Why does the referendum on

Why does the referendum on electoral reform have almost no public profile in this campaign?

This always seems to happen - Its like no one really wants it. Is electoral reform being quietly sabotaged or what?

When the Premier and his party.............

..............flaunt the law, so do the bottom feeders of society. When the rule of law is treated with disdain by the ruling elites of BC, the low-life's feel they too can treat the law with disdain.

You can draw a straight line between the Bacon brothers and their ilk with the Gordon Campbell Liberals.

What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander!

Dunging out

Nightbloom 1 hour ago:

Electoral reform? Me thinks a major dunging out at the Rockpile is the first order of business the people of BC must contend with.

The corruption & cover-ups, half-truths & outright lies, cronyism, amorality, unctuous, clandestine, arrogant and wanton performance emanating from this Premier’s office is unacceptable in a democracy.

British Columbia has managed quite well for over 100 years using the “first past the post” system of electing government, and will likely continue to do so for another 100 years -- but another 4 years of this morally bereft regime???

Go Rafe Go

Gotta love Rafe's prose. Campbell's double standard has exceeded all previous governments. His contempt for citizens is palpable. And its only going to get more extreme. Four more years of Campbell will be a real blow to BC's long, proud history of a great province. We can only hope for a change in government.

The real sleaze

As I said to a friend, we should let all those without blame cast the first stones: they can all heave at once. But these discussions of moral turpitude need to focus of the real lapses in morality, the lies about budgets, the selling off of the commons, the faux-green propaganda and the painful level of obfuscation and outright deceit. I know, as most of beyond puberty do, people who have driven faster than they should, driven while intoxicated and conducted extra-marital affairs and who have redeemed themselves and who have become constructive and thoughtful contributors to society. However, for the kind of transgressions committed by the Campbell crew, there should be no second chances in government. They can redeem themselves by righting the wrongs or by wearing a nice set of orange coveralls for a stretch as a guest of Her Majesty.

Yeah, but

"I know, as most of beyond puberty do, people who have driven faster than they should, driven while intoxicated and conducted extra-marital affairs and who have redeemed themselves and who have become constructive and thoughtful contributors to society."

Yeah, but the important part is, for the people who manage to redeem themselves, it doesn't happen through a nominal paying of dues by crying for two seconds in front of a mike, and then continuing life in the same vein. Redemption entails an enduring change in the way one makes choices, just like weight loss that holds doesn't happen through a week's crash diet before the bikini-season, but through a true and lasting change of eating habits.

The problem with our Premier is, that when you look at the good parts, and there are some (for instance that he stood up to teachers whining over the standardized testing, while I must comnfess to being wary of James' relationship to unions, particularly the BCTF), they appear to be unconncted dots, very lonely stars in a very dark sky. But when you look at the self-serving part and the dishonest approach, there is a red thread connecting all the points, from the first day on election 'Now its OUR turn', till yesterday's lack of straight answers, or even any answers, to straight questions. There has to be a reason why the minimum wage in this province is stuck at 'unliveable', behind everybody else, yet our Premier declined to give us that reason. Poor show.

Let's put it this way: Maybe we ought to not elect Gordon Campbell. This could be what's needed for him to save his soul, redeem him as a human being, and who would be mean enough to deny him that?

Gross misuse of power

It seems that Campbell and his Liberals have grossly taken advantage of their position of power. I'm having a hard time keeping track of all the scandals they refuse to comment on and the business opportunities they have created for their supporters and fellow politicians.

A select few will benefit from the Liberal's pet projects such as fish farms, private liguor outlets, IPPs, crown land put into developers hands, and who knows what else will be uncovered next.

In my opinion, the privatization of our crown corporations sets them up to be bought out by international investors and eternally removed from our control.

Campbell has got to be stopped from selling our province out from under us one piece at a time.

Is Gordo the Donald Duck of this election?

About 40 of us where out in front of a hotel here in South Delta first thing Sat. morn. as Gordo was due to make an announcement.

It was switched at the last minute from a park to the hotel to avoid protesters-us.

Did Gordo arrive by his bus? No. He snuck in and out a car with darkened windows.
The police would not anyone into the hotel but BC Liberal supporters.

His announcement? A soccer facility will be built...but the catch is-only if BC Lib candidate Wally Opal is elected.
Isn't that vote buying?

Anyways the "big plans" are to use ALR/farmland for this field. The fact that we need this farmland is of no concern to Gordo when it comes to getting votes anyway he can.

BTW-in their usual unbiased way the major media reported there were 16 protesters instead of around 40 including 10 or more striking paramedics.

Anyways Gordo "ducked" us, the paramedics and will probably continue to "duck" anyone and everyone who is questioning his leadership and the record of the BC Liberals this election.
Quack quack.

Note to South Delta Walker - Notice.......

Next time walking about South Delta, NOTICE THE 609 BUS.

Notice no one on the 609 bus.

Notice it runs every hour.

Notice the destination on the 609 bus.

Notice it goes to Tsatu Shores and Tsawwassen First Nations.

Notice Wally Oppal lives at Tsatu Shores.

Now notice again no one on the 609.

Note well:

The premier runs TransLink and bus service is provided on a political basis.

Is this not vote buying as well?

Is this bus nothing more than a heavily subsidized school bus for Wally's daughter who attends the local high-school?

Hello Van Isle

You might want to go back to the history books. FPTP has been used in all of British Columbia's elections except for one. W.A.C. Bennett was elected during the one and only time B.C. used the alternate electoral system. He switched back to FPTP in order to maintain power.

Also, according to Guy's 'People Politics and Government', FPTP has been used in 68 of 211 world states and elects legislative representatives for 50% of the world's population.

Thanks for telling it as it

Thanks for telling it as it is Rafe. The sleeze is oozing out in a number of places.

Christy Clark

Christy Clarks program on attack ads seem to be the latest NDP attack. Not much about the liberal friends attacks on Carol James. The slime just keeps oozing. But our Mayor running for the Lieberals after failing as a NDP candidte admires the man who took the Grit out of the word Integrity. May Gordo win so we can start a Vancouver Island First Party.

How long has BC used the FPTP system?

Van Isle:

From what I can find there was some obscure “section 80” voting procedure in place in the 1949 general election, and in 1952 an “Alternative vote” was used (whatever that may have been? “Section 80 perhaps?). In 1953 the Alternative vote was used for the second and last time in a general election, and the first-past-the-post system was reinstated. That leads me to believe that the FPTP system has been used in BC since the first general election in 1871, so with the exception of those five years between 1949 and 1953, it would seem that FPTP has been in vogue for 133 years.

But then I’m no rocket surgeon, nor a political historian.

politicians

webester states; a politician is one engaged in political offices for selfish or other narrow short run interests.
no mention of intergrity, honesty or loyalty, so why are we whining? we get what we deserve for all our ambivalance.