Friday, April 16, 2010

The Road Less Travelled

I want to thank my faithful readers for everything you do for me, you fine folk are a growing army, voices of passion, of dissent, of anger, I would like to thank Ross K over at the "Pacific Gazetteer"...The link to his site is in the blogroll, I am not sure if Ross K was sick and tired of me bugging him, sending him stories but last year Ross sent me a link to blogger and said "Go Blog" ...Well here we are, lets change the world,well maybe we can clean up our own back yard first!

There is something wrong in British Columbia, seriously wrong, I watch our Government at work in the Victoria legislature, actually that isn`t correct, this isn`t a Government, children don`t behave that badly in school, questions are asked about funding cuts for daycare or education or for sports groups, arts groups, bed closures etc etc .....And all we hear as answers are stories about the 90s and blathering about record funding, it`s nauseating, I wanted to touch on this record funding claim, whether it be for schools , health, special needs or whatever else Government spends money on, it`s absolutely ridiculous, look at the price of homes in Vancouver, they have never been higher, does that mean you`re buying a better home than that of the 80s or 90s? The price of tomatoes has never been higher, the price of asparagas has never been higher, price of steaks, price of medicines, price of electricity has never been higher, price of Natural gas, property taxes have never been higher, look folks I could go on and on about how the cost of everything has never been higher, costs go up year after year yet wages have been flat for decades, minimum wage has been frozen for 9 years, the point I`m trying to make is this, despite all these costs going up, these costs do not translate into more service or an improved service, electricity is the same as decades ago, city services are the same, nothing has changed in schools, education isn`t any better than decades past.

There are more people every year, more people shop in the US every year, more people take transit every year, more people watch the Olympics every year, more cell phone users, yet I watch question period and these things, these Liberals stand up and bluster about record this and record that but the bottom line is it doesn`t mean anything, the Campbell Government has turned into a joke, scandal after scandal, stinky insider deals that make even the most naive person say whoa, yet the media reports next too nothing, the most blatant lies are told and the media stays silent....Friends, we all remember the Polish guy who got tasered 5 times at the airport, a team of cops, one non-english speaking visitor and if not for the video the story would have died, these cops blatantly lied, why did it take pressure from a foreign country to resolve the case, I guarantee if it was a BC citizen the story would have never been resolved.


It has now been revealed that the BC Finance department immediately following our last election was in talks with Ottawa on the HST deal, the deficit, $495 million dollar maximum to over $3billion dollars right after the election, it wasn`t on our radar, revenues declined by billions in the month after the election, we had no idea, the lies are so blatant, so pathetic, even yesterday when the funeral people disclosed an average burial will cost $700 more dollars in taxes and Colin Hansen speaks drivel about the funeral parlour not having to pay pst on a new carpet so funerals costs will go down, the lie is so bad, Hansen even looks like he is lying, gordon Campbell makes these same lies, remember the carbon tax, Gordon Campbell made the statement that the carbon tax was the equivalent of taking 400,000 cars off the road each year, another whopper, the Port Mann bridge, even before they had a shovel in the ground there was a big photo-op stating, the Port Mann bridge is one year ahead of schedule. When is Chris Galais going to start a news broadcast by saying, it`s obvious that Gordon Campbell and Colin Hansen are lying, why do they persist in lying to the voters!

What is going on, shouldn`t the reporters covering the stories start to laugh, shouldn`t they say to Colin Hansen, "you can`t be serious, are you joking, have you been drinking" isn`t that what the media should be reporting, the lies are spinning out of control, any decent parent would drag a lying child to the bathroom and stick a bar of soap in their child`s mouth or ground them, who would put up with this?


Meanwhile I watch question period and, for example when the BC Rail case was heating up last year and when questions were asked on BC Rail, the answer from Wally Oppal or Gordon Campbell would be "we can`t say nothing it`s before the court" and the BC Liberals will thump their tables and laugh and clap like trained seals, why are they clapping, I think the Liberals should wear paper bags over their heads in the legislature, why do we need to see their faces, why do we need to pay extra money to ministers to say back in the 90s or it`s before the court? ...The Liberals might think it`s a game but it`s not, when they laugh and giggle in the legislature their laughing at the public, could you imagine answering questions to a judge or a school teacher, you would be charged with contempt of court or sent to the principle`s office, we are a banana Republic in British Columbia, the Vancouver Sun, Canwest Global, CTV news, Colin Hansen talks like a child lying badly and the media closes it`s eyes and ears, yet they spin every Government announcement, I guarantee the HST will get enough signatures in all 85 ridings, I know the initiative isn`t binding, there are well over 5000 canvassers collecting signatures, if Gordon Campbell avoids the million signatures we will do "Recall in the Fall" and succeed, because friends, Kash Heed will be gone very soon, that means we only need to recall 6 ridings, unlike the HST initiative the Recall campaign canvassers don`t have to be from that riding, what I mean is that I can`t collect signatures for the HST petition in any other riding but the one I vote in, but with "Recall in the Fall" the canvassers don`t have to be from that riding, so what I am saying is there will be no problem finding canvassers for Recall, we already have over 5000 energetic heroes, I can picture it now, 500 canvassers recalling Point Grey, 500 canvassers in each of the 6 riding gathering signatures for "Recall in the Fall".

