Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - North Shore News - A7
What if we threw all the bums out . . .
“BC First [would] develop a new, comprehensive, ‘results based’ curriculum for primary and secondary education. . . . Included would be a B.C. Citizenship Course for grades K12 to help children understand the rights and responsibilities of citizens in a free and democratic society. . . .” Chris Delaney, BC First spokesman, Jan. 16, 2011
HOW many readers have even heard of the BC First Party, let alone know about the framework policies its executive has prepared for the party’s first annual general meeting in Kamloops on April 9? Despite regular media releases distributed throughout British Columbia, it would be no surprise to learn that BCFP messages have been drowned out by the cacophony of would-be premiers who, almost two years ago, were elected to conduct the business of the province. I think of the ongoing fracas in these terms: Most members of the legislative assembly are not worthy of the post. For a year or more, government business has come distant second to the partisan fights going on behind and in front of media cameras.
Just Asking
Elizabeth James Liberal and NDP MLAs alike either participate in the fray, or sit silent in hope of a cabinet post or leadership nod, while the circus plays out like a Shakespearean drama gone mad. This column was begun on Jan. 16. In light of the 2010/2011 Needs and Opportunity Budget of North Vancouver school district, and in response to the BCFP policy paper on education, the story was intended to discuss local and provincial education issues. I thought discussions about policy alternatives were more important than the self-serving need of B.C. Liberals to reimage 10 years of deceits, or of NDPers to bandage over the back-stabbing splits in their party. I believed it was more important to address policy suggestions than to add to the growing din over police re-investigations of a former
solicitor-general, or stories of thousands of last-minute memberships and dubious sacks full of cash. Good grief! Are these the people we trust to impose a future premier on a democratic society? No matter how hard I tried to ignore the mess swirling around the cesspool of what passes for B.C. politics, I was finally overcome by the tsunami of newsbites unleashed mid-week. “A pox on all their houses,” I thought. “They all deserve to be thrown out.” Throw them out? Do you think we could? The signature totals on the anti-HST petitions suggest we can. So let’s just suppose. . . . The political slate is now clean. Politicians’ offices are closed, their shredders silent. The Legislature is as hushed as though it were a fall session; empty galleries murmur only the carpeted echoes of debates long past. But outside those walls the bureaucracies that have always been the power behind political thrones will continue to do what they do. They will act under the interim authority of a caretaker executive committee cochaired by the non-partisan auditor-general and the CEO of the Municipal Finance
Authority. Members of the committee meet once a month. They are the mayors of the province, the chairs of regional districts, the CEOs of regional health and school districts and the representative for children and youth. As in the Legislative Assembly, each member has one vote. The next provincial election is scheduled for May of 2012. The premier will be elected directly by the people. All candidates will stand as independents. Current MLAs are barred from standing for election until 2016. As an interim measure, the HST will be reset to 11 per cent and charged only on items that were subject to GST and PST prior to July 1, 2010. Concurrent with the 2012 election, a referendum will be held as to whether to retain or renegotiate that tax. Donations to candidates will be limited to a total of $15,000 each, and be from individuals only; no donation will exceed $500. The interim head of Elections BC will be the non-partisan provincial ombudsman who will appoint a staff advisory committee to run the 2012 election according to the rules of an amended Elections Act. Campaign promises are
considered to be a formal contract between the candidate and his/her constituents, subject only to renegotiation as mutually agreed upon between them. Those elected to office
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See Politicians page 10
CONCERT SEASON 2 010 – 2 011
Clyde Mitchell Music Director
Partners in Discovery & Exploration
Saturday, 29 January 2011, 7:30 pm at the Centennial Theatre
Tango! & Audience Favourites Virtuoso of the classical accordion, Jelena Milojevic will perform music by the famed Argentine composer and tango master, Astor Piazzola. The program also features our audience’s choice of favourite classics! Clyde Mitchell -conductorJelena Milojevic -accordionPre-concert talk at 6:30 pm
Adult : $ 35 ! Senior : $ 30 ! Youth : $ 15 Purchase tickets and subscriptions through : CENTENNIAL THEATRE BOX OFFICE
ARTS | CULTURE | NORTH VANCOUVER
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will be required to swear the traditional oath of office but, in addition, will be required to abide by the rules of a code of ethical conduct. Contravention
604 · 984 · 4484 www.sinfonia.ca
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