Today on CKNW they made a big issue about Craig James receiving so-called threats a few months ago, why today did it come up, another attempt to intimidate recall canvassers and democracy, because of the shooting in Arizona we are supposed become gentle lambs.....Before anyone feels sorry for Craig James we must examine the record...
#1)Craig James shouldn`t be in the position he is in, the chief electoral officer is supposed to be elected by the house, a bi-partisan position, the BC Liberals had months if not years to prepare and or nominate a chief electoral officer.
2)The BC Liberals appointed Craig James as a temporary Chief electoral officer.
3)Craig James upon taking on his temporary position immediately fired the second in charge at Elections BC...And it was obvious that the Campbell Liberals were not happy with elections BC for not allowing the HST propaganda to be sent out, the firing by Craig James smells of revenge and messaging.
4)Craig James then refused to send the successful HST petition to the Government committee, it wasn`t his choice to not send the petition, Craig James was(IMO) colluding with big business to squash the petition.
5) Craig James in the recall campaign made an ass out of himself by changing the Oxford dictionary explanation of the meaning of acronyms, in other words he held up the recall campaign and made it very difficult for the Oak Bay recall to succeed, Elections BC under Craig James has allowed attack ads by Phil Hocstein and the BC Liberals lying about recall, calling recall a re-fight of the election and a secret NDP plot....Elections BC under Craig James has given the impression whether real or perceived that Election`s BC is working in cahoots with the ruling BC Liberal Government.
So today CKNW staff and the three stooges try to give legs to the story that recall canvassers are rabid politician killers, the majority of today`s cutting ledge show was dedicated to trying to grow the Craig James story, ...Sorry stooges, your segment was a bust as is the Craig James story, the man is a bought and sold puppet who has failed the non-political office of Elections BC...And...Craig James will be FIRED in a matter of months when the MLAs vote for an agreed new chief electoral officer, a new Chief voted in by group agreement, ....Adios craig James, your days are numbered.
So the stooges waste most of the show on Craig James and in the last few minutes of today`s cknw stage play all three crickets were nodding(bobbing for apples) in agreement that no BC Rail inquiry is required, what a laugh, every caller wants an inquiry, all interested observers, pundits, scholars, 90% of BCers demand an inquiry into BC Rail yet Bill Good/Palmer and Balderdash live in the minority bubble, their motives are political and their credibility is shot, Tom Plasteras must be ashamed of what CKNW and Bill Good have morphed into!.
So beside the crickets chirping against a BC Rail inquiry, attacking HST re-callers and laughing at the NDP the show was pathetic.....And CKNW wasn`t done, cue Michael Smyth....
Michael Smyth goes on a giant rant against Mike Farnsworth and how he responded yesterday to questions on Moe Sihota and big labour, I will be the first to admit, Farnsworth was bobbing and weaving and trying to ignore the question of Moe Sihota and big labour, like I said in the past, Farnsworth has no ability to think on his feet, let me be perfectly clear, I could care less if labour is connected to the NDP but Moe Sihota is toxic, Moe Sihota must go, not because he is getting paid but because his advice has been brutal and his name incites and draws out ill feelings, Sihota poison must be flushed from the party.
The Smyth segment today then went on a rant how big labour will be running the NDP and guess who Michael Smyth brings on air to discuss the issue, no other than Phil Hocstein, the anti- labour, anti-ever raising the minimum wage mouth piece!....Hocstein went on and on how the big labour movement controls the NDP, Hocstein was down right angry and called the NDP out over and over again, oh indeed Hocstein bemoaned....."The NDP controlled by the big bad labour movement"....Cue laughter here!!
First off, what we have are two parties, one party gets donations from real people and unions, the other party(the Liberals) gets millions from big corporations, how come the NDP get villified about a minor labour connection yet nobody says diddly about Teck Cominco or Plutonic power, Marine harvest fish farmers donating millions to the BC Liberals but the skullduggery of labour giving the party of workers and families a few dollars, oh the humanity!