Recall is binding, us activists, the angry, the fed-up, all of us in BC can make history, this will mean a new era of politics in BC, never again will Provincial Governments blatantly lie and betray the people, they will know they can be removed, there have been some great comments here at The Straight goods, I was particularly impressed with the last one my dear friend BC Mary made on the Keith Baldrey post, the line-ups, smiles, citizens feeling empowered, I went to our local bingo hall, 60 older ladies and 50 rushed over to sign the petition!

I have always taken the road less travelled, I have never marched to the beat of the drummer, it`s something my Dad taught me, but friends that less travelled road is getting crowded, one voice, ten voices, a thousand voices, a million voices, Gordon Campbell is going to buckle or be hauled out of Government, no more folks, we will not be pushed around anymore, I`m not sure why Ross K pointed me to the road less travelled but I am glad he did, I found allies, BC Mary, Gary E, Norman Farrell,Leah, Will McMartin, Evil Eye, Kam Lee,Laila, Jaydee, G West, Crankpants,Kootcoot and many many more, the Road Less Travelled was always here, with your help we have removed the locked gate, not long ago I was almost ready to give up, move, leave, but I feel the change, something really special is happening in British Columbia, it`s called democracy, a new Government will emerge, empowered people, even energy purchase agreements, they don`t scare me anymore we can tear them up.

It`s true, you can`t look up until you can`t look further down, join with me in battle, it`s going to be a long hot summer, the screams from the politicians will be deafening, time to water the tree of democracy with the blood of tyrants and patriots.

The Straight Goods

Cheers-Eyes Wide Open

17 comments:

Evil Eye said...

If you love this province; if you wish democracy in our province; we must stand up to this Fascist dictator Campbell; we must stand in unity against his seething corruption.

We must unite in our efforts to prevent the wealthy elites from maintaining their way of life on the backs of middle class taxpayers.

We were brought up to expect better, not to see who can slither the furthest in the mire sinister government. We are but a few steps from 1984, where "Big Campbell" rules all. It is a good versus evil fight and a fight it is.

Our forefathers fought against evil and now evil has found a roost in BC and the fight is here.

The HST debate has drawn a line in the sand, only Campbell and his malodorous acolytes have failed to see this.

Death or glory boys and girls, death and glory!

Anonymous said...

Hansen has already introduced the HST, in the House of Commons. It is said, a province can't cancel anything Federal. Even if the HST, was to be debated in parliament, all Harper has to do, is, not bring the HST to the table, and prorogue parliament once more, that will kill it dead right there. Harper, Iggy, Campbell and Hansen, all of them stabbed the citizens in the back, concerning the HST. We are not dealing with decent, honest, government officials. Canada is corrupt to the core. I don't know if anyone caught W-5 last week, of how the CRA, cheats Canadian's out of millions of dollars. They especially prey on the aged, and low income people, they are too old and too afraid to fight back. The couple on the program and the theft from a Prince George couple, netted the CRA 10 million dollars. They are accused of, terrorizing the citizens into paying what they don't owe. They are accused of, using Nazi tactics and threats. There is a class action against the CRA, and there is to be a petition coming out, to abolish the CRA. And this is what our government resorts to. I think Alberta is right, the west must separate from the east. The west's tax dollars, would stay in the west. We would not have to pay Federal taxes. There would be no thieving CRA. We could get rid of Campbell and Hansen, that alone would convince me. Corruption, would be so much easier to control. The first S.O.B caught in corruption, would be kicked off the planet. Chretien, had said, he didn't like the western people. The east has always been their own country for, absolutely decades and decades. Western citizens, are fed up with the east dictating to the west. The east will be happy to get rid of the west. The western provinces, are not French speaking, and the east are forever, trying to force the French language down our throats. So, there is a lot of resentment on both sides. Separating would diffuse that anger.

Anonymous said...

Grant - You are our own version of the Posse Comitatus. You are the new sherriff in town. Go get 'em tiger.

BC Mary said...

Aw, Jeez ... what kind of talk is this?

