Of course, unless their income is over $150K, that wallet will be a little thinner. What makes you think enrolment is declining? Got any evidence? All Paul Martin can do for waiting lists is hand money to the province. What the province does with it is up to them. If they decide to line the pockets of their friends in the PPP fantasy health care land, they will.

Fewer students!

And if the thickness of the wallet is all that determines the outcome then the BC Liberals will lose. The tax cut has been clawed back for most. Reduced services means greater out-of-pocket costs. Unemployment is higher and the debt of the government has increased. Better hope people use some different criteria that their wallet thickness when deciding who to vote for if you want the Liberals to win.

Let's see 3000 teachers*(~25+-5 students/class)*(4 classes/day) = 300,000+-60000 fewer students to teach per day ? So, does the poster Groovypippin have _real_ evidence that there are up to 360000 fewer students than 3 years ago ? I really doubt it. Average students/class has gone up by design, and our population is increasing, which offsets somewhat the fact that there _are_ fewer kids. Would be interested to see _real_ numbers on the number of students

This cynical "goodnews gordon" strategy could very well succeed.In fact I can almost guarantee that his poll numbers will improve as we are inundated with more and more wildly optimistic propaganda courtesy of all the usual media/business cheerleaders.At the same time the NDP and Carol James will only recieve negative press:in fact its happening already.The Province had a feature the other day stating that Ms. James might be facing a problem if the "same old NDP" (I'm paraphrasing)is backing her.They've also recently run a front page story on GUILTY SVEN ROBINSON which actually commanded more attention than the paper devoted to Campbell getting his drunken carcass thrown in jail in a foreign country...

In the 1990's, when the economy grew in the rest of the country, all of this growth was enjoyed by just 30% of the population, the wealthiest 30%. Everyone else actually saw a decrease in their incomes. In Vancouver, it was even worse. Only the wealtiest 5% of the population saw an increase in their incomes. So what does it matter if the economy grows before the election? You and I are not going to benefit from it. The only sad part is that many people, including those that are still losing out, will see the growth as a good thing and support the bastards again. Why do we never learn?

It's el Gordo's arrogance that will dispose of this Liberal band of miscreants. He will not step aside and that is great. Go ahead , let him proclaim all the "good news", this time the messenger will get what he should and drag the refuse with him. I applaud his arrogance. I hope I can stomach the swan song........Bye bye May 05.

The BC Liberals have no chance of being re-elected if Gordon Campbell is still the leader in May 2005. He is despised by the general populace. Even BC Liberal moderates I know as friends and acquaintances hate him. He is BC's version of George Bush. If only we had a BC version of Michael Moore to create a documentary to counteract the bias of the Vancouver Sun et al.

if gordon's smart, he'll send his brother to south america while the election is on. brother michael has to be one of the most annoying people on our planet.

Yes Grovypippin , governments do have to cut back in tough economic times ......sacrifices have to be made...if this were sacrifices made by everbody and not just the middle class and the poor it would be earsier to swallow. But it wasn't AT ALL!!!And not only the unmandated, preferential sacrifices problematic....these guys are not only callous thet are STUPID. An example, as from the above article, long term care beds have been closed....now where do think these patients are now? They're plugging up emergenc rooms, surgical and medical wards and costing us$1000 per day to be in acute care facilities.AS OPPOSED TO $2000 PER MONTH in an extended care facility(and be getting far superior care and programs) The fiscally brilliant liberals think this is good math....do you?This is one example I feel truly qualified to talk about as I work in the industry. The fiberals go on and on about there have been no spending cuts but this only a tiny part of the picture.The "heartlands" is a term slash gordon will live to regret even more than he does now because he hasn't a tinkers hope in hell of getting a vote from the hatelands.Pople in Vancouver aren't stupid either and remember how much jhe was loved as mayor......bye bye gordo..

I reccomend that every time the vancouver sun, province or other canwest newspaper make another outrageous lie that people phone the editorial department and complain loudly -just don't make any threats- patricia graham's phone number can be found on the masthead, that's that little square box almost always found on page 2 of the front section, tell them several times a day just what you think of their disgusting bias, demand they carry david shreck's column to balance don mayo's ridiculous lies, or write letters outlining what utter nonsense the latest piece of so-called economic good news under gordon liar is, and finally tell everyone who will listen what utter, steaming pile of you know what every opinion in the sun except palmer's and hume's is, do with the same with the province, perfectly legal and it'll give 'em a taste of their own medicine....

falling enrollment... in smaller places both parents have lost jobs lots and lots of services as well most public offices have either closed or moved to the south.. parents have no choice but to re-locate.. i gues enrollement is dropping! if you clear out towns of all seervices who is going to go there?? over 100 schools have been closed , we hear constantly of the blistering economy in this province but if your out side of the rush of vancouver.. sorry it just isn't happening..

And who could ever forget the "Sexist Woman" in BC Politics ...

I expect an anouncement to be made shortly that the chocolate ration will be increased.

Love your comment, C. Parkhurst. The last three years have been quite a war - and now the good boys and girls that swallowed Dr. Campbell's bitter medicine of cuts and privatizations will receive a small square of chocolate in hopes that it's "rich", sweet taste will help us all to forget how painful the surgery really was.

Am I buying Gordie's "good news"? No. Will others? Hope not. Are the Liberals stupid? Don't think so. I think they are deliberately ruining anything they are in control of, so that the public will demand privatization. Just look at ICBC. They don't want any success stories. Be careful.

The whole problem is that almost all of the BC Liberals' "good news" crap is based on outright lies, and the corporate media monopoly will try to let them get away with it. While Statistics Canada, Economic Council, Conference Board and a whole variety of other monitors put BC's economy in last place, the Scum and BSTV headlines about how great things are. BC has gone from the biggest job creator at the second best wage rates during the NDP tenure, to the lowest job creator and sharply falling wage rates under the Liberal regime. Capital investment is now lower than at any time during the NDP. Consumer spending is flat lined. Consumer savings are dropping, while consumer debt is increasing. The CPI is widening big time. The Liars are desperate, outright mis-quoting Statistics Canada, claiming credit for creating parks that were in fact created by the NDP and trying to promote a mystical "spirit of 2010." Why? Because they have nothing to show for it. This proves once again that these money -grubbing election-riggers and their corporate elite BC Business Council masters couldn't fix a straw if it was bent, let alone create a prosperous, sustainable economy. But alas, the corporate media will try to come to the rescue praising the Liberals for nothing while attacking the NDP for nothing. We need to start building independent democratic pro-public interest media now.

