The Power Flows Outward And Central And Northern BC Are A Long Way Outward

Monday, December 08, 2008 03:45 AM

If it sounds like these are my thoughts or my writings this morning, they are not. I have taken them from a caller to my show on the Friday Free For All and they bear repeating.

The gentleman called to say that power comes from within and moves out. When he first made the comment I thought little of it until he began to put some edges on that statement.

Think about it for a moment, Ontario and Quebec nearly succeeded last week in toppling the government and setting up their own government in Ottawa with the Bloc, NDP- Liberal coalition. What is the move based on? Well it is to get the economy going as they say. Job losses of upwards of 250,000 in those two provinces. Those statistics were enough to get the blood boiling according to the politicians.

Now let me take you back to central and northern BC. To try and explain the meaning of power flowing outwards.

About 20 years ago we had a mountain Pine beetle outbreak in the Chilcotin region of BC. The Socreds, then the NDP failed to act on the problem fearing a back lash from the voting public of the lower mainland because it would require going into a park to log the beetle trees , to control their growth.

The beetles quickly spread outside of the park and the rest is history. But think about it, how much coverage we in this part of BC received from Victoria or Vancouver. There was scarcely a mention on BCTV, CBC, or CTV during the outbreak and it has only been in the last two years that we have gotten a mention now that the beetle has spread all across this province into where they live and into the province of Alberta. We didn’t receive much in the way of help and the fact that 65% of the working population are unemployed in communities like Mackenzie and Ft St James hasn’t received top billing.

The province has not exactly turned the tap on to provide major assistance to those people that live in these communities.

The federal government announced that a 1 billion dollar beetle fund would be established for the forest industry hit by the beetles and the poor economic conditions. How come it is only now hitting the radar in Ontario and Quebec, we have been up to our necks with the problem for the past two decades, but we never heard from the federal government with any bailout package of any major substance.

So now that the workers near the center of power in the cities of Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal find themselves faced with a major economic crisis, we suddenly have made the radar, not because we have been singled out but rather because all of the forest industry in Canada is in the tank and so now it becomes a political issue.

Try telling those unemployed workers in the region that they really count in this great land of ours, if you get a strange glance it is only because, they have been fighting to maintain an existence for the past decade and no one has stepped forward to offer any meaningful help, well that is not until very recently when the bastions of power have been affected. That brings us back to where the power of Canada really flows from.

I'm Meisner, and that's one man's opinion.

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Posted on Monday, December 08, 2008 03:45 AM in Views by Ben Meisner

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Comments

Posted by: giterdun on December 8 2008 7:45 AM

Seperation is looking better all the time. The power base has been and always will be in the east. There is only one option if we want a fair shake. It is time we in the west had control over our own destiny.

Posted by: ammonra on December 8 2008 8:09 AM

An interesting double standard is often seen when Western alienation is the topic. Condemn Quebec for wanting to separate, then immediately promote separation of the West in the next breath. If one is treason, as so many contend, then so is the other, isn't it?

When I first moved to BC from Alberta in 1976 Western separatism was a hot topic. I can't remember the separatist party's name, now, but I do remember how they wanted to call the two provinces that would separate Alberta and Alberta West. Not Alberta and British Columbia, but Alberta and Alberta West. Sort of puts us in BC in our place pretty well, don't you think.

Of course, that party went nowhere. I suspect any other Western separatist party would do much the same.

Posted by: szd on December 8 2008 8:09 AM

Of course it is because we live in a democracy and the largest population is out east.G.T.A. population is 5.5 million alone not including all of the other major cities in the area. Start having children Giterdun and the problem will be solved!

Posted by: winnie on December 8 2008 8:17 AM

hey szd - "start having children" it would never solve the problem. They have children in Ont and Que to! We would have to have alot of children here in the west and that just won't happen. What a silly answer.

I don't like the idea of seperatism either, but somehow, someway this country needs to be more in balance and if seperatism is the only way, then I am for it!

Posted by: downnotout on December 8 2008 8:20 AM

agreeded line them up and lets start having babies. I like solving problems like that.

Posted by: lifesucks on December 8 2008 8:22 AM

If you want to vote for Seperation you go right ahead, won't make any difference because we here in the west still be with nothing. Does not matter who has power, it is all just smoke and mirrors right now to land the job of Prime Minister of this great land we call Canada. They do not give a rats butt about all the job losses here in the west, they proved that over and over again.

Posted by: gus on December 8 2008 9:00 AM

Maybe we should solve the provincial north south problem first. You know, start small, work that through till we are satisfied, then sell the solution to the rest of the country.

I still like the idea of Cascadia. One country along the bio-economic region from Northern California to BC along the Cascades. Both are far too far away from their respective national capitals and economic drivers.

Posted by: rufus1 on December 8 2008 9:05 AM

Why should "they" care??? These are nice safe Consevative seats ---- the libs have nothing to gain and the Cons have nothing to lose. We only have ourselves to blame.

Posted by: pisspulper on December 8 2008 9:08 AM

" we suddenly have made the radar, not because we have been singled out but rather because all of the forest industry in Canada is in the tank and so now it becomes a political issue."

