So the federal Liberal Party wants (again) to make inroads in BC and the West! But they clearly still don’t get it, so they won’t get it. Get it?
At their weekend convention, according to The Vancouver Sun, the “new” Liberals actually reasoned that “a new spirit of openness and a policy in favour of legalizing and pot will help breathe life into the Liberal Party in Western Canada”.
What an insult!
I’m surprised they didn’t also pass motions saying the Libs LOVE wheat, oil, salmon, samosas and dim sum … to really reach out to the West in 2012.
Do they think we didn’t notice that when the subject of giving BC and Alberta our DESERVED RIGHT to additional Commons seats, the Libs weren’t exactly defending our rights?
From the Windsor Star Jan 3: “The NDP and Liberals criticized the bill for relying on the population formula and for the speed at which it was rushed through Parliament and the Senate before receiving royal assent.”
Well, we already knew the federal NDP had sold out BC and the West during the last election, as Jack Layton promised Quebec anything and everything it wants, including more seats if BC got more seats, and BC’s NDP MPs and candidates not only went along with that, but actually defended the outrage. Of course that worked in Quebec … just the way favoring the East, at the cost of fairness in the West, has always worked for federal parties down East.
But where were the Liberals? Certainly not defending BC rights or justice or fair play.
In fact, when a Francophone NDP MP from New Brunswick also pushed a Private Member’s Bill that would have made sure almost no Westerners could ever qualify in the future for nomination to Canada’s Supreme Court by requiring expert level bilingualism for all new appointees, the Liberals joined the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois and voted FOR that Bill.
The unofficial Commons Coalition to Screw the West (Liberals, NDP, Bloc Quebec) succeeded in the House…. overwhelming the Conservative minority government and passed the legislation. The only thing that stopped it from becoming law was the Tory majority in the oft-maligned, but in this case, West-saving Senate. (Perfect example of why we should keep the Senate …until our democracy truly gives the West its fair share of power in Ottawa!)
And what about the recent contracts to build new coast guard and navy vessels … contracts awarded by the Tory government to BC and Nova Scotia firms … based totally on independent assessments of costs and technical merit, without ANY POLITICAL INTERFERENCE. Does anyone really believe the Liberals would have carried out the process that way????
Do the federal Liberals think we don’t know about all this … about how the ACT back East … compared to what they SAY out West?
And they think saying they would legalize pot (which they wouldn’t do anyway, because the Americans would shut the border tighter than a drum) is the key to winning BC votes!
Maybe they should start Keeping It Real and read more BC and Western Canada blogs.
Harv Oberfeld
14 responses so far ↓
1 Grant G // Jan 16, 2012 at 9:11 pm
Hate to burst your bubble Harvey..More MPs?
We gained nothing, 6 to Alberta, 6 to BC..
Well, there`s 6 Conservative seats in Alberta for sure..
Ontario gets 16 new seats, so Harper gains at least 6 tory seats in Alberta and Eastern Canada(Ontario) gets more new seats than that of the West combined.
So we lose as to east versus west and lose as to right versus the other.
If you think another $40 million per year in Federal conga line members means more representation for BC.
Well, I have a pipeline to sell you!
Good Day
2 D. Malcolm Johnston // Jan 16, 2012 at 10:42 pm
Just the same old Ottawa crowd, wallowing in dated rhetoric, with not one original thought among them.
Where we need bold men and women, we get simpering self important fools; where we need a challenger to spar against Harper, we get a vacuum; where we need bold 21st century ideas, we get the 60′s ‘me’ inspired nonsense.
I wouldn’t trust this lot to go to the store and buy milk!
3 Gary // Jan 17, 2012 at 2:17 am
Maybe its time to start thinking about the West going its own way again. With out us to take advantage of, the East has nothing.
(Response: That will not work: with the huge change in demographics in the West through immigration, separatism would have a harder time than ever and I personally think it would add more problems than it would solve. But maybe a Western Bloc? It worked for Quebec and, for a time, when it was called Reform in the West, it seemed to have quite a following. h.o)
4 13 // Jan 17, 2012 at 3:04 am
Harvey, having followed your blog for awhile I have noticed many people eager to slam Harper and the Tories.
Personaly I support the federal conservatives. They seem to realize that Canada has four provinces West of Thunder Bay.
(Response: As a follower of this blog, you know I too have been very critical of Harper and the Tories on some issues. But in keeping it real, I play no favorites: when the Tories do something right, it doesn’t bother me at all to say so. I actually feel sorry for people who are so partisan for any one party that that abandon their intelectual independence to defend it NO MATTER WHAT or condemn the other side NO MATTER WHAT. How sad. And as I said, on defending the West, on seats and Supreme Courts, the Tories deserve credit and the Libs/NDP should be ashamed of their lack of backbone. h.o)
5 Grant G // Jan 17, 2012 at 4:26 am
Harvey, we have too many damn politicians, if we extrapolate our population out 10 fold..
Parliment….over 2000 MPs…Senators..Over 1000.
Get a grip, BC gained nothing and now your yelling because no one is buying your spin.
More representation, how so, everyone votes party line.
Time to retire with low-brow thinking like that, oh yea, you are retired.
