Pathological Purjerer

This is exactly why we need a FUNCTIONING AND FULLY INDEPENDENT B.C. UTILITIES COMMISSION, and why Campell hobbled the B.C. Utilities Commission by way of his not so Clean Energy Act.

Yet another of Campbell's 180 degree policy changes.

Campbell's M.O. -- Say one thing to get elected, then do the opposite again 'n' again 'n' again...

Frightening End of Democracy

This is really frightening.

And don't forget BC's recent instructions to senior bureaucrats to manufacture crises in order to implement policy change, in Ms. Micheal Vonn's stunning article (following Sean Holman's explosive discovery):

"The [BC] government considers it part of the job of senior bureaucrats to fabricate crises in order to advance policy. How’s that for laying it on the line? Here’s exactly what it says under the “Characteristics/Behaviours” section of the role profile: “Executives anticipate, and are prepared to institute change quickly. At times, to capitalize on the best opportunity, executives create a crisis to force change.”

http://www.straight.com/article-334382/vancouver/micheal-vonn-bc-government-job-posting-exposes-crisis-democracy

Strap on your seatbelt (yet again) as we sink deeper and deeper into political corruption and state run tyranny.

Great coverage.

Electoral Reform

I still feel the best alternative we have is to cinch the belt and take it for another term as we all know that regardless of what happens in the next election we still will not elect a government that has the peoples interests at heart.

What is needed is true power at the voting station, an actual choice, as long as I have been on this earth a choice contains 2 parts, to say yes or no. Having that power on the ballot, to boot out all the options and force a complete governmental reform would hold these politicians accountable for the utter fallacies they commit time and again.

This type of reform of course would require a non-partisan committee to establish exactly how we would go about rebooting our failing/failed system but I know it is possible. We, the people, have shouldered worse and come out far better in the end.

Personally I think our politicians should be elected along the same lines as we perform jury duty. Taking out the glorification and corruption by having highly qualified people that run successful businesses in the private sector put in (while having their business interests taken care during their terms) and then transitioning them back into their employment when said term is over is a practical solution. Obviously it needs work and I expect criticism for suggesting it however I feel the brain tank that posts on the Tyee could come up with a viable alternative in case our much vaunted politicians didn't get the memo and refused to change their ways.

Reform is needed, scratch that it is bloody required to ensure the people continue to uphold the democracy we have been fighting for nonstop for centuries.

Emerson - Turncoat

What does Emerson having crossed the floor have anything to do with Yurkovich? You used his negative image, and a tenuous relationship to Yurkovich to tarnish hers. He was her boss. Are we all complicit in anything our bosses do, in a different occupation, in the future?

This article is filled with good points and analysis, but why use cheap, sensationalistic tactics that weaken the credibility? That's what the comments section is for!

Frightening End of Democracy???

A three-term government is busy populating its crown corporations with supporters and sycophants, and this is a frightening end to democracy?

Get a grip, guys. Liberal, NDP, Conservative, fedLiberal, Bloc Quebecois (well, maybe not them -- no power), Parti Quebecois -- they ALL do this, and when in opposition they ALL spout warm and fuzzy platitudes about ending patronage (having no intention whatsoever of doing it).

Many years ago I asked a city mayor why he kept appointing all his friends to various advisory committees, boards, etc. He looked at me and said "you think I should appoint my enemies?"

Didn't Gordo appoint Mike Harcourt and Dan Miller to a couple of things? Oh, sorry, they're traitors to the cause. How silly of me.

blackie

Interesting that you think a government busily populating crown corporations and government posts with sycophants and financial contributors is okay.

Thank god for public sector unions which make sure everyone working in government isn't a financial contributor to the government eh?

End Of Democracy

One of the reasons democracy doesn’t work is that the citizens have eliminated themselves from the political process. It is totally delusional to think that somewhere out there exists an honest politician who will serve up democracy to the masses on silver platter.
Democracy isn't given to the citizens by the government of the day. Democracy is citizen's exercising their right to speak out against government initiatives and taking action against them. The most recent example of this is the anti HST protest with 700,000 signatures. Campbell has no intention of rescinding the HST, but as a result of the petition he has shown his contempt for the people in no uncertain terms.
Our generation, the baby boomers, grew up in the most prosperous times for mankind, we’ve never had to fight for anything, we were handed the good life by our parents. In fact life has been so good, we have forgotten , or perhaps, never been taught, that democracy is a dynamic system requiring constant input.
We’ve been asleep at the switch for so long, we’ve forgotten what it takes to maintain a democratic society. While it’s important to elect politicians who aren’t wholly tied to Corporations, it’s even more important to exercise your democratic rights, before we don’t have any at all. We can't continue to just sit at home and hope the next government initiative won't affect our livelyhood.

Agreed

You're right Sunshine, the NDP would be an improvement over the Liberals, but so long as the citizens continue to exclude themselves from the political process, they too will smell like rotten fish in short order.

Look at France for instance, when their government makes changes that affect them, they take to the streets by the hundreds of thousands to protest.

In Canada, on the otherhand, we don't support eachother at all, in fact when one group has better benefits than another we call them greedy bastards and hope the government/corporation will bring them to their knees.

While I agree, it's important to elect a government you think you can work with, it is even more important re-educate the electorate. Our Fathers didn't win the wages, benefits and social services we were handed without a fight.