Revolution

I am starting to think Campbell and Co. want to incite violence so that they can then scare us into supporting them to "protect" our homes. I really feel this government is doing everything it can to incite violence.

Open And Transparent

Miass. These thugs have to go, the sooner the better.

Over 300,000 British Columbians

have signed the petition in the first 4 weeks of the anti-HST campaign! 8 weeks to go. The Lieberals days' are numbered. They will have approx. 3 months to act after the signatures are verified and if they don't abide by the wishes of citizens, we will launch immediately into recall. And if anyone thinks that is an empty threat - just watch.

This province is long

This province is long overdue for a general strike.

a General Strike

is indeed necessary. The timing needs to be optimal though.

Gordo the lover of offshore

Gordo the lover of offshore oil lost his buddy Arnold because arnold said yesterday that California will not be doing offshore oil, thank you very much .Does anyone know why Gordo is off, on our dime, to Europe this week. Maybe he figures the nasty folks might ask him a few questions in the house.

plantation landlords

To all you ice holes that voted for the liberals in bc hope you like the plantation affect you have created for all of us.

It seems a lot of people don't care if they live in a new found slavery.

Just stand around like you are invisible and allow this minority of people affect your generation and the next generation.

You people have apathy and need counselling.

We need more noise in the streets, start talking and acting toward impeachment and recall and jail time for these bandits.

If you just stand by and do nothing then you get the government you did not vote for.

Come on and help out the people who understand true democracy for the people as the Zalm and Delaney are doing. Seek these people out and people like them who grease the wheels of change with the help of the people.

BC wake up and get motivated to get a better Gov and economy because this lib gov is in for themselves and friends not for you and I.

Now is the time to act before it gets any worse.

HST Petition

If gord wasn't deaf he would hear the growing noise that has started around the hst petition. I can only hope that the people in the ridings where the fibs don't have strong numbers will show their dislike of gordo and gang and sign the petition so we will all know in advance how the recall is likely to suceed.

Hansel & Gretel

I suppose Hansen & Gordo are so used misinforming the public, they figure it's only natural that EVERYONE does the same............

The Liberals Have Failed With Most British Columbians

They have failed at Child Poverty, They have failed on Education, they have failed on Social Services, they have failed on Health Care and now this gang will go out into the world to try and fail some more! Good grief, isn't it enough already. I have a question that perhaps another reader or poster may have the answer to, if we recall a MLA does that individual still get to claim his/her pensions from the taxpayer?, If yes then why?, If an employer dismisses an employee they would lose thier benefits etc, should we not expect the same if a MLA is succesfuly recalled and voted out? 2nd question, If for example 4 or 5 MLA's were recalled would this remove the Liberals in a majority position in this province?, This I would think could lead to an earlier election. Come to think of it, can anything bring a government to an earlier election than the 2013 general vote?, I think that wherever you stand on the political spectrum you have to agree that these guys should be terminated and the sooner the better.

Cheers

jim1966

You should have heard Hansenon Christy Clark

Left little room for questions and got zinged; never mentioned no HST Alberta when it comes to competitiveness; nor the trade agreement with Alberta and Saskatchewan allowing companies to work in BC without setting up shop in BC.

A am sure Albertans will benefit from the BC HST!

Unions !! What Unions?????

This province is long overdue for a union and people general strike.

I wonder if any unions care or even remember how to hold a public rally let alone a general strike.

You all need a permit to hold a general assembly in public.

But the gov of the day can rob us blind and it is okay. Someone call the RCMP fraud squad.

Maybe Gov (highway robbers) aint robbing us blind and maybe bc has no unions(with balls).

Can anybody interpret what my grandma is trying to say.

When the province is broke maybe you can turn out the lights so california don't charge us.

OK, Tieleman

Listen, when you're right, you're right.

You have been a very astute observer of all this political bull that we've been wading in. And you seem to be able to cut to the realities in a pretty consistent way.

I can hear the outrage in your voice, and it's my outrage you're voicing. Thanks for that. It's been rare since the Aspercoup established the divine right of Canwest Global that one can hear anything resembling relevant truth in the press around here.

But...

What I just never seem to hear is who's gonna replace these Bozos. Everybody whose rage against the crimes of the incumbents might take the form of a nice old fashioned throw-the-scoundrels-out movement are also pissed at the NDP for general incompetence bordering on absence without leave.