My family's small business went into the dumpster during the '90s "dot boom" while the rest of the country and the continent perked along quite nicely under Chretien and Clinton (a pair of buffoons but relatively harmless ones as far the economy went). I blame Glen Clark and his cringe-making band of idiots for the dismal "have-not" state of B.C. then and today, and as much as I have always disliked Gordo Campbell, I gleefully joined the rest of the anything-but-the-NDP crowd in throwing the bastards out. I have seen nothing that will change my vote in 2005 -- even the pictures of Gordo with his prisoner # in Hawaii mean nothing to me -- just as it wasn't the BCTV footage that ruined Clark's reputation in my eyes either. And yes, there are fewer pupils, their numbers have been in a steady and sharp decline for a decade now, along with just about every other statistic in this province, with the possible exception of the amount of provincial funding directed to school teachers' salaries. There might be fewer of them working today but those who are, are earning more than they did four years ago. So much for solidarity...

Hey, dumd and dumber above, GORDON CAMPBELL HAS DESTROYED BC'S ECONOMY, and my guess is that stupid parasires like yourself, who could care less about others, because, "hey, I'M STILL AlRIGHT," wouldn't change course if premier was caught child molesting on the 6pm news....you have sold your children and grandchildren for nickels in what has been the WORST performing provincial economy for 3 and a half years in a row, too bad you don't have enough brains and humanity to feel ashamed of yourself and your tainted taxcut, used as excuse to set social justice back 30 years, if you want the truth about bc's economy read david shreck's daily website column, which proves IRREFUTEABLY TIME AND TIME AGAIN, THAT BY EVERY CONCEIVABLE HONEST MEASURE THE BC LIARS HAVE PUT OUR ECONOMY IN THE TOILET -but I guess you'd rather read the fraser pimpstitute doctored math that says otherwise, be sure not to get sick EVER, you'd be amazed at the HOLES in those private insurance medical plans, soon to be available after your idiot-pimp gets through destroying medicare for the pittance you sold your family out for....are you catching my drift here?

The Campbell gov`t is too flawed to allow for their re-election. BC Rail sold to US, Accenture controlling 1/3 of BC Rail, Coquihalla highway screwup, Roberts Bank rail line screwup, Doug Wall Screwup, Legislature Raided ( we still don`t know why), ministerial aid charged with drugs, health care screwups( ongoing), torn up collective agreements,record amount of raw logs exported to US,premier spends night in Hawaii jail sleeping on piss-stained mattress, mugshot of drunken Campbell spread around the world. I don`t know why our dyspeptic friend above doesn`t see why he shouldn`t vote for Campbell. Double his chocolate ration!

He's been to to many eng-soc classes, c. parkhurst, if I'm correct about your 1984 allusion, I like your post above....we sure haven't seen those hawaian pictures, nearly as much as we saw the deck and hunting knife, and the mounties in clark's kitchen, that john daly, mr synchronicity, just happened to arrive at the same time as, the ndp's best ally is gordon liar....

Sorry, C.Parkhurst,I took your very apt quote in terms of war rations. I guess to me, the last three years have felt like one. With Lewis's help I get the allusion, and love your comment even more. The word is - they're increasing the chocolate ration from thirty grams to twenty grams.

Double plus good! Good chocolate for all!

More like "Mr Goodbye, see ya later, adios, au revoir, tsai chien".... whichever be your way of saying it...

@ Rob 7/16 @5:32pm above.... "...If only we had a BC version of Michael Moore to create a documentary to counteract the bias of the Vancouver Sun et al." ...agreed, except it might not have to be a'big-shot'/'big-one' master like Moore. Instead, it could be more of a drip....drip....drip small-scale grandstanding approach like that which can be found amongst the the best of the 101 Keyboarders on the Left in the States (ie. KOS/Atrios/JoshMarshall/Billmon et al.).... and the nice thing about that approach is that it will also not be ignored by the media-whores because, no matter who they shill for, those folks can't stand the thought of missing out on juicy 'inside' stuff that they might be able to use....for a while I thought the guy to fill this role might be Sean Holman at Public Eye but he appears to believe just a little too much in following the path of'objective' journalism (ie. he's a career journo that wants to fill VPalmer's shoes someday)....for this assignment we need somebody with a strong POV that never gives in on the big issues (ie. the great levelling initiated by the Carpetbaggers who are putting up the front end money for the P3 Swindles)...

I predict Gordo will campaign on the fact that our goverment is reducing the punishment for Impaired driving....

First off could the posters stick to the topic? Personal pickiness is rather petty in debating and does nothing to further thoughtful comment. The Campbell government is concerned about only one very small section of the population that controls 90% of the wealth. There is no 'good news' for BC. It almost seems that any connection residents of BC have to the NDP or Unions has been singled out for 'Campbellization.' What else explains contracting out, raw log sales, BC rail sold, etc. to American interests? BC Ferries are about to have new ships built off shore. BC Hydro being prepared for sale to Futures traders in the US. (BC will have to buy back our own electricity at US rates.) Just who is being punished here anyway? Oh, and by the way is there anyone out there who knows for sure if Michael Campbell has ever given his so called "Goofy Award" to any liberal or his brother?

D&D-what would a rightwingnut rant be without the obligatory teacher putdown eh? One thing about you Stepford Citizens,you're definitely predictable.

God, wouldn't that be great! A documentary about the real story of BC last few years. There's a huge amount of real evidence, excuseme, material knocking around being ignored by the media.

Leaked documents, exposed corruptions, letters, money to relatives, false claims, mug shots, search warrants, real estate records, tape recorded phone calls, the history of Accenture, cabinet meetings in Maui, suicides, elders shuffled from pillar to post, enormous deficits, matching enormous tax breaks, thousand year leases. Holy moley, an hour would never hold it.

Who do we know with a camera and a van?

i think micheal moore has one availiable.