And who mentioned any party, I would say the same thing if the Liberals or NDP proposed more trough snorters.
You Harvey are assuming again..
Sheesh
6 Mo // Jan 17, 2012 at 4:27 am
keep it real. We need the liberals back. Save us from Harper who wants to sell out BC for oil.
NO TANKS
7 Grant G // Jan 17, 2012 at 4:29 am
Defending the West?..Huh, you mean Stephen Treason Harper and Joe investment banker Oliver running roughshot on the never going to happen Enbridge pipeline..
Go ahead Harvey, defend that project, tell oh wise seer about all the BC Jobs, the benefit..
Do tell how the risk is nothing..
8 Mo // Jan 17, 2012 at 4:30 am
PS :
Clark, Harper, Enbridge Taking Suicidal Risks With BC’s Future
http://bit.ly/x3DSau
I’ll take Liberals over CONS any day
9 Jack // Jan 17, 2012 at 4:30 am
I don’t think the Liberals claimed that legalizing marijuana was a way to win over the West. That was the headline of a newspaper article. The Liberals want to legalize marijuana because it makes sense. It doesn’t have anything to do with West or East. It has to do with our taxes being wasted on a failed drug war against a drug that, when taken in moderation, is harmless. More harmless than alcohol.
10 Stan Mortensen // Jan 17, 2012 at 4:44 pm
Harvey, generally I agree with a couple of your comments and while I think the LPC Convention came up short in some areas that I would like to have seen it should be noted that for the most part this convention was more a housekeeping convention with the major thrust being the method by which a new leader will be elected that will be inclusive of “registered” Liberal supporters rather than just party members. Ideally, I would have like to have seen this go all the way through to the riding candidate selection process but they came up short on that one as there are still vested interests (voting blocs and sitting MPs) that are resistant to that.
As to your comments on issues, the marijuana issue was one of 30 policy issues where an official party position was passed.
I think for the LPC, this convention was successful in one very important aspect; they had the ability to convince 3200 delegates to trundle off to Ottawa in the dead of winter at an average cost per delegate of $2500. (Fees, travel, hotels, meals etc). It was still too rich for my budget.
I think the one area they are going to have to work very hard on, which was mentioned by one of the LPC pollsters as a major internal issue, that being the real perception of arrogance (which is why it took me decades to join them).
They still have a long way to go, but I think overall they appear to be moving in the right direction.
Could they have done more on issues, probably but they still have some organizational issues to deal with that extend down through to the ridings themselves. The new administrative executive will have its’ work cut out for themselves.
(Response: If you joined them, I hope you will use all your powers and influence to let them know: we out here in the boonies DO read,watch and listen to what they promise and what they do back East, so they should drop the hollow promises to bring ther west “in” and then take actions in Ottawa to keep the West “out”. Good luck … esp when you realize the number of seats Ontario and Quebec alone offer up, compared to what we can deliver. The NDP learned that…abandoned BC and the West…and scored a great victory in Quebec. Sorry to keep it real. h.o)
11 G.J.W. // Jan 17, 2012 at 5:42 pm
I read quite some years back. Legalizing marijuana would cut out a lot of crime. Would grow-ops be registered as a business? Or would there still be tapping into hydro, by whoever?
I’m not against marijuana. I had two friends who used it. One had Crhohn’s disease, the other had Cancer.
Using marijuana is a persons choice, just as using alcohol is.
12 Stan Mortensen // Jan 18, 2012 at 1:04 am
Harvey, after all the years of working for eastern based companies, there is a psyche in central Canada that nothing exists outside of the 905 & 416 Exchanges and that that is the totality of Canada, in their opinion. I have a hunch this fellow has little, if any influence either in business or political attitudes from there. I do not think it really matters which party is involved.
I have always likened BC to a quote from Emily Carr where she referred the BC as the edge of the universe. Unfortunately the heart of universe hasn’t realized its’ light is fading quickly away.
(Response: You’re right…I believe the Toronto urban area offers up more seats than all of BC and Alberta. So i understand the reality: I just wish they would stop pretending they’re going to give us any real power or position. As I said the only way the West can achieve any real importance is with a voting Bloc of its own …. esp in a minority Parliament. h.o)
13 Grant G // Jan 18, 2012 at 2:42 am
Looks like Canadians from coast to coast disagree with you Harvey.
http://www.theprovince.com/news/Canadians+favour+relaxing+laws+Poll/6010222/story.html
(Response: You missed the point. It’s not a question of whether Canadians support relaxing pot laws … that’s already been the case for years …not something the Liberals have brought about. My point is if the Libs think that will win the West for them, they’re dreaming. h.o)
14 Stan Mortensen // Jan 18, 2012 at 6:08 pm
I agree with you Harvey, the west needs to quit sending “fence post” MPs’ to Ottawa who clap like circus seals supporting policies that do not work for BC specifically and the West in general. While I do not support porportional representation, I do believe we need to relax the tight control that parties have on the MPs to the point where MPs’ are able speak more freely on issues without the heavy hand of the Party Whip.
But there is also a responsibility on the part of voters to demand their MPs’ be more responsive to the concerns of all their constituents and not just selected blocs of their local support.
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