If you and the people who agree with you don't get up a platform and a party, and pretty quickish too, we're going sure as hell to wake up one morning with Vander Zalm and his ilk parlaying all this anger into an end run around the electorate and what I predict will be the sneakiest real estate deal since the Socreds stole Richmond.

The bitching and howling phase is going as well as it can. Time now for a vision of the future we can actually vote for.

So, whaddya say? Who's your dream team? Who would you propose for the next election, if you could have your pick?

Cllin Hansen Explains All

http://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/op-ed/Opinion+Finance+Minister+Colin+Hansen+answers+critics/2983856/story.html

All these "savings" are predicated on the merchants and manufacturers faithfully passing on their new, lower pricing. What happens, Mr. Hansen if (when) they don't?

A small observation: when we changed from imperial to metric, 'way back when, milk sold in quarts, became milk sold in litres, about a drop of 12%. Yet the price did not drop in the stores. The reason: "conversion costs".

So, seeing is believing, and Mr. Hansen is handing us a "if wishes were fishes, then pigs would fly" -- unless of course, he can show us in writing the GUARANTEES, along with the penalties companies that don't pass on the "savings" would face.

Right on Bailey!

I wish I had said that. Now what do we do with the current incompetent NDP?

...Mr. Tieleman

In the haste to remove this regime from office - would you mind telling us who we're going to put in their place? If you say Carole James, you've lost me already...if you say John Horgan...I might just think about it.

Best of all worlds...a new party comprised of people who actually give a damn. Neither of which are Liberal or NDP.

It will not change...

... until the some form of Proportional Representation is enacted. Just won't.

Why is there such a loud public outcry over the behaviour BC Liberal Government? Does anyone remember the story of the frog and the scorpion? Guess who's the frog. YOU, that's who.

Suggestion

Those of you that wonder who we should hire to replace the BC Liberals should seriously consider voting for independents. They will be answerable to only the voters that put them in power. No party whipped votes, no kissing the leader's boots in the hope of securing a cabinet post, and most of all, no hiding behind decisions made for them by someone else.

The delusion that we live in a democratic province/country is bogus. We live in a democratic dictatorship. There is no way the politicians will change this because the current system affords them the power they crave without the responsibilities that go along with that power. We, the voter, must force change by shunning any candidates that run under a political party's banner. No one can serve two masters, the party and the electorate, and the evidence is in. Those that are elected under the banner of any party choose to serve the party.

As for those that advocate a general strike, forget about it. All you will accomplish is to drive those that voted for the current administration and dislike how they misrepresented the pre-election budget and the implementation of the HST back to supporting Campbell and Co. Vigilante justice seldom if ever brings about the desired result.

General Strike Indeed

As more and more BC citizens are disenfranchised and marginalized, an opportunity for leadership via the NDP, environmentalists and unions grows. Now, if only these three sectors can begin communicating towards the same goal. A general strike supported by thousands of citizens would galvanize democracy like nothing else.

The aforementioned sectors should immediately host a public forum to discuss the failings of the corporate state, possible remedies (there are hundreds, just look to Scandinavia and South America) followed by a general strike.

We have moved WAY beyond partisanship and are well into the complete loss of democratic freedoms. The increasing use of law enforcement and authoritarian power is historically a one-way path with far worse to come. In the end, it will be up to us to decide what kind of society we choose.

Kudos again to Mr. Tieleman and The Tyee for keeping freedom of speech alive and healthy.

Bad week?

More like bad decade for democracy!

But, good decade for demockery!

General Strike

The only thing I wonder about those advocating a general strike is...have you thought about the consequence of it?

Right now, people of all political stripes are speaking out and being heard for the FIRST time since Campbell took office. Do you really want to stop that? A general strike will turn huge numbers of people away from the task at hand - which is to hold the government responsible for it's actions and inaction. FORGET IT!

Second...how many of those agitating for a general strike are from PAB? Nothing would suit the government better than to have the general population step into a perfectly set trap - such as a general strike. The time for that was 8 years ago!

DPL - Gordo is probably in Brussels signing away even more of our freedoms through the CETA. That "other trade agreement" that no one wants to know about...much less talk about. Shades of TILMA all over again!

