John van Dongen has jumped ship from the BC Liberals to the BC Conservatives, heretofore a rump party with no MLAs. (For those of you less attuned to BC politics, the BC Liberals are not aligned with the federal Liberal Party and have been a coalition party, much like Social Credit was from the 1950s through the 1980s).
In public opinion polls, the BC Conservatives are surging, almost tied with the BC Liberals. An election is still a year away and, as we all know, those poll numbers are not certain to translate into votes. Even if they do, they are not likely to translate into a lot of seats.
We also know that unless the coalition of centre-right politicians can be resurrected, we will get an NDP government. This was debated at length during the dying days of Social Credit. Those who denied that the loss of the left wing of the party would kill it proved to be wrong.
When Christy Clark was chosen as leader, I predicted that it would be Vander Zalm problem, but in reverse. The right wing of the party would be alienated, creating a split and allowing an NDP government.
That is proving to be true.
So now what?
Unless something dramatic changes, we will get an NDP government next year.
While I am personally more conservative than the BC Liberals, I cannot imagine the BC Conservatives forming government. It will not happen. We need a coalition party.
To achieve that, the BC Conservatives will have to get stronger. Otherwise, the BC Liberals won't see the need to recreate the coalition. What we need is for a few more strong and brave MLAs - perhaps a cabinet minister or two - to jump to the BC Conservatives as well. But they have to do so without the intent of promoting that party's success (although they can't admit as much). They have to do so with the intent of giving it enough strength to force a merger.
And there has to be a new leader. Christy Clark - you need to go. John Cummins - you may be a good man, but you can't be premier. Sorry.
This is a way forward. I wonder if Kevin Falcon thinks the same thing. That may be why he is hinting at not runnning again. If he can distance himself a bit, he could be the "compromise" candidate for leading the new party.
This scenario may be a long shot. But it is one of the few scenarios that doesn't see Adrian Dix in the premier's office.
If other BC Liberals are thinking about it, I expect they'll hedge their bets until after the upcoming by-elections.
As always, interesting times in BC.
March 1, 2012
Don't Know Much About History ...
Here we go again.
Why is the BCTF consistently the only union that cannot reach a collective agreement at the bargaining table? Since 1995, it has made an agreement only once. Every other time there has been a strike or other action taken by one of the two sides.
During my own public school career (as a student), the teachers went on strike three times: when I was in grades 7, 10 and 12. That's 3 times in six years. Totally and completely unacceptable. And the BCTF would have us believe it is always the government's fault?
The last time the teachers in BC took job action, it was illegal. My very young children were subjected to the deplorable spectacle of teachers breaching a court order - i.e. breaking the law. And these are the "professionals" who are responsible for teaching our children?
Since the BC government is able to successfully bargain with other unions, it would appear the employer is not the primary problem.
The problem is the BCTF, its unrealistic expectations and delusions of grandeur.
Teachers want to be treated like other professionals. I think they should be. But then they should stop acting like trade union thugs and holding kids for ransom.
Their demands are unreasonable. They do not appreciate the fact that for many, having a job is a blessing. They want more and more and more. But it is only because they care about the kids, they say. Rigghhhttt.....
They say teachers in other provinces earn higher wages. Maybe that's true. But in what way are BC teachers better off? When unions engage in the strategy of making comparisons (i.e.the politics of envy), they only ever look at the benefits others have and never at other aspects of the employment relationship that may be better for them.
Overall, I'm tired of it.
Teachers, your lives are not bad. They are good. If most of you had ever spent any time outside of school in your whole lives, you might realize that.
You've heard people say that you don't live in the real world. Listen to that. You don't. You live in a rarified environment and many of you have never been out of school. In the real world, many of us work 50+ hours a week, ALL YEAR LONG.
Now, go back to work and send me my kids' report cards.
And one more thing. If you are a good teacher - you should hate being in the BCTF. You could probably do much better financially outside of the collective envirnment, which forces conformity and rewards mediocrity. I know many principals and school administrators that would happily pay a premium for good teachers. The level of your pay is the fault of your union. Cast off your chains and take responsibility for your own future.
Thus endeth the rant.
