Rafe Mair Online

I write this on Saturday with less than two days to go before we vote. As might be expected from a paper whose editorial chief is a fellow of the Fraser Institute, the ill named Vancouver Sun, want a Tory majority. So does the Globe and Mail and I can hardly wait to see the Province’s opinion. I will not be taking their advice.

Elections ought to be about issues (a bit of profundity for you!) and not about Political Parties. One blog I read urges us not to vote “strategically” but stay loyal to our party so as to prevent an extension of the calamities of a minority government.

Let’s deal with that for a bit. What’s so bad about minority governments? Most western countries have them and they seem to be doing OK.

The main argument is that “nothing gets done” and that the parliament is full of catcalling and rude jibes. Continue Reading »

Enbridge's catastrophic spill in the Kalamazoo watershed in Michigan last year

How in hell can any British Columbian who cares for our wonderful – in the literal sense of that word – and unique province support the Conservative bunch after Prime Minister Harper declared his support for oil tanker traffic on our coast?

The position I take on my own and as spokesman for The Common Sense Canadian is not some sort of outdated 1960’s flower-child fuzziness, but is based upon the certainty that the proposed piping of oil from the Tar Sands to Kitimat and thence down the coast in huge tankers will have spills and that any spill will be disastrous.

First off there are two pipelines, one to bring the black ooze from the Tar Sands to Kitimat and another back containing the natural gas condensate needed to dilute and transport that black ooze (bitumen) that is extremely toxic.

A spill in our coastal waters would make The Exxon Valdez look almost helpful by comparison. Continue Reading »

What are we to make of the NDP selection of Adrian Dix as their leader?

For one thing, leaders are not selected by the media or pundits. At least not with the provincial Liberals or NDP.

My first reaction to Adrian Dix’s choice was pretty glum. For the past 10 years the NDP have been moving towards the centre into a position where it could start getting traditional Liberal votes. Mr. Dix, on form, seems to be taking the NDP back to the days of Dave Barrett. Glee in the Liberal camp was unrestrained based upon the fact that the NDP could now be seen as a fairly bright coloured red – the “socialists” would be there to kick around. I believe, on reflection, that may be an exaggeration.

From the point of view of the Common Sense Canadian all three leadership candidates were sound on the environment and private power. But if they can’t get elected what does that matter? Continue Reading »

The Common Sense Canadian is not a supporter of any political party but deals in issues and essentially we concentrate on the linked issues of the environment and energy matters.

The rationale for the Common Sense Canadian’s policy is this: every political party has the “cure” for all our social needs and each of them declares that it and only it has the ability to make the right moves to bring the actual result for what is demanded. But we have reached a crossroads – a true moment of truth.

There is surely one lesson we have learned: no matter how bad the opposition says the government is, the fiscal damage is reparable. Moreover, we ought also to have learned that each incoming government says that the situation was worse than they thought yet somehow they don’t turn out to be much of an improvement. Continue Reading »

Over the years, starting in earnest with the Kemano Completion Project fight in 1993, I’ve been highly critical of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and its politicization by the Mulroney government of that day. I was hit with a massive lawsuit by former Minister Tom Siddon which my insurers stupidly settled (I made that comment publicly immediately upon the news release). I had support from many former DFO scientists and I’m satisfied that my statements were accurate. When the KCP was approved in 1986 this was because the politicians told DFO to do as it was told.

Now we have proof of DFO working on behalf of salmon farmers via a document filed at the Cohen Commission. To be truthful, it makes me feel ill to read it and report on it. The only conclusion one can come to is that the DFO is a willing arm of the fish farm Industry. Continue Reading »

The chickens are, at long last, coming home to roost! The Campbell Government’s Energy Policy, now Christy Clark’s, is being seen for what it is – an egregiously ideological giveaway to large corporations. Even that Liberal suck, the Vancouver Province calls the policy “folly”. Yes, after 8 years of silence, of indifference, the Province in one word describes a policy it has, by its silence condoned for nearly a decade – a policy they and the rest of the media could have likely stopped had they chosen to deal with it. Meanwhile, the Vancouver Sun, having a Fellow of the Fraser Institute, Fazil Milhar as editor of the Editorial Page, has indeed by its silence kept the spotlight off this massive giveaway of our province.

The evil consequences of BC’s current energy policy, drafted in large part by Alcan in its move way from smelting aluminum into a big-time energy producer, are many. Continue Reading »

As Bridge players say, may I review the bidding?

Gordon Campbell has gone into retirement but anyone who thinks he won’t be rewarded by industry for all his hard work for them ought to be showing some interest in Florida swamp lands.

The part of Campbell’s tenure that most concerns me is his record on Independent Power Projects (IPPs), where he employed the well known theory that if the lie is big enough and you let it run for enough time, people will believe it.

On the IPP issue Campbell not only used the “Big Lie” technique, he was much aided by a tame if not captive media. It’s important to note this, for one can fool the public either by dealing with the issues thoroughly or not at all. The BC mainstream media has chosen the latter method and it’s worked magnificently for Campbell. Continue Reading »

Rumors are flying as Christy Clark hits the premier’s office running, including an election for next September. This will happen if the premier decides that as time goes on her chances of winning will not likely improve.

The NDP leader will not have had much time to present his platform.

The NDP may emerge from their leadership convention snapping at each other – which is normal for them.

Premier Clark may have won the HST debate.

After some time in the Legislature, the new Liberal government, whose best argument is that Campbell has left, may present a new and better image even though they all participated in supporting him.

The downers are significant, one of which could be fatal – the combination of a strong NDP leader and a threat to the right wing by a John Cummins-led Conservative Party.

There is, of course, a huge issue Premier Clark wants to avoid until she has a mandate…it’s called BC Hydro. Continue Reading »