General Strike

It depends upon what happens until a general strike is actually called for...the Winnipeg General Strike (1919) can be seen as a defeat because it was eventually broken by the Police but, just a few months later, the strike leaders who had been in prison, won seats in the Manitoba Legislature and Canadian Labour history was subsequently changed.

I saw a bumper sticker on a car from the States today: THE LABOR MOVEMENT: The folks who brought you the weekend.

A lot of people may be starting to wake up...this Campbell gang is so incompetent and arrogant that they may prove to be, in the end, real agents OF CHANGE although they'll never be agents FOR CHANGE.

Under the right circumstances, a general strike may not be a bad idea.

This is like saying when will anarchists unite?

This is like saying when will anarchists unite? All this about government being despots and corrupt and so on. If people bothered to listen to Campbell when he first ran for office, they would have heard the vision he had. They voted for abuse and abused we are. Gordon Campbell is not a Liberal, he is a right wing Conservative, in Liberal sheep's clothing. He nor his party have the slightest regard for democracy, never did have.
In a democratic society the majority does get to rule, however it is the responsibility of that majority to respect the minority position and that is no on the Liberals radar. To rise up against abusive government rule is quite justified, however
to as some are suggesting, rise up against all
government rule is like asking anarchists to unite
in organized protest. We don't need an absence of law, we need responsive government to work on behalf of people, not against them.

Under the right circumstances.....

The "right" circumstances won't arrive until people are required to taken reductions in their salaries, pensions, holiday times - somewhat like the people of Greece are currently being exhorted to do.

But (so far) Gordo is attuned to this. For example, rather than cut teachers' wages, etc. he simple creates a situation where they are fired - something evidently more acceptable than wage reductions.

General Strike

Another great article by Bill Tieleman.

Maybe you can motivate the NDP party leadership and the unions in BC.

A general strike is needed to bring back democracy.

We are now living under martial law or dictatorship.

Sure if we act we are called criminals and all sorts of things.

Really we all know who the criminals are.

But there must be a word if we do not react. Think about that people of BC.

Maybe as a lot of people in BC are saying, We need some of the Coponni type people to step up to the plate and create the first step for bringing back democracy for the people of BC.

can you believe it

This government can turn any venture into sand.
These were the people who claimed they knew how
to make things work, they would be financially
responsible and the books would be balanced.
If these people running the show are the smart
ones it scares the hell out of me. Can you
imagine what will happen when the dumb ones take
over? This was doomed from the start, and was
really another sneaky way to privatize BC Hydro.
I am saddened and really happy at the same time.
The people who can't afford it will have to pay.
But British Columbians will now wake up and realize
just what a bunch of bullies, thugs and incompetents we are dealing with.

NPD

Their are many, many very experienced NDP MLA's. The problem is NOT a good leader. Nothing will change in the publics eye until a strong and forceful and knowledgeable leader like MIKE FARNSWORTH is at the helm. Please step down Carole to save our province. You are a very nice person but not the right leader for the crookedness of Campbell and company.

BAD WEEK FOR 'democracy'???

BC has never had a democracy! Voting every 4-5 yrs for
your least worse dictator is not democracy...it is a ritualized process to keep power from the people.

THERE IS A SOLUTION....The BC Refederation Party`s 1-2-3 Plan. They guarantee, with a century proved system, that the People can prevail over Government excesses and mindless boondoggles by monopolies of corporations and public unions.

Carole James

We are splitting the direction we need to go. No more parties. This is exactly what Campbell loves, to split us in many more directions so nothing new gets enough votes. Read my previous comment. Don't be fooled by Campbell's deception.

We read it and laugh

"Politics would be a helluva good business if it weren't for the goddamned people." -- Former U.S. president Richard Nixon

Even admissions of the contempt the political system has for the people are not enough to motivate the collective. There is no hope until we are almost ground into the ground, fighting for our mere existence. Then we will act. Maybe.

Now there's a thought.

Bailey,

Hmmm... Tieleman for premier? Is that what your saying. Bill if your listening. I would not only welcome that thought. I would vote for you and I would volunteer in your campaign.

HST

I just calculated how much more my electric bill will cost with the NEW TAX and it is alot and then Fortis, electric co. just gave themselves a raise in Jan. the greed is overwhelming. I always voted NDP and will again and again, it is the only party that listens to what we have to say after they are elected. The Liberals don't and won't ever listen, smarten up voters, get on the boat for people representative government and stop playing games for the results are ugly and costly for everyone.