I embrace the labour movement, but calling it a movement is a sad joke, it`s the last bastion of old tired ideology that exists only in the minds of CKNW stooges and BC Liberal press releases, where is the big labour movement, even Phil Hocstein admits over 80% of construction is non-union, British Columbia has the lowest minimum wage by a country mile, where is that big bad labour movement, what about our steelworkers union, what about the foresters, unions are not getting stronger but weaker, labour has been losing for 30 years while corporate profits and piggery from the top brass has never been more insulting to average joes, the S&P group of companies sitting on trillions of dollars while workers go wanting, wanting a job, benefits, security....
Workers have lost around the world to corporate greed, wages flat for decades while costs escalate and consumer taxes become the new-in-vogue method of Government funding while corporate relief demands are met, more power to shareholders and when the big boys swap companies, change hands, lawyers destroy existing pensions and slash benefits, around the globe we hear of Austerity measures(Cutting consumer paid for benefits).....Entitlements that Governments promised for decades but never bothered funding have been slashed or eliminated while the big gamblers, Wall Street, derivatives, credit default swaps, these people, the rating agencies cheated and screwed the world economy, they played their games and when they got in trouble went cap-in-hand to Governments for bail outs....Wealthy corporations outsourcing jobs to the lowest slave labour country, entire towns and communities abandoned for a few more dollars in shareholder`s pockets...
The big labour movement, what`s left of our forest workers have taken concession after concession, cut wages, everything goes up year after year yet wages are falling, guarantees are gone, benefits slashed and it`s still not enough, there is no big labour movement, it`s a fairy tale from the past, big labour made some advancements for workers in the 80s and early 90s, big labour, all labour has been decimated over the last 20 years.....
So why didn`t Farnsworth tell it the way it is....John Horgan won`t run from labour, he will embrace labour, I`m not talking about Moe Sihota, Sihota has to go but union support, labour support, people power, that is the NDP, big business will never raise the minimum wage, they won`t volunteer benefits or perks, the drum gets beaten everyday by Hocstein and Michael Campbell and the Fraser institute, wages too high, too many entitlements, unsustainable health care...CUT CUT CUT,SLASH SLASH SLASH....
Why can`t politicians think before they speak, why can`t people see how a little union support and labour standards benefit the vast majority of the people, without unions, without sacrifices by our fathers, ancestors and worker groups we would be slaves, there would be land owners and workers.....
Big labour died 20 years ago, the left right divide between workers and free enterprise doesn`t exist in real life, we as NDP must embrace the union, we must welcome labour, we must celebrate our roots, if a reporter, a pundit throws big labour in our face we must not cower but attack, the worker bees aren`t bringing down North America and Europe...Corporate greed is! Corporate excess and fraud has changed the world and unless we take a stand against the BC Liberals and federal Cons we will soon be nothing but a third world banana republic.
The Straight Goods
Cheers-Eyes Wide Open
19 comments:
Grant, another excellent column! But I'm surprised that you haven't mentioned Gordo Scampbell's favourite union CLAC (Christian Labour Association of Canada).
They are not part of the BC Fed - they are a LIEberal employers' rat union and CLAC might even be the fastest growing in BC.
CLAC now represents workers on:
1. The Port Mann Bridge/Hwy 1 project.
2. The Sea to Sky Highway project.
3. Rogers Arena (GM Place).
4. The new BC Place Stadium roof.
5. Coal mines/ metal mines in interior BC.
And on and on. Gordo's buddies - the Ledcor's, etc. bring in these rat unions and Gordo helped them along the way. Gordo even has appeared at CLAC BBQ's! Why doesn't the MSM report on this crap?
Oh Grant, I signed up 23 people this week to join the NDP on behalf of John Horgan!!!! Woot woot!