You guys got exactly who you voted for and you numbnuts will probably vote the Liberals in again because the rest of the country knows that BCers are gluttons for punishment. Even an idiot can see how your Liberals are trying to split the vote already, endorsing the Greens - that's rich - but like I said you're gluttons for punishment and will buy it and get more of what you deserve - to be a laughing stock across Canada.

Gordon Campbell is the one who is responsible for bringing this province back from the brink of disaster where it had been led blindly by idiotic NDP and their craven desire to cater to big union. That the economy is now on the rebound is full measure of how successful the liberal government has been. Come election day the people of BC will see this very clearly and will re-elect Gordon Campbell and the liberal government and hopefully we will be able to say good bye to the mill stone of debt around our necks and join Alberta at the top of the properity list.

Really, is this province going to continue this pendulum dance and swing all the way back to the far left NDP as led by Carole James? Does anybody actually believe this is a reasonable solution. The NDP is a union party; their voting formula at their leadership event proves it once and for all: these guys care more about organized labour than they do about people - it's where their money, and their support comes from. A union province isn't the right, or ultimate, solution. At least Gordon's PPP plans aren't a blatant attempt at grabbing for block voting; they're just a misguided attempt to fund things differently. (Question: if the friggin' thing is so guaranteed to make a profit, why not have the profit in the public purse; and why should the public accept all the risk.) With only two real alternatives, this province needs to elect a more balanced government. No more of these huge, sweeping, ideologically driven majorities. We need to stop it. So maybe we need a new political organization - the Green's aren't it. Let the penguins run the province; that'll solve the problems.

Let's be fair here, btw, and not call Paul a former MLA but a "Former NDP MLA and Cabinet Minister"

This guy's got a chip on his shoulder - there's nothing wrong with that, but said chip shoud be accurately identified.

The environmental neglect (and the more active "turning a blind eye" to activities that have caused lasting ecological damage) during the last few years will not easily be undone by any amount of "spending" the BC Liberals may announce in the next 10 months. Hopefully anyone who values biodiversity and anyone who realizes that human beings can ultimately not eat, drink or breathe money, will try to keep their memory functioning well during the election campaign. I certainly agree that we can't live comfortably without a monetary economy and without any machines or manufactured goods, but we can't live at all without a minimum stock of healthy natural capital assets. Yes money and natural capital assets are to some degree substitutes. Yes, it is easy (all too easy !) to convert natural capital assets to money. It is much harder though and more costly though, to reverse that process. There is (unfortunately perhaps), an inconvenient limit to this substitution when you want to do it in reverse, and there is also an irreducible complementarity between human welfare and healthy ecosystems. Once one accepts these two propositions, even neoclassical economic reasoning will inevitably lead one to the conclusion that the BC Liberals don't deserve another term; on these grounds alone.

Well, "gordon for premier" I can see why you're voting for him because you don't believe in researching the facts either. The contributions by unions to the NDP is less than 5% of the funds raised. The vast majority of funding for the NDP comes from individuals. So just for the record, one more time, the contributions by unions to the NDP is less than 5% of the funds raised. The BCliberals raised 300 times that from corporations and unincorporated businesses.

That should read that the BCliberals raised more than 300 times as much from corporations and unincorporated businesses as the NDP.

Well Gordon for Premier, I've got news for you. Because I do not define my wealth in monetary terms, it doesn't bother me to just give up whatever wealth I've accumulated over the past few years and squat in your backyard and earn a few meals salvaging out of your trash can. Practicing such a lifestyle I've discovered that nobody expects anything from you and nobody tells you what to do. Of course, I'll hide my real money somewhere safe and join the underground economy. In other words... Gordo won't bother me too much but I've got it all figured out how to bug you!

Some of you need to do some serious investigation into the truth. Please use something other then mainstream media. You are buying into lies. The number of teachers have dropped by a larger percent then the enrollment in the Province. Beginning teachers make less after 5 years of post secondary education then other professionals with only two years. The Liberals actually caused BC to fall behind the other Canadain provinces in economic rebound from external pressures. Environmental protection has been sidelined in favour of economic gain. Lower paying jobs for almost anybody. Child labour promoted and accompanied by very little pay. Privatization abounds on so many levels that nobody can put it all together. On a separate note. Did no one teach some of you manners. Grow up and contribute something worth reading or stay off.

Synthesizing the gord for premier post, and the what alternative, penquins? post, I have come up for a little modest proposal for you two neaderthals...and, PLEASE, no calls from the neanderthal anti-defamation leage, the maggot anti defamation league has already been on my back for months....My modest proposal is as follows: the bc liberals should elect A REAL PIG, complete with hooves, curly tail, and bacon to lead the bc liberals in the next election -to satisfy the first poster they can name the pig gordon, and I don't wanna hear a WORD, from the porcine antidefamation league, I'm really gettin' quite sick of it....a pig for leader will put a vastly more charismatic, honest and appealling face on the bc liberal party, and the synchronicity, well, it's obviously electric in a government famous for porkbarrelling whose idea of a healthy economy is giving bc away for nothing, especially its crown corporations that once kept taxes low for brain and heart dead wastes of space like "gordon for premier, and Mr penquin, the only trouble is that, opposed to a bc liberal, a pig is basically an honest creature without pretence or artifice, but I'm sure that aparty that has "led" bc into THE WORST ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE IN THE COUNTRY FOR three and a half years will have no trouble working around this minor handicap, by the way, gary doer's manitoba, under an ndp government has ranged vastly ahead of bc, with half the natural resources, and no olympics, THERE IS NO TURNAROUND IN THE BC ECONOMY BECAUSE OF THE BC LIARS, there IS a slight upward bump, DESPITE the bc liars, caused SOLELY by low interest rates, and temporarily high natural resource prices, but I'm sure the incompetent pack of backstabbing liars in victoria who pride themselves on assaulting every vulnerable group in bc will find a way to spoil it, as they have all else their tainted, blood-soaked hands have touched, have either of you pathetic excuses for human beings been disowned by your kids yet?