March 15, 2010
Missed Opportunities
I just returned from a cruise on the Mexican Riviera. It was a relaxing vacation, filled with great food and great times with family. I did some much needed reading, including General Rick Hillier's book A Soldier First (which is definitely worth a read if you would like a deeper understanding of the recent history of the Canadian Forces).
The only blemish on the vacation was that a group calling itself "Progressive Voices" was on the same ship. Everywhere we went on board, there were signs for "Progressive Voices" seminars and discussion groups. It appeared to me that any and all American leftie groups were represented. At one point, Robert Kennedy Jr was brought on the ship for a seminar of some kind.
While annoyed by the appropriation of the word "progressive" by liberals and socialists, this did give me another opportunity to discuss the "commies" with my kids. My wife kept telling me to keep it down, but I guess I was spoiling for a fight that never happened.
Throughout the trip, I kept recognizing another passenger, who I assumed was another lawyer or maybe a representative of a client, whose name was escaping me. I figured his identity would eventually come to me.
It just did (two days after leaving the ship). It was Ron Reagan Jr.
I'm not a fan of the younger Ronald Reagan, at all. From what I can tell, he is truly a leftie. However, I am a huge fan of his father, who I believe was one of the greatest world leaders of the 20th Century. Had I recognized his son early enough, I would have enjoyed the opportunity to meet him and tell him how highly I think of his father (and bite my tongue with respect to his own views). I'm sure he's NEVER heard that before.
The only blemish on the vacation was that a group calling itself "Progressive Voices" was on the same ship. Everywhere we went on board, there were signs for "Progressive Voices" seminars and discussion groups. It appeared to me that any and all American leftie groups were represented. At one point, Robert Kennedy Jr was brought on the ship for a seminar of some kind.
While annoyed by the appropriation of the word "progressive" by liberals and socialists, this did give me another opportunity to discuss the "commies" with my kids. My wife kept telling me to keep it down, but I guess I was spoiling for a fight that never happened.
Throughout the trip, I kept recognizing another passenger, who I assumed was another lawyer or maybe a representative of a client, whose name was escaping me. I figured his identity would eventually come to me.
It just did (two days after leaving the ship). It was Ron Reagan Jr.
I'm not a fan of the younger Ronald Reagan, at all. From what I can tell, he is truly a leftie. However, I am a huge fan of his father, who I believe was one of the greatest world leaders of the 20th Century. Had I recognized his son early enough, I would have enjoyed the opportunity to meet him and tell him how highly I think of his father (and bite my tongue with respect to his own views). I'm sure he's NEVER heard that before.
January 14, 2010
Getting Past Keynes: "...free money always comes with a cost."
Good article by Conrad Black in the National Post online: see the link below. Starts and ends with the following great statements:
"America's practice of spending its way out of recessions is a Faustian bargain -- one that replaces occasional economic stagnation with devaluation of the purchasing power of the currency."
"Politicians should stop preening and primping because of their avoidance of depressions since the Second World War, and recognize that economics is half psychology and half Grade 3 arithmetic. Like the proverbial free lunch, free money always comes with a cost."Full article:
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays-paper/story.html?id=2439222&p=1
January 11, 2010
Beware the Global ... err ... Cooling
Where I live, we are having a mild winter. I am happy about this.
Stay tuned for the warning that human emissions are causing global cooling and that there should be massive transfers of wealth from the first world countries to deal with the problem.
Elsewhere, people are suffering through a deep freeze and uncharacteristically cold weather. In fact, this seems to be happening most places other than where I am. You can all have it, with my best wishes.
Interesting article in this regard:
Arctic sea ice is ... increasing!
Perhaps if you all leave your cars running all night you'll be able to reverse the trend. This assumes, of course, that human emissions cause global warming.
Stay tuned for the warning that human emissions are causing global cooling and that there should be massive transfers of wealth from the first world countries to deal with the problem.
January 7, 2010
Low Taxes for Kids
I have a son in grade 5. They are learning about democracy and how laws are passed. The teacher devised an exercise where the kids proposed laws for debate and discussion by the class.