We can expect much more of the endless anti union drumbeat from all the usual places,but a hell of a lot more from our corporate owned media. smyth is smart enough not to alienate himself from such a large segment of the population as just fair minded decent folk,especially when the ndp are no threat,but now the media paymasters and campbell wannabees are very afraid.It`s now going to be necassary to risk sounding shrill and lunatic if it means discreditting the ndp in any way.smyth can have a long future in bc journalism but he should try to be at least a little bit balanced.bill good and co. are totally discreditted.they just sound pathetic,to be fair to palmer,what the hell has happened to him?is he so broke that he`d sell his credentials the way he did.Iv`e worked with a lot of newfoundlanders over my lifetime,never met one that would suck hole to money and power like he does.
And now Global and CTV are commenting to the public (those that still believe every word they spew) that the recall campaign of Ida Chong is due to fail.
Complete with a comments from a viewer saying that it is one thing to sign a petition saying you don't like a tax and another that will cost someone their job.
Alive and well is the 'NOW GENERATION' who believes the philosophy that they will ALWAYS HAVE A JOB, no government will ever take it away because they are not like those people that have lost their jobs, houses, pensions, benefits.
And have no FOWARD THINKING ( the new 'catch phrase' of the wealthy corporations) as to what will happen to them when they become less employable cause they are making too much money and there is someone in the wings who will work for six bucks an hour.
Sad, pathetic world live in.
Remember solidarity? In the 80s Jack Monroe(Union Jack Monroe)sold out the IWA and the union movement as a whole, and the big fat pig hasn't been heard from since.
um...I believe it's Farnworth, not Farnsworth.
I know it is important to monitor the media, but I do not have the stamina to listen to the CKNW lies, let alone intelligently critique them.
So thank you for your work here. Listening to the liars and critically responding. I for one am aware that it is work.
Holy Jebus. I just read about CLAC - down right sinister and underhanded. Every day in Campbell's BC there is another rock to turn over.
Somehow their name sounds like a VD.
Just need to remember the BC Liberal track recor to date - lied to get elected (especially our crooked Campbell) and have consistanly lied ever since. Their business backers are just as bad - if not worse.
Where do we go from here - Craig James is as crooked as Campbell and also likes to "whine" about things he doesn't like.
What a bunch of moronic losers the BC Liberals are -just listen to the leadership candidates. They are all out to lunch and live in a world of their own - devoid of any truth or honesty. They are all as big a liars as the next and it seems, as bad as Campbell in every respect. They talk to the public and the press as if they are the holy grail and there is no other way - duh !
What we need to do is shake up the whole British Columbia political system and the greedy business associations. Call a general strike, bring the province to a standstill. Totally ignore the government wished - demand an immediate election, demand a FULL PUBLIC ENQUIRY into the BC Rail sale. Stop buying the Vancouver Sun and the Province - then the papers have little money and influence/input.
There is no nice way to deal with this wholesale corruption - the BC Liberal way of doing things. Unless we start to threaten to take back British Columbia wholesale, nothing will get done. The same old lies and rhetoric will continue and the BC Libs and big business will continue to screw the public.
Thanks
It never ceases to amaze me how the likes of Hochstein can slag the unions for supporting a political party but appears to think it's okay for big business to buy votes (which is illegal in this country) and support a different party.
On CLAC: this is a business controlled association that dictates to its members what their contract will be. The agree (not negotiate) on a contract that is just a puff piece then take it to their members and TELL them to ratify it. Not at all democratic. Just like the lieberals.
Speaking od democracy "if you are against recall, you are against democracy".
On the subject of the big union myth, if that is the subject.
Like it or not, unless we can control the costs of labour in this country, EVERTHING is going to be made by either India or China in the next twenty years, and that is simply true. Of course most of us will be dead by then, so we really aren't getting too serious about dealing with the problem.
Union wages are a big factor in what broke GM and Chrysler, and without MY tax bailout, those auto jobs would not exist today. It is not big business that is keeping the North American auto business afloat, it is the government.
If the North American unionized auto worker really has to compete on the world stage, something has to drastically change.
Like it or not. Big union wages are only momentarily sustainable when the taxpayer is footing the bill ie: CUPE protected public service, in all it's forms. But the day is coming and perhaps sooner rather than later, when we are going to have to face the music and become competitive in this global economy. Like it or not, if we don't figure it out, our grandkids will be living in a third world economy.