In point of fact the bc liars could rename themselves, THE MENAGERIE PARTY, with a pig as premier, an ass sitting in for gary feral-colon, a vixen for christy clark, a chicken with its head cut off standing in for shirly bond, minister of advanced destruction of education, a weasel for geoff plant, an ass for jeff bray, oh sorry that's gary, as well as numerous other matches from the lower phylla of fauna and flora, ho, ho, ho,....then they could replace their current menage a trois, with a MENAGERIE AU TROIS with the fraser institute, the vancouver board of trade, with phil hochstein as towel boy, and don't leave out the penquins, notes from orwell's animal farm of course creep in with the people who built this province, being like Ned, the strong and faithful horse sold by the pigs to the glue factory....

Alright already, enough with defaming the innocent animals. I like penguins, don't spoil them for me.

How about I just mention that the money that is on the books comes from capital gains. They sold off revenue producing properties for short term appearances. They got a billion or so for BC Rail, A few hundred mil for BC Ferries etc, etc. Next year that money will be gone and the revenue those properties produced will also be gone, and what will we pretend is the wonder of Liberal leadership then? When the flush of all this extra cash is gone, but the real economy is still in the crapper.

Sorry if I offended you bailey...

Just wondering here...is there any way that Gordo and the other Liars could be hauled up on charges? What charges, you ask? How about breach of promise? Breach of trust? Gross incompetence? Theft? Theft of what, you ask? How about BC Hydro, BC Ferries, BC Rail, the attempted theft of the Coquihalla and BC Liquor stores...any lawyers out there? Is this doable? Hey, a guy can dream, can't he?

Anyone who supports Campbell is getting some sort of economic return from his draconian policies.This profit is done on the backs of the poor. Campbell supporters are as disconnected with their humanity and conscience as are the war munition communities who support war mongering in the USA. The Campbell lieberals are facilitating the wishes of the american backers who financed and run the spinn that we are subjected too.. I refuse to listen to anymore crap from any BC lieberals extolling the good news lies that we will now be subjected to for the next ten months. Get these Crooks out and at least money paid to members of unions is spent locally instead of going to American based companies, through privitization. Let gordo take 6.00 an hour jobs. I bet he will decline.Throw these crooks out and What Union is willing to finance an open invitation to BC artists to make art that reflects the Campbell 3 years, culminating in an exhibition opening May 16 2005? This could help focus on an issue that my artist friends are very concerned about and that is this awful american style bc govt.Where is the vision from the Unions to finance such a theme as Campbell and his 3 years of a New Error.

No offense taken, lewis. I just thought it was a little unfair on the poor animals , comparing them with politicians.

”The premier will woo voters with lots of glad tidings in the election season ahead. Will it fly?”

NO

Patronizing British Columbians with 10 months of disingenuous good news tidings may be one possible way to win an election, but painting your challenger(s) as inept, like Mike Harris in Ontario did of Dalton McGuinty in 1999, is the real way to win an election.

Why do I bring this up? Because Gordon Campbell has copied Mike Harris’ Common Sense Revolution right down to the road signs that litter BC’s highways. In fact, I’m so confident of this that I predict Gordon Campbell’s key message - when the time comes - will portray the BC Libs as guardians of a surging economy due to sound fiscal management and the NDP’ers as “not up to the job.”

Don’t believe one word Gordon Campbell says, especially when the message turns from self-indulging good news to attacks on the opposition.

I agree that the provincial government and all pro-business,neo-cons, big media, etc will do whatever it takes to present the BC Libs in as positive a light as poss between now and next may. If your newspapers are like my local papers there has been NO NEWS about the liberals on the front page since.....ages ago. Recent news about the increased debt pay back over the BC Rail "sale" was buried at the bottom of page 15! If it had been the NDP it would have been front page "Boondoggle" news. Our local chamber of commerce is attributing the hot housing market to "greater business confidence" rather than low interest rates. The media will not check the facts coming from liberal supporters; they just print any old positive sounding stuff however incorrect. It is importatnt that enough people know THE FACTS! If anyone out there can reel off thepertinent websites where real information is, ie growth rates, employment levels, waiting lists etc..the real statistics, not someones interpretation of them then as many of us as is possible should be willing to challenge the false good news that will grow to a deluge.As well it will be interesting to find out what is real for our own information!! Anyone up for the job??

David Shreck's website at strategicthought.ca runs a very balanced and thorough report and challenges vancouver scum "good news" usually within a day or two after it's printed. Shreck is a lawyer, and former ndp mla with an excellent knowledge of economics and accounting. I have been following his site for months and have yet to find one innaccurate or unfair statement. He reports 6 billion in new debt and zero economic growth attributable to the bc liars...ALL backed up by verifiable facts and statistics...phone the editorial board of the sun as often as you can and demand they carry shreck's column, the number is available on the masthead on page 2 of the sun...

Is there decreasing enrollment in BC schools? Yes. Is it anywhere close to the percentage of teachers that have been cut throughout the province? No. Why do you think the BC Liberals legislated larger class sizes and did away with guarantees for special needs children? It is not because they were looking at better teacher to student ratios. Don't believe me ... look at the government's own statistics. Here you go: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/keyinfo/

I see on the BC government website that Gordo is donating blood...Is this true....does he indeed have blood in his veins? And does anyone know if under freedom of information one can find out which batch is his? I mean if I ever need some I would like to know it wasnt his I got....I might get the urge to sentance thousands to a life of poverty....Cancel contracts, close schools and deny children an education and hot meal prgrams...I would I think prefer a quick death..

Tom: Very witty; that was the best black humour I've read in a long time. I truly laughed out loud!

Now I see our dear premier is allowing the "private" company BC Ferries to have new ferries built abroad, no doubt his excuse will be that the last ferries were such a screwup. Oh well, no more $16.00 jobs for BC.