Grant, these three comments are so divisive and ugly, where in the world are they coming from?

Sorry, dear friend, but I say Beware. You're one of a kind. You know that. We know and value that. Apparently "they" don't know that.

Jeez. Is nothing sacred?
.

Leah said...

Separation sounds good on paper, but what happens when you end up with another "Campbell-like" government who will do ANYTHING to stay in power? And what do you do with a media who will say or do ANYTHING to keep them there. We're already dealing with that - look how damaging it's been to the province as a whole.

What do you do with a corrupted court system you can't straighten out because they serve their own good first? What, or whose law do you keep? BC's? Canada's? Make up your own? Who decides? How are the decisions arrived at? Who has the vested interest?

Will you keep the RCMP? What do you do with a private police force when they decide they want more power? Or when they see crime pays better than their government? Look to South America and Mexico..

What about the corporations already resident in BC...do they lose their person-hood status? Are they allowed to contribute to political parties at all? If so, how much? Saying no to either of those will likely see them close shop, then what? Separation will also likely bring down the US government on the "new country"..they OWN the resources of BC...do you really believe they'd allow a change? Yes, "allow"...who do you think is behind all the upheaval in this province?

When you say "West"...what west are you talking about? BC? BC and AB? BC, AB, SK, MB, and the NWT? What area, and how much area does this separation cover?

Separation does have many good points, but while the angels have always debated what to do with the good, the demons have taken it and molded it into their tool. Let's face it, Eastern Canada would let go of Quebec before they'd let go of the West - we've been their wallet for years. That's not about to change.

It might be a nice dream for some, to separate from Canada, but beware...dreams can turn to nightmares in an instant.

PS: If you don't like what is presented by the mainstream political parties, look for secondary ones like the BC ReFederation Party. They have some excellent ideas that need wings and voices.

Failing that, be the change you wish to see.

Anonymous said...

Mary, That would be an act of desperation, to separate. But, the feeling is, if someone doesn't get some control over Campbell and Hansen, this province could crash again. I happen to value Grants blogs, however, if your a senior or, a low income family, or a single mother of two, living on $8.00 per hour, you would panic too. How in the hell, can these people survive? The budget, seems like it was done by a lunatic, compound that with the insane HST, and the number of homeless will double. Price gouging goes unchecked. Now you convince me, a senior living on $1000 per month, can pay $14.00 for one chicken, $4.79, for one loaf of bread? That bread jumped $1.59 more, in less than a week. $235 the annual rebate is nothing but a joke, those people need, $235 per month more, and, that still is not enough to live on. No one seems to get it, and they are so out of touch, you don't understand. There are hundreds of, people who have less money to live on, than a governing officials booze bill. You obviously, have enough to live on, so you will not notice, all the increases. However, some of us had to sell our vehicles and household goods, to catch up on bills. Seniors, have no tax deductions, so the tax man takes another chunk. We can all add and subtract Mary. I saw a knock down drag out fight, the French tourists, were demeaning some of the western people, and, the way the western people were so gauche. I saw another incident in Kelowna, they were taking up the entire sidewalk, so people were forced to walk on the road to get by them. I lived in a tourist town, and, they were the worst offenders. However, if separation from the east would, make it easier, to live our lives, with just, a teeny bit of happiness, for the most unfortunate citizens, that would do it for me and thousands of other low income people, just like me. Quebec wants to separate, I don't hear even one squawk from any one of you about that.

Grant G said...

Let`s keep this focused, i`m not talking about breaking up Canada, let me be clear, neither Stephen Harper or Iggy are representing the public, there is no difference between those parties.

I want to concentrate on BC.....When Shirley Bond boldly lies her face off about BC Rail there should be headlines in the Vancouver Sun stating "Shirley Bond is lying, what is she hiding"

When Colin Hansen makes ridiculous statements about funeral parlours getting tax back when they replace their carpet again there should be headlines saying "Colin Hansen is a buffoon"

There should be headlines in the Province newspaper saying "Why does Gordon Campbell lie, why does the Premier continue to laugh ot the voters, why does Gordon Campbell break the law"

With a successful HST initiative and a successful "Recall in the Fall" campaign no politician will mock the will of the people,politicians need to know that they will be punished for lying!

Like children, teenagers, or the downtown drug bazzaar, if you allow them to act inappropriately without consequences they won`t stop, Tiger Woods, he wouldn`t stop being a pig until he got caught with his face covered with mud!

"Democracy lost" For if we, the public allow Gordon Campbell to Lie, cheat, ignore, steal our assets for his friends without paying the piper it will get worse and worse!

This is about reigning in a Government corrupted.