Hochstein is talking out both sides of his mouth. Had it not been for the unions, it's likely he wouldn't be sitting on his lofty perch bellowing like a wounded bull. His organization came about as a result of the negative NDP...but let's see if MSM will ever bring out that point?
If all unions were disbanded in BC today, what excuse would Hochstein have for bringing in cheap labor from other countries - and who would he bash as an excuse? That human being is enough to give me heartburn...I have a real issue with disingenuous people.
Jim, you have many good points. Great letter!
Totally disagree Jim Taylor...You cited one example of the ONLY union in the world that maintained a lavish deal...Every other union has been busted, as for public sector...
Teachers are not over paid,....As for competing with China and India..
There will be no competing, can you work for $5 dollars per day....
North America either goes bankrupt and defaults or turns into an internal economy, protectionism..
You can`t make it work...You can`t have Canadians needing hundreds of dollars per day to pay their bills and compete with workers who produce for $dollars per day...
The day is coming fast when the path must change, and that is not Canada competing with Asia but Asia competing with world standards...
Capitalism will consume itself...You can`t keeping racing to the bottom...Like the game of monopoly, eventually someone has the money and the game ends...
The game is over, you just don`t know it yet.
Super article,Grant! We definitely can't maintain the way things are going. Big Business seems to be making slaves of workers. There are no excuses for turning resources and environment over to non-B.C interests to essentially use it to line a few pockets...They were made Crown Corporations for a good reason, and should remain in the control of the people to run and prosper for all of B.C....your reply to Jim was spot on. Common sense, balance,planning for future....hope to see this in power soon. For all of Canada.
Canadian people being slaves,is all about the Bilderberg and global governance, Harper's pet harp. It is big business that really governs, they call all of the shots, and Harper is doing all of their dirty work too. Craig James whining about, threatening e-mails, is just another Campbell and James dirty tactic. Bloggers have had numerous death threats. One bloggers, wife and children, were under a death threat. A blogger, was physically attacked, shoulder checked, not only once, but twice, nearly knocking her down. Her children were with her, when the attack happened. A bloggers office, was broken into and completely trashed, with a very pointed message left for him. Canvassers are being stalked, by people in dark clothing, right up to the residents stoops. Stationary canvassers, have menacing people with "observers"? badges pinned to them, hovering over them. Campbell and Craig, had RCMP investigate seven people, who had done dual signatures, because, they didn't realize, they could only sign in their own riding. One terrorized victim, was an elderly lady in her eighties. Campbell and James, sent out letters, that threatened people they could be fined up to $10,000. Campbell got rid of, the two most honest members of Elections BC. Campbell collects people he can manipulate, into doing his dirty work for him, such as Craig James and Hochstein. However, Campbell wouldn't hesitate to call them criminals, and cut their throats, as he did to Basi and Virk, who also did Campbell's dirty work, regarding his corrupt sale of the BCR. The media and the RCMP are a disgrace to their professions. I had, three brothers, two brothers-in-law, and a sister, in the armed services, during WW11. Our young boys, were blown to bits, so we wouldn't have, evil, fascist, dictatorship, in our country. Ask the veterans, what they think of Campbell. We have the dictator, the henchmen, the propaganda media, a corrupt RCMP force, and a corrupt judicial system. Campbell's face is also, the face of evil. We must fight every day, to make sure this evil BC Liberal government, never happens to us again. BC is the most corrupt province in Canada. BC had the most job losses,in one month, because of the HST, than all of all the other provinces. BC is dead last, we are right down at the very bottom. Businesses are still closing their doors, because of the HST. People shop in the U.S.A. because of the HST, billions of dollars worth. People by the Alberta border, shop there because, of the HST. Where is all the money, Campbell and Hansen said we would save, by the merits of the HST? They must have lied AGAIN. When you e-mail and ask where the savings are, they refuse to answer. Our BC HST doesn't even stay in BC. It is sent directly to Harper, and, that's the last we have seen of that tax. Phffft, gone. That wasn't enough for Harper, he has added another 3% tax burden. My cost of living has gone into orbit. Campbell's theft and sale of our rivers, means we will be paying 55% more for our hydro. Campbell's sea to sky highway scam, that burden is also shifted on to tax payers, who will never use that road. His wealthy friends squealed, they didn't want to pay a toll, for their own road, so we have to pay it for them. A stupid retractable roof. Ida Chong eating her way through, $6.000 for her fine dining, strangely, no one will answer that question either. BC's 121,000 children living in poverty, has gone up, because of the HST. The children, are too hungry to focus on their studies. It takes, a very cruel. sadistic monster, to harm children. Campbell also has no answer, to how people on his famous, starting minimum wage at $6.00 per hour, can pay for all of his asinine taxes. Shame on the media, for supporting a monster like Campbell. They are the true propaganda ministers. There are millions of dollars, for government ads, so no bad press for Campbell, or they won't get their share of the millions. Amazing what people will sell, their souls for. GREED, how dishonorable.