Okay, where do I start...1) Unions donated very little to the NDP, maybe 4-5%. Most cash Came from private donors. With the Liberal majority it is very obvious that many Union members voted Liberal. The majority trusted this man we know as Gordon Campbell. He promised not to break contracts, to maintain health and education, not to privative BC Rail . He got voted in and gave huge tax cuts(95 % to BC's most beautiful top 5% earners) This of course made a huge deficit which justified the deep cuts, Lies etc. One of his first Acts was to cut funding for books to the blind, victims of rape, women's shelters, Welfare Cut off limits, pharmacare cuts, union busting, Privatization of BC Ferries and BC Rail all All because his economic policy has failed. My cut was less than $ 300 a year, my kids tuition Has increased over 100% , he has just transferred the debt onto my back. My daughter went For a work co-op riding along with an ambulance driver , 40% of the calls were people in Agony as they were released from Hospital to soon, they took them back to Royal Columbian For a 6-8 yr wait, you know they shutting down St Mary's.. The province is going threw What they call a structural adjustment. One easy way to increase wealth is to cheapen labor. Hey did you know that they are now arranging to build BC Ferries off shore, why pay BC Ship builders when there is so much cheap labor around the world. So stop listening to BC TV , CKNW and all the other Canwest Hacks and take a look around.

Just for Fun,,,If you drive along Marine DR in North Van just past the Quay market going East you will see the crews working on the Fast Cats, you know the ones Gordo sold for 20 mil back to the campany that made them. He still owe them 420 mil and have nothing while they fix them for use in our docks. They are refitting them for gambling Casinos at Sea, wow I guess we couldn't have used them for that. Anyway just another example of BC Liberal screw ups

I would like to believe that the people posting here are right but I don't have much faith in the collective memory of the public. All mainstream media in this province for the next ten months will not only deliver a daily pep rally for the Liberals they will try to demonize the NDp and support the Greens to bleed votes away from the NDp. There is no way of reminding the public with any kind of comprehensive blanket coverage that will reach voters on a regular basis of the tragedy of this Liberal administration. The public of BC is too busy worrying about paying the mortgage and keeping their jobs to stay tuned to the political stage. Campbell may win through voter apathy and media collusion.

I repeat, call the sun's and province's editorial board daily, demand they carry david shreck's column, tell them you're cancelling your subscription, even if you don't have one. You can be just as miserable and as nasty as you like, AS LONG AS YOU DON"T MAKE THREATS OF VIOLENCE -make their lives as crappy as campbell has made many peoples'. ALl NUMBERS OF EDITORIAL BOARDS ARE LISTED IN THE MASTHEAD, THAT LITTLE BOX ON PAGE TWO, THREATS TO SUE AND OF CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS ARE PERFECTLY LEGAL AS WELL _TELL THE SUN'S PATRICIA GRAHAM WHAT YOU THINK OF THEIR HUMUNGOUS BIAS and, everytime they publish more "good times just around the corner thanks to gordon liar," go to david shreck's daily column, at strategicthought'com, find the truth, write a letter to the editor, and phone every day until it's published, talk to your ombudsman, talk to the crtc, FIGHT BACK!!! (Unless you're somehow dependent on the bc government for your income, in which case, remain anonymous)

Hang on there Lewis! You're the one on welfare, shouldn't you be the one who is anonyomous?

Stuff it, jean, you pathetic little pimp with the three dozen personalities, each and everyone a loser...To all you decent human beings out there, I just gfound a great site, called www.canwestwatch.org/ where readers can enter rants about canwest pimping for politicians, like stephen harper and gordon campbell, the rants will then appear on both that site and the adbusters site, journalists of all stripes, and citizens in general, are invited to enter their rants. Be sure to enter yours about Canwest's endless pimping for gordon liar both in their role in getting him elected and their absolute refusal to report on the heinous effects of his policies....rant as well about their manufacture of totally bogus "good times" just around the corner thanks to the genocidal policies of gordon liar, especially the UTTERLY FALSE CLAIM THAT THE TEMPORARY UPWARD BURP IN THE BC ECONOMY HAS ANYTHING WHATSOEVER TO DO WITH THE BC LIARS -IT HAS INSTEAD RESULTED SOLELY FROM LOW INTEREST RATES FUELING HOUSING STARTS AND TEMPORARY HIGH RESOURCE PRICES, two factors having NOTHING to do with the bc liars, which could both end tomorrow, ah, to have so many personalities, yet so little personality, how sad for you, jean...

Gordon Campbell's VooDoo economics are really something. How does running up the largest addition to the Provincial debt in three years translate into a balanced budget anyway???? A balanced budget means NO deficit and NO additional debt - period. It is not hard to claim there is no Provincial deficit when VooDoo bookkeeping just adds it to the debt. The previous administration's monetary fumbles were peanuts compared to the wasted taxpayers dollars by this bunch. Just remember the interest on the two billion tax break that Campbell gave to the top 5% is an added cost to the rest of us that saw our tax break clawed back. WACky B. said the NDP couldn't run a peanut stand - well the present liberal bunch is proving they can't run a Province.

For the most part these postings indicate the thought processes of thinking people intelligently and respectfuly arguing their views.Personally, I appreciate an opposing point of view if it is expressed in the above manner.To try to make apoint because somebody may be on welfare is about as offensive as calling someone a nigger. If you can't supply a reasoned argument or clearly state a p[oint of view supported by even the foggiest of logic you should glue your fingers over your eyes....then you won't see what irritates you and the rest of us wont have to suffer your drivel.

If you cant post without making a point supported by even the foggiest logic or find yourself posting using welfare as an attack perhaps you should apply the following technique to make yourself more acceptable to the world. Glue your fingerstogether.

burgess, as I like to put it, the bc liberals have proved that they couldn't run a pay toilet successfully in a diarhea epidemic, a crude analogy, but this is a crude party, and what they have done to the most disadvantaged people in this province to pay for a taxcut they said, "would stimulate the economy, and therefore pay for social programs," despite being told by nearly every economist of both the left and right, that this simply wasn't so, AND then to use this FAILED POLICY as their primary excuse to attack the most vulnerable, and to set social justice and social programs back 30 years in bc, because "they had to balnce the budget," when they simply could have rescinded this unjustified and unneeded taxcut, in what was already a province with one of the lowest tax rates in canadais beyond disgusting and beyond gross, the only thing more disgusting is for canwest media, to uncritically support it...so there you have it; a failed economic policy used as an excuse to set social justice back 30 years. The budget is also "balanced," because of the sale of bc rail by these financial geniuses, a giveaway, of a billion dollars under its assessed value, and it also has made a profit the last nineteen years out of twenty, including, this year, its revenues infact, helped keep taxes low....but tsanh and burgess you probably know this as you both seem intelligent decent people, thanks for speaking up for those on welfare, and the disabled like myself, tsanh...if I seem hard on mr binette, it is because of the experience of myself and many other tyee posters, who object not only to his rightwing views, which he nevertheless has a perfect right to express, but his willingness to resort to personal attacks, whenever he loses an argument, which is always, because he doesn't seem to understand the basic tenets of logic, and because he resorts to masquerading as several people in order to TRY, always unsuccessfully, to win a point, or simply out of pure cowardice, and jean, idiot boy, you don't really think my real name is lewis swift, do you? Jesus! Are you dumb or what, jean? Oh, yes, he also has a habit of running whining to the tyee editor in complaint, when he inevitably gets his rhetorical ass kicked.....