Step 2 was for the class to choose a proposed law for debate and, if it met the approval of the class, passage. The proposed law: that the government should build more houses for those that don't have them.
Step 3 was the debate. I would have thought that passage of that proposed law by 10 year olds was a given. Apparently not. My son advises me that he argued to the class that someone will have to pay for those houses and that means they will all lose money.
I can't tell you how pleased I am that he thought that through and realized that there is no free lunch. Someone has to pay. The class agreed and, to the astonishment of the teacher (I'm sure), the "bill" was defeated.
My son and I have had a good discussion about the merits of private charity and why it is so important to help those less fortunate than us. But I also told him that I'm very proud (I am) that he understood the difference between state coercion and voluntary charity.
More over, Stephen Harper, here comes my kid.
Step 2 was for the class to choose a proposed law for debate and, if it met the approval of the class, passage. The proposed law: that the government should build more houses for those that don't have them.
Step 3 was the debate. I would have thought that passage of that proposed law by 10 year olds was a given. Apparently not. My son advises me that he argued to the class that someone will have to pay for those houses and that means they will all lose money.
I can't tell you how pleased I am that he thought that through and realized that there is no free lunch. Someone has to pay. The class agreed and, to the astonishment of the teacher (I'm sure), the "bill" was defeated.
My son and I have had a good discussion about the merits of private charity and why it is so important to help those less fortunate than us. But I also told him that I'm very proud (I am) that he understood the difference between state coercion and voluntary charity.
More over, Stephen Harper, here comes my kid.
Grow Up!
Canada needs to grow up. Or at least its media does.
The media handwringing over prorogation is so patently partisan that the media should be ashamed. I understand that Parliament has been prorogued, on average, about every 1.3 years in Canadian history. So what's the big deal?
Presumably, it is only to try and make the Prime Minister look bad. I'm all in favour of making elected officials accountable, but getting bent out of shape over insignificant issues reduces the credibility of the fourth estate such that fewer people will listen when it really matters.
We're really talking about fewer than 40 days of Parliamentary time. No one thinks that the opposition parties will bring down the government over that time and the government continues to work. No true voice has been lost, as evidenced by the fact that the media has created a story where none really exists. Democracy is not in crisis, people. Nothing to see here - move along.
Some people think that this is all to "hide" or "run away" from the Afghan detainee "scandal". Remember that the underlying events occured primarily under the watch of a Liberal government. If anyone should be, it is the Liberals who ought to be embarrassed, not the government.
And with respect to that "scandal", our allies in Afghanistan all transfer detainees to Afghan forces without national navel gazing. Why? Because they are mature democracies who understand nothing is perfect and that unfortunate, regretable and nasty things can happen in war. We can learn from mistakes and move on, without hysteria and hyperbolic calls for political heads to roll.
Media writers and reporters need to take a deep breath, look for a real story and stop engaging themselves in the partisan antics.
The media handwringing over prorogation is so patently partisan that the media should be ashamed. I understand that Parliament has been prorogued, on average, about every 1.3 years in Canadian history. So what's the big deal?
Presumably, it is only to try and make the Prime Minister look bad. I'm all in favour of making elected officials accountable, but getting bent out of shape over insignificant issues reduces the credibility of the fourth estate such that fewer people will listen when it really matters.
We're really talking about fewer than 40 days of Parliamentary time. No one thinks that the opposition parties will bring down the government over that time and the government continues to work. No true voice has been lost, as evidenced by the fact that the media has created a story where none really exists. Democracy is not in crisis, people. Nothing to see here - move along.
Some people think that this is all to "hide" or "run away" from the Afghan detainee "scandal". Remember that the underlying events occured primarily under the watch of a Liberal government. If anyone should be, it is the Liberals who ought to be embarrassed, not the government.
And with respect to that "scandal", our allies in Afghanistan all transfer detainees to Afghan forces without national navel gazing. Why? Because they are mature democracies who understand nothing is perfect and that unfortunate, regretable and nasty things can happen in war. We can learn from mistakes and move on, without hysteria and hyperbolic calls for political heads to roll.
Media writers and reporters need to take a deep breath, look for a real story and stop engaging themselves in the partisan antics.
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