 dollar tax bill up to around 3500 in one years increase. 

Meanwhile Duncan City Council spent 1.2million dollars renovating an intersection beside city hall to be a "scramble" style diagonal pedestrian crossings versus crossing first one way and then another to get to the opposite corner. Literally the only people to benefit from that unneeded, and uncalled for change is yup: Duncan City Council and Mayor, who can now get to their parked cars 1 minute faster at the end of the day. 

 

I am not a meanspirited fiscal hawk by any stretch, but the cognitive disconnect between wasting that 1.2 million, just as an easy example, and then asking taxpayers to pony up 20% more this year tells me the whole barrel is rotten and we need to elect new apples. 

[Warhippy]

4 minutes ago, 6of1_halfdozenofother said:

 

If you win the riding, will you change your username here to "Warhippy, MLA"?  

Absolutely not.  It will be Ahole in charge of you Aholes MLA

 

I was asked previously if I had any interest in running municipally or provincially.  I even went so far as to pick up the paperwork but meh.  I have absolutely no stomach for lying or appeasing people and then scrubbing my social media history to pretend im someone I am not would not sit well with me either.

[Bob Long]

2 hours ago, aGENT said:

 

I don't think that's true at all. Especially federally (where there's plenty to critique, along with the good). There's really not much to complain about with the current BC NDP though. Not nothing, but not much either. So it's understandable why you're not going to have people "frothing at the mouth" over them.

 

do I have to be "frothing" to have an issue to be concerned over?

[The Arrogant Worms]

Trudeau boosts B.C.'s housing plan with $2 billion in federal financing

https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/trudeau-boosts-bcs-housing-plan-with-2-billion-in-federal-financing-8331047

[Bob Long]

1 hour ago, The Lock said:

 

To be fair, I have noticed things a little more open-minded since we moved to CFF from CDC. The fact that we're seeing less bans overall shows there's a little more of a tolerance (until someone goes too far of course).

 

I'm personally very open to attacks on the NDP. I'm very much in the middle and, while I'll admit some changes were nice to see since the NDP took charge, I don't think they've been perfect either.

 

The main issue I see right now is the fact that the BC United and the Conservatives are likely to split what would have been votes towards the Liberals, leaving the NDP able to kind of do whatever they want. This is actually what concerns me the most: the point where a party knows they are almost "untouchable". We saw it happen with the BC Liberals and the scandals that surfaced after the fact, and I don't think corruption cares whether it's left or right leaning.

 

 

I'll just answer everyone @Warhippy @Optimist Prime @Gurn @aGENT here in one post:

 

I don't think "attacks" or "frothing" is needed to point out where the government is falling short. A big part of it is the pathetically limp opposition of the United/Libs. It makes a lot of sense people are moving to the BC con's, because polarization leads to less vote splitting, and so many bc libs were socreds. 

 

As far as killing development goes, it wasn't for a lack of trying on TMX. Now its OK though apparently. We'll see what actually happens with coastal gaslink and with the looming massive changes to land use legislation. 

 

We've seen very little action on housing availability, affordable rent, or healthcare. Sure we can say "because covid" for some of it, but can anyone be happy with where these three key areas are at?

 

I also think holding the covid election to destroy any competing Green Party growth was pretty slimy.

 

The worst part tho, is the lack of a functional opposition. 

 

We've seen them nuke a fanstastic opportunity for a first nations led Olympics. But we all got those $100 checks tho so thats cool. 

 

 

[The Arrogant Worms]

More doctors practising family medicine in B.C., seen as significant change

https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/more-doctors-practising-family-medicine-in-bc-seen-as-significant-change-8328497

 

Of the 708 additional physicians working in family practice in B.C. over the past year, 179 — or 25 per cent — are practising on Vancouver Island. That’s a great start in the right direction, says the former president of the Doctors of B.C.

 

The figures were released as the province marks the one-year anniversary of a new payment model for family physicians; more than 4,000 physicians have signed on.

Having 80 per cent of physicians buy into B.C.’s new Longitudinal Family Physician Payment Model and commit to family practice is “an impressive thing,” said Dr. Joshua Greggain, adding there’s reason to believe more doctors from out of province or the country will also be attracted to the new deal.