Burgess — I agree completely with your voodoo economics statement. This is a murky phenomenon that is regrettably not exclusive to GGamble and his band of sycophants. Voodoo economics are, unfortunately, employed by many right-wing governments who could never agree that taxes are essentially the best, most efficient and comprehensive way to fund programs for people. I mean, go figure, many governments are elected on unimaginative and visionless tax-cutting platforms — talk about pathetic…

LSwift — I agree with you too. The BCLibs (and other right-wing governments like Ralph Klein’s, Mike Harris’ and even George Bush’s) are not the economic geniuses they and others, namely, most media, purport them to be. Their economic acumen is an illusion, which thankfully is dissipating. As you say, and the proof is in Ontario, the only way to pay for their “imaginative” tax-cuts is indeed by rescinding social programs for the most helpless in society, lowering wages and selling off publicly – read, yours and mine – owned assets.

Anyway, my point is, and it’s about the only I make in this forum, BC is mirroring what Ontario went through for the last 8-9 years. I know well that voodoo economics lead to social destruction. The Ontario government during that time under Mike Harris and later, Ernie Eves, gave away, ooops, sold, changed and devastated many parts of what was once a pretty economically, socially and infrastructurally decent province. Look at it now.

All of their destruction was for years spun into good news tidings through the media who unfortunately upheld the Provincial Government’s voodoo economics as sound and acceptable. In fact, Mike Harris' government made it illegal to go into deficit, yet when they were replaced, they had an almost $6 Billion one — go figure.

I keep thinking there’s a lesson to be learned here, but I’m not quite sure what it is yet. It’s easy to say that BC should not go down that path, but it already is. The message must somehow get out. The parallels must be exposed. I’ll keep ruminating…

I'm only do it because I like the thought of the little NDP Pussball glued to his ceiling! (Besides maybe it will motivate him to get a job, and take some pressure off the system. I never actually read any of his posts but I'm sure Carole James could use him in her public relations department). GAAWWD! I LOVE the TYEE

Hey folks more BC good news, Its not only Can west that are the pimps. Its also CBC Radio 690, can you believe it. Last night that has a 30 second news blip about How 100's or BC Rail working are staring to get their lay off notices now that the BC Rail Deal Is getting finalized by CN. Followed by a feel good story, no reporting and no Empathy whatsoever Yep 100's of lost BC jobs in the north Where folks are already suffering the BC Liars cuts. Lets look at the deal, BC Rail has never run a deficit, It has always covered its Dept payments and make millions in profit for the BC Gov, We have had contral over The system and have kept valuable jobs in BC. It belongs to the citizens of BC and is A valued public asset. We have sold it to CN which is a US firm with the head office based out of the US, by the Time the deal is done we will no longer have the profits, the control and be stuck into A 990 yr lease with this company. Bye the way did you know vixen Christy Clark's husband is On the board of directors for omnicorp which governs CN. His home was also search in the BC Rail And part of the deal was stopped as illegal for revealing competitive info. The rest of the deal Is still secret. SO WHY ARE WE DOING THIS, ITS BECAUSE GORDO HAS A FAILED ECONOMIC PLAN AND NEEDS MONEY BADLY. PLEASE FOLKS LETS SENT HIM BACK TO MAUI ON A PERMANENT VACATION, EMAIL CMC AND CAN WEST AND CRTC AND TAKE THE MEDIA BACK.

I wonder if the public will ever find out why the legislature was raided? That is one piece of news I`d like to see announced.

And by the way, wouldn`t you like to know as well, Jean Binette?

Gordo has been drooling of the policies of Mike Harris and his Harrisite supporters. Lets see after 9 yrs of deep cuts , sacrifice and pain. We have a province which Has a 6 billion dollar dept, the economy sucks, the environment is in the Toilet.(remember Walkerton) and 100's of other communities that could not trust their water supply. The health And education systems have gone to crap and many students cannot afford to go to school. Yea what a success, trickle down tax cuts for the rich do not work. I guess the folks in BC Need to bleed a little more before they get it.

Stuart has had a very good idea here! I propose a petition or letter writing campaign to the Governor of Hawaii, asking him to grant Mr. Campbell state citizenship.

Come to think, I wonder whether he doesn't already have a US passport. Most Canadians find themselves banned from crossing the border after a conviction, but when the Leg was raided a year after his, Campbell had his emergency cabinet meeting in Maui. I saw it on the news.

Watch for some Liberal 'good news' next Thursday, the 29th.

Yey folks , the media listens, call , write letters etc. Let take back what belongs to us. the following is a letter I wrote to the CBC 's Ombudsman and their response. I write to acknowledge receipt of your communication, which I have shared with Joan Andersen, Director of CBC Radio in British Columbia. Yours truly, David Bazay Ombudsman Stuart Please be a voice for the people . Last night you mentioned in a 30 sec stop How 100's of BC Rail workers are going to lose their jobs followed by feel Good dribble. Your host was making jokes and clowning around etc. Hey its just A news flash , no need to investigate or educate the public in anyway. People in The North are going to hurt by this BC Rail deal and you have a responsibility to At least talk more about it. For the next 10 months before the election we are Going to be spammed by the other stations about BC feel good news which supports The BC Liberals. UTTERLY FALSE CLAIMS THAT THE TEMPORARY UPWARD BURP IN THE BC ECONOMY HAS ANYTHING WHATSOEVER TO DO WITH THE BC LIARS -IT HAS INSTEAD RESULTED SOLELY FROM LOW INTEREST RATES FUELING HOUSING STARTS AND TEMPORARY HIGH RESOURCE PRICES, two factors having NOTHING to do with the bc liars, which could both end tomorrow, Don't jump on the bandwagon, be independent like you have been in the past. Stuart

Right, jean, you NEVER read my comments, you just know the details of them by mental telepathy...face it jean, john smith, pochahantas, or whatever other cowardly label you're currently posting under, I'm an artist, and a warrior, and you're a cowardly little two-face weasel, with balls the size of a chipmunk, heh, heh, you lose, jean, again......this is the typical caliber of supporter of the bc liberals, weasels who enjoy attacking the disabled, tells you a lot about the party, and the ever dwindling number of people that still support them....