I will refuse to buy anything in BC under HST, I will deliberately harm the economy, all we have gotten from Gordon Campbell is the "stick"

Well friends, I am going to give Gordon Campbell the stick in return, i`m going to buy out of Province, out of Copuntry, I will offer to pay in cash without taxes, if they refuse I will walk away.

We have a choice, today is decision day, are we a democratic Province or are we a corrupt banana Republic!

Anonymous said...

To Anonymous April 16, 2010 7:54 AM

I would suggest that Grant has enough on his plate.
If your advocating Western separation go to this site.

http://www.westcan.org/

Henri Paul

Anonymous said...

Jeez you guys let's stick to getting rid of the cabal,it was good to hear those three pathetic wimps on the top feeding scum dog no news all the time ndumbell you,are there any crows left I think baldry dash,vaughn the pawn palmer and micheal sniff ate them all today,those three pukes,have no self respect or any respect for us,little do they know how badly their credibility,as reporters(ha)has diminished their capacity to give us any information what so ever their careers are all but over frankly I'm surprised how they can walk the streets without being booed and jeered after all its their fault to,they as reporters were in trusted to uphold democracy and do their due diligence but no,they chose to spread the campbell doctrine and for that I would hope that they not be trusted again and loose all the status they have achieved simply to say we were wrong like they did today is not enough and they were wrong,and they wronged us now it's time to pay the piper!SHAME ON YOU!GENUINE.

Anonymous said...

I just returned from the Bill Vanderzalm speech in Nanaimo. No matter what the local rag states here in Nanaimo, the attendance was at minimum 200 people. Not bad considering Victoria had only 300 according to the T/Colonist. He is definetly a man on a mission and I'm proud to be part of his team on this one. One question answered today was that anyone registered as a canvasser can canvass in any riding in the Province against the HST. Cheers all we will as Grant says win this one and once in for all the Gordo is on the road to being ousted.

Anonymous said...

And the LIEberals are set to announce the Site C dam project will go ahead next week. Another $7 billion boondoggle for BC taxpayers when BC Hydro does not need the electricity and we are an exporter of electricity. Hope you write about that one Grant and lay out the straight goods.

Crankypants said...

Grant is correct to point out that we, the citizens of BC, must take care of issues that impact us most. If people bring too many things to the fore, many will become confused and most likely lose interest. The HST has been the biggest catalyst to highten people's political interest in many a moon. The citizens are focused on this issue and we must take advantage of that. We must also think of the initiative as a stepping stone to "RECALL IN THE FALL".

As Grant and many commenters have pointed out, do not expect any help from the MSM. Their objectivity on things political disappeared many years ago and I see no changes going forward.

Once recall has some success, and we've got the politicians' attention, then it will be time to tackle the system under which we live. If no changes come forward then sooner or later the citizens of both BC will be left to face more of the same crap.

The political system under which we live was developed by politicians and the elite for politicians and the elite, and until that is changed the citizenry will forever be relegated to the back of the bus.

Cam

jaydee said...

1. HST petitions
2. Recall in the fall
3. Our team to push for proportional representation voting system, both provincially and federally so everyone's vote counts.

Go Team Go!

jaydee said...

Grant...The average price of a detached home in Vancouver has now reached $1 million for the first time ever. No reason for homeowners in Vancouver to jump for joy....the truth being that the market is out of control due to organized crime and the high paid lawyers following the organized crime there and buying up all the high end homes. Lotsa gang wars and shootings to come. This is Campbell's best place on earth. He's right at home there.
Jean

RossK said...

Hey, Grant!

Don't blame me....it's all your doing.

Well, OK, maybe I did give you a little nudge because I think that everybody should have the ability to voice their opinions - and clearly you had lots of (mostly?) pretty good ones.

_____

Now, I hate to go all off-topic on you, but.....

I'm running a marathon over at my place this weekend that you and your readers just might be a wee bit interested in, here.

.

Crankypants said...

I just went to the BC government website to do a little information gathering on the exemptions that are currently applicable to the PST. Well it looks as if our most open and honest government has decided to deny anyone access to this information. When you choose consumer taxation you are brought to a page that states that your access is denied.

Obviously Hansen doesn't want us to know the extremely lengthy list of PST exemptions many businesses have been getting and as such not passing them onto the consumer.

How low will these SOBs stoop?

Cam

Crankypants said...

To update my last posting, I went back to some of your articles from last year and through your links was able to find what I was looking for of the government website.

I still don't like the fact that they have either closed the front door.

I've got to admit that navigating some of these government sites isn't a walk in the park, but I think that the government will make it as difficult as possible for the great unwashed to disprove many of their assertions.

Cam