 

Health Minister Adrian Dix said those 708 doctors represent a 16.5 per cent increase in physicians in family practice.

 

There’s been an 11.3 per cent increase in nurse practitioners, or an additional 60 NPs working in B.C. communities.

 

That increase meant that on Dec. 31 — after the first nine months with the new payment deal in effect — there were 4,997 physicians working in longtitudinal family practices in B.C.

 

“It’s now more than 5,000,” said Dix, calling the payment model transformative. “We had people leaving the profession and now we see the numbers growing.”

Of the 708 doctors new to family practice in the province, in addition to the 179 on Vancouver Island, 211 are working in the Vancouver Coastal Health authority, 138 in Interior Health, 132 in Fraser Health, and there was a net increase of 35 family doctors in Northern Health.

 

A remaining 13 aren’t classified but are believed to be working on service contracts throughout the province.

 

But an estimated 900,000 people in the province are still without a family doctor, according to the Canadian Community Health Survey.

 

Dix noted B.C. is adding doctors in the face an increased need from a growing and aging population.

 

“Two hundred thousand more people coming to B.C. this year — a very significant demand on the system,” said Dix, adding progress is being made as a result of the province working with the Doctors of B.C., nurses and nurse practitioners.

 

Greggain said there’s real reason for optimism given the increase in family doctors in just a year.

 

“I know everyone would like the numbers to be a bit higher … but don’t forget two years ago, we were in dire straits and people were closing practices all over the place,” said Greggain.

 

”So the fact that in British Columbia right now, we’re making a positive growth impact is of real significance,” he said.

 

The principles of the new payment model for family doctors — compensating doctors for the time taken to care for patients — is to be extended to hospital-based doctors, maternity and long-term care physicians.

 

This is not the end of the Longitudinal Family Physician Payment Model journey, said Greggain.

 

“This is a dramatic change from where we were 18 months ago,” said Greggain. It’s not perfect, he added, “but it is a move in a positive direction that we’ve not seen for many years.”

 

Greggain acknowledges that, with a growing and aging population in B.C., as well as more family doctors retiring or working part-time, it’s hard to gauge the exact number of doctors needed. He said physicians are again choosing to come to work in British Columbia “where they historically would have left for financial reasons,” but the cost of living in Victoria and Vancouver remain obstacles.

 

“We always wrestle with how do we attract professionals, physicians, nurses, etc. in a place that’s very expensive and so again, there is some shifting back and forth, but I think right now, politically, economically and recruitability wise, people are choosing to come to British Columbia,” he said.

 

Vancouver-based internal medicine specialist Kevin Mcleod, a critic of the health care system on social media, said family doctors have moved to the new payment model to practise family medicine but have come from hospital work and walk-in clinics.

 

“We’ve shuffled the deck chairs around,” Mcleod wrote on social media site X.

 

Next, all kinds of incentives will be made to bring doctors back to hospitals and “it goes round and round and the taxpayer and the patients lose,” he wrote.

“What really needs to be done is an increase in training positions now, not years from now.”

 

The province needs to roll out its new medical school at Simon Fraser University and make it easier for physicians trained in other countries to work in B.C., said Mcleod.

Dix said the province is adding 128 spaces to the University of B.C.’s medical school.

 

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[aGENT]

25 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

 

do I have to be "frothing" to have an issue to be concerned over?

 

Nope. Just explaining why you might not feel like your getting much "traction".

 

None of the things you certainly can be concerned over really move the needle towards "frothing" territory. Ergo you're not going to get emotionally invested people supporting, or arguing against, your concerns. You'll get some muttered head nods of agreement, or shoulder shrugs. It's not that you "can't" voice them.

[Bob Long]

4 minutes ago, aGENT said:

 

Nope. Just explaining why you might not feel like your getting much "traction".

 

None of the things you certainly can be concerned over really move the needle towards "frothing" territory. Ergo you're not going to get emotionally invested people supporting, or arguing against, your concerns. You'll get some muttered head nods of agreement, or shoulder shrugs. It's not that you "can't" voice them.

 

really, healthcare and housing don't move the needle for you?