Right, jean, you NEVER read my comments, you just know the details of them by mental telepathy...face it jean, john smith, pochahantas, or whatever other cowardly label you're currently posting under, I'm an artist, and a warrior, and you're a cowardly little two-face weasel, with balls the size of a chipmunk, heh, heh, you lose, jean, again......this is the typical caliber of supporter of the bc liberals, weasels who enjoy attacking the disabled, tells you a lot about the party, and the ever dwindling number of people that still support them....

Mostly great comments above, the gordon campbell "government," if you can call a pack of liars that broke nearly every promise it made to get elected a government, continues its downhill slide....many business as well as labor groups reacted strongly tyoday, to the incredibly stupid and totally ideologically based decision to build new ferries outside of bc, which will cost the province 2000 jobs, the taxes paid by the people that would have held those jobs, the future development of bc's shipbuilding industry, and of course the wages those people would have spent in their communities which would have strengthened their communities economically...what a mindless pack of ideological idiots, if the fraser institute wants it gordon weasel will do it, disgusting! On a brighter note today, Rob Fleming, a charismatic, former victoria city councillor, declared his candidacy for the upcoming bc liar asskick on may 17, 2005, a good sign that the ndp will have no trouble attracting quality candidates, let's keep our eyes on canwest and give 'em pure hell whenever they try and spread their tired lies that the bc liars have done anything, for anyone in this province but their friends and owners, and are about any thing or have EVER been about anything except rewriting the social contract and writing everyone but their friends and owners out, another weak point of the bc liars is all these $16 an hour jobs they're supposedly creating, just from their attack on unions and their disastrous effect on our economy, the worst performing provincial economy in canada for three and one half years they must have desroyed THOUSANDS of $16 an hour jobs...it's my belief that most of the $16 an hour jobs they have "created" are short term consruction jobs using scab ripoff outfits like "Labour Ready," that charge companies about $16 an hour keep $8 for every hour worked, and give construction workers the pittance of $8 an hour to live on, under bc neoliberal new math these jobs then become THEIR version of $16 an hour jobs, which typical of the bc liars steal from those who need the money most, to give to their friends who need it least....let's try and get that one in the mainstream media, down with corporate parasites, up with RESPONSIBLE CORPORATIONS, if there are any left...

By the way, these Labour Ready "$16 an hour jobs" can last as little as one day.....

This just in on cbc 6pm news, a bc liberal mla backbencher has just spoken out AGAINST gordon liar's idiotic decision to build bc ferries in europe, the bc liars have also just declared their intent to open up the chilcotin park to strip mining and logging to the outrage of both locals and first nations, if there's another way to betray p[eople other than their friends and owners, the bc liars will find it!!

Actually Lewis, that MLA has backtracked a few leagues regarding his opinion of the ferrys. He now says that it would have been nice to build them here but that the industrial workers are simply uncompetitive when compared to Europe. What he is really saying is that socialism works better than capitalism because that European socialist haven can do it better and cheaper than good ol' BC enterprize.

Methinks this liberal ferry fiasco will go unchallenged for the most part because of the ndp ferry fiasco...who is left to speak up for our ever dwindling marine industry that has any clout and credibility? In their defence, the ndp at least provided jobs and more importantly training....too bad they were listening to guys like jack Munro instead of naval architects. Editor, now there's a meaty story for us.....the birth and slow death of shipbuilding in b.c.

It's disappointing to read the posts on here, and see no one speaking for the majority of British Columbians who want neither the N.D.P. or the Liberals, as shown in recent polls. Don't think Gordon Campbell doesn't appreciate having the N.D.P. as the main opposition, as Klein and Harris have in the past. With Carol James threatening to move the N.D.P. further to the left, getting reelected gets that much easier. These neo-conservative parties can't survive with a capable middle of the road party in opposition. Campbell recognized this in the mid 90's when he turned the up and coming Liberal party into something much farther to the right than the Socreds. He basically killed two birds with one stone. Our province desperately needs a party to once again position themselves in the middle where most of the voting block is. The polarization of the 5ears is tearing our province apart.

As a matter of fact, bryan of nelson, it is my understanding that carole james is positioning the ndp in the center, modelling herself, after gary doer's extremely successful center left party in manitoba, despit canwest's desperate attempts to portray her as a commie pinko, as I see it, james can move futher to the left and still appear vey centrist compared to gordon liar, as long as she appears to be neither betraying nor pandering to the unions...please tell all your friends in nelson, about the tyee, bryan, ....you also have an excellent kootenay based website Kootenay Cuts Information exchange which details the impacts of gordon liar on bc's most vulnerable, thanks for the update, eddie, I'm not surprised as backpedalling, back stabbing and crawling up the fraser institute's backdoor are three things the bc liars excell at, besides lies and cowardice, jean, that should read balls the size of a chipmonk's, good thing you're not reading this...

I have just heard from the Chipmonk Antidefamation League, and they are furious....

Yah Lewis, it's hard to find an BC LIB MLA standing up for his own opinion. The last time I saw my MLA in public, she started her speech with "On behalf of Gordon Campbell...". One of them has vowed to fight SE2 tooth and nail so look out. Claiming the Americans will pollute our airspace while at the same time we sell them juice from similar plants like our own Burrard Thermal has got to be the ultimate hipocracy.

Tell it, eddie, it's hard to decide who to sue first...