There simply is no "competing" with slave labour.
We have gone seriously morally wrong in this country. We are slavers. Just because we do not see the people we subjugate and torture does not "clean it up".
Part of the solution is no longer importing goods made by slave labour it is one world - no equivocating.
Mr Taylor, the only thing that is making our society unsustainable is the top 1% who own 90% of the wealth, and until they own all of it, they will continue to cry like babies about the overpaid culprits that are keeping them from the last 10%.
Taking a look at these whiners, I ask you, just exactly what do they produce? Nothing. Have they found a cure for cancer? Have they found a way to make sure that nobody goes hungry, have they found a way to make our planet sustainable?
They spend their time buying and selling, taking over, over evaluating, bullying, raping the land, the people, the environment, then move on.
They are a pathetic lot that care about nobody but their bottom line.
Imagine this group of opportunist that, by law, using the legislation to finally gave equality to all in the US, one that made it illegal to own slaves, defined 'the Corporation' as being 'a person'.
But unlike the law that makes people accountable to laws of society, they manipulated it so that 'the Corporation' has no accountability to anyone except their shareholders.
In fact, it is against the law, yes, against the law for a corporation to care about anything or anybody except their shareholders. Sounds like nothing more then a group of thugs manipulating the legal system to exercise their power.
And then there are the people like you that spread their propaganda crap, that we must control the masses bottom line or else we can not compete.
The only reason that we are not competing is that this government backed by the wealth vultures are killing our education system, making heath care a luxury only for the rich and removing the word humanity form their creed. Sounds like the definition of a third world country to me.
So in order for them to 'get away with the theft of everything that we held dear', keep us stupid, sick, and inhuman. Hitler would do well in this day and age.
It is well documented that these 'Corporations' pay less taxes then all of the 'hunters and peckers' combined. In fact, considering the amount of cash that flows to them each year, the ratio of the amount coming in with respect to the amount of tax out is less then the ratio of the rest of us hard working, make the world go around, bottom feeders that you think should receive less pay.
Mr. Taylor, use the brain that you were given before you write about the unions and think about just who is backing the Liberal, and for that matter, the Conservative.
Those that back the 'government', the Corporations, the ones that control 90% of the wealth and have no legal obligation to the people, the environment, and are completely bankrupt in compassion, are the ones that are creating the real problems in the world today and effectively are destroying competition. It does not fit with their model.
There are those however, who really are using their brain, who study the history of the rise and fall of empires, who know too well, that these vultures leave no room for competition and will be the undoing of this empire.
Great letter 8:56!
I heard Hocstein on CKNW with Michael Smyth and both of them were pathetic. They were all over themselves that Moe Sihota was receiving money directly from the Unions. Then caller asked what was the difference between union money paying for Sihota and corporte money paying for the Liberal party president? Hocstein and Smyth sounded like a couple of dipshits trying to make the point that there was a difference, since the union money went directly to Moe. The caller stuck to his point and anyone with a grade two education could see right through the two CKNW corporate hacks. Hocstein is vile.
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