Bigger Picture... I think the left could do with some improvements in getting out a message in addition to "What the right is doing is harmful and wrong." The recent Tyee articles on health care, education and welfare reform are very informative and helpful, but I would also hope that some progressives in BC can better determine how stories are framed, as linguist George Lakoff talks of in an interview "Can progressives reframe the political debate? With George Lakoff. Dated Feb 17, 2004" available at... http://www.yourcallradio.org/archive/archive.html One interesting segment of the interview is his discussion of the think tank The Center for American Progress and how they have openly admitted to neglecting framing issues. Perhaps the The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives similarly pays little attention to framing issues.

Like the way canwest media "framed" glen clark? The left is keeping its powder dry so the vancover scum doesn't spend the next ten months framing carole james as far to the left of chairman mao, as they are just itching to do...see adrian dix' online column at the victoria colonist website for an excellent explanation of just how idiotic building the next set of ferries in germany is...see also the comments of geoff plant, a lawyer who would have been perfectly at home as a stategist for the third reich and his IDIOTIC comments about the kelly ellard trial, and how the american companies are just Bound to pay way more attention to bc privacy laws, than the us patriot act...How can people vote for human filth like this??

Not to worry. Canadians reject the Bushits and their neocon agenda. Gordo can wedge, use newspeak, and get all the backing of the elite's propaganda rags and tv he wants: We are Canadians. No 45 million stadium zealots and ubber nationalism to exploit. Neocons have had their day.

The best news from Good time Gordo will be " unfortunately the citizens of British Columbia have spoken and for all their follies they could not see all the good that the Liberals and myself have done. blah, blah , blah..." There won't be a dry eye in the house, but the rest of us will rejoice........ adios el Gordo and take the band of fools with you.

May it be so -let's grow that voter's list with ndp supporters....

You also forgot to mention this aboot Labour Ready: They charge their 'slaves' other fees too such as equipment rental fees(hard hat, gloves, glasses) as well as transportation fees. The average Labour Ready slave will get just under 40 bucks a day. Least that's how it is here in London.

Its been nine hours and no one has written anything to me. I need your support friends. Im furios. Fucking assholes want to here my written word you better fuckin respond. Just forget it. I AM OUTTA HERE LOSERS>peace out^

Its been nine hours and no one has written anything to me. I need your support friends. Im furios. Fucking assholes want to here my written word you better fuckin respond. Just forget it. I AM OUTTA HERE LOSERS>peace out^

The above two comments are of course not mine but the pathetic little pimp who thinks it's immensely clever to either cut or paste my comments, or pretend to be me...as to the labor ready comment, absolutely correct, I once put in a brutal 8 houurs for them, and my check came to about 40 dollars, try and see if you can get others there and stand on a corner, after phoning all the contractors you know and telling them where you'll be, -work for 12 dollars an hour, which will save the contractor $4 an hour, many contractors don't like outfits like labor ready, or just ask the contractors for their number or get it out of a phone book, sometimes just going through the yellow pages and calling contractors will help as well. There used to be canada manpower day labor centers, which often led to long term if not permanent jobs, but chretien in an idiotic shortsighted move that "saved" about 4 million a year shut them down in the early nineties...I strongly suspect that a great deal of the "$16 an hour jobs," gary feral colon talks "creating" in vancouver's booming construction industry fueled solely by low interest rates, and having NOTHING to do with bc liberal policies, are in fact labour ready jobs, in reality LESS than $8 an hour after fees, this is also a gap that could be filled by other groups creating nonprofit day labour offices, such as municipal and provincial groups, and labor unions who ought be concerned about decent wages being undermined by these parasites, when I did day labour we often used to get temporary union work at $14 an hour in the eighties, when that was not bad money...best of luck, london, ontario, thanks for your post...oh, don't forget people, that many of these labor ready "jobs" last one day only, what a pack of liars!!

I disagree that Carol James is moving the NDP more to the left (according to Bryan/Nelson above) -- quite the opposite -- I and others see her as a moderate. As a matter of fact, many folks worked on James' NDP leadership campaign because she is more mainstream along with being fiscally responsible, very intelligent and possessing no end of integrity (a rare quality that may, in fact, be a hindrance in the political arena). However, the reality is that many of the voting public refuse to open their minds and see how well the Liberals have shafted them and our province. Those of us working in government can see things up close. I used to work in government communications (there are no end of stories). Just wait till the Libs have our medical services taken over by an American company and our personal information is legally obtainable by the US government. This looks like it will go through... a legal opinion tells me that the Lib govt can't fudge it... the US Patriot Act does apply to US companies operating in other countries... but they would rather go ahead with their plans than have to admit that the BCGEU is right about the US Patriot Act... sure, the union wants to protect jobs first and foremost but they are also right about how the US Patriot Act will give the US rights to our medical information... but the Libs have to balance the budget, and that's all that matters, it seems...

Carole James. Gordo is just in happy ho-ho heaven with James and the Green Party leader? Carr Both women in a men's political night club. Rita and Kim lasted about the length of a fruit fly's life. Ya, he and his crew of thieves and pond developers can't wait to see those two duke it out. Watch. Collins I amtold wants to pump up Carr to even split the vote more. Another 4 years of camp[bell for sure, maybe 8!!!

That photo op of Pattison and Glen Clark whilst coming off Pattisons 'luxary liner' says it all. Anyone from the left (including Dosanj) can be bought for a price. If the majority of people have no troubles in their back yard and dollar signs hurling from the surplus are evident through the media then the Liberals should pull into the dominant forefront with Ralph Klein, where the Conservatives have 33 years of government. As for the minority of people who are genuinely hurting from the cuts, don't get arrested by the fast growing police force that protects the millionaire gangsters and kicks the shit out of the poor. Hide and don't complain. British Alberta......

Glen Clark is out of politics and he is working with Pattison Signs. It is a job; it is not being "bought for a price". Dosanj is a federal Liberal, which is substantially different from the BC Liberals. The federal Liberals are more like the NDP than they are like the BC Liberals, so this too is not being "bought for a price".

jim, you think that Kim Campbell and Rita Johnson are examples of what happens with women politicians? Did you notice the women in politics in Washington State? Are we that much different from them?

Hi.. me and my partner ****** are doing a debate on this topic.. the topic is 'that the maximum number of kids in a class should be 20 kids' and we are negative. Give us ideas!!