True enough, now as our province endures and hopefully prevails from Ottawa's lack of empathy and foresight, I feel that this is not merely or solely a political issue. I see it as a precursor to the looming automotive bailout package soon to be enabled. That package will make the pittance offered to the Pine beetle problem resemble the equivalent of a GST rebate check. All the while the East has had no concern for the demise of Canada's main industry. But now my heart should bleed for the woes of those employed by the auto sector and its spin off jobs. The North American auto industry has dwiddled along building rubbish and overcharging its consumers, failed to keep up with the consumers concerns. Massive profits were made and all were happy. I don't see superdeals being offered to liquidate their assets. Yet devaluation of the vehicle leaving the lot is far more than the sales discount. Bailout? No F'N way. I'd rather see the American auto manufacturing plants shut down. Invest that same money to manufacture our own product, loan the money to Bombardier instead and see what they can do, if you must.

Posted by: ammonra on December 8 2008 10:06 AM

"I don't like the idea of seperatism either, but somehow, someway this country needs to be more in balance and if seperatism is the only way, then I am for it!"

There is an inherent contradiction in this statement. If the West separates, there is no longer any country to put into balance.

On the other hand, the THREAT of separation may help to get attention.

Posted by: Bridge on December 8 2008 10:29 AM

The Socreds, then the NDP failed to act on the problem fearing a back lash from the voting public of the lower mainland.

Was the lower mainland really the reason for not harvesting the pine beetle kill in the park? Could it be that mother nature is to blame? In the past were we not dependent on cold winter temperatures to kill off the beetle?

szd is on the money. Are we trying to wag the bull by the tail is my question. All this talk of east west north south these are merrily directions and we cant change that. So why not put our effort into self sufficiency. There is lots of local money available cant we encourage those that have it to invest localy? Why always look for government to solve our problems

Do we have to depend on retail sales to keep our comunity afloat. How about some light industrial? The problem is we dont see ourselves as a country . We have been bs'd into thinking globaly. If we keep on the way we are going we will end up a third world country when all the resources are gone.

Remember Canada was a great country being developed acre by acre as an a agricultural nation. This crap about the cup is half full is pie in the sky stuff lets keep our feet on the ground.

Cheers

Posted by: Eagleone on December 8 2008 11:55 AM

I have always supported a new province of Northern BC. My preferred choice for doing this would be through a union with the Yukon and possibly call the whole new province the Yukon, or 'Northern BC and the Yukon'.

We as an independent province would have close to a half million population with tremendous wealth in forestry, oil&gas, farming, fishing, transportation, eco-tourism, and quality of life potential.

Natural resources are a provincial sovereign asset and that is the only way that both Northern BC and the Yukon (though for different reasons) can secure the rights to decide how our local resources will be employed for the greatest benefit to the development of our local communities.

The globalized Vancouver/Victoria majority here in BC, as well as the big city majority nationally, will always sell us out for their own agenda every time. It is called tyranny of the democracy (well recognized phenomenon everywhere)... and it is a problem we will always have as a democracy as long as we have a population imbalance in our political jurisdictions to the extend that Northern BC sees in its disadvantage to the power of the one vote per person of the Lower Mainland.

A province of Northern BC would be population balanced between regions like the Westcoast, Cariboo, Central Interior, Peace, and Yukon all having somewhat close population bases and geographical sizes. So by its very make up from the start it would be conducive to political win-win governance for all involved... our democracy would actually mean something to us... and our solutions would have an ever diversifying economy with the reinvestment staying in the North flowing from the already diverse resource based sector.

Right now for this hypothetical province our provincial and national democracy is nothing more than people in the dark watching shadows thinking that we influence how those shadows move with our vote and calling it democracy. We might as well call it for what it is.

The reason we experience booms and busts in the North IMO is because we we don't have a moral political system that delivers real democracy to our communities where it matters. We have no control over the decisions on how our resources will be utilized, and we are always sold out the the highest corpocracy bidder from some other far away investment center. We never learn and we continue to think if only we elect this person or that party things will be different....

Time Will Tell

Posted by: metalman on December 8 2008 1:29 PM

I vote for Cascadia, if Canada will take Vancouver. The pine beetle epidemic fluorished during a long succession of warm winters, but if mass logging had taken place in key locations at the right time, the problem would have been less than it has become. It would have been expensive, and unpopular, especially with Vancouver and Victoria apartment dwelling tree huggers and the friends of the spotted Emu, but maybe it would have worked.
metalman.

Posted by: gus on December 8 2008 5:21 PM

What many are forgetting with the pine beetle is that we are looking at large natural ecosystems over which man has limited control. Fire, pests, droughts, etc. are part of the natural regeneration process. Just because we cut down trees to mimick fire, and put out as many fires as possible before they have a chance to grow to a major natural disturbance, does not meant that we have protected the trees. In fact, it may very well be far from it.

Sort of like the Nechako river with its cutbanks that give way and buildings too close to the edge having to be moved so they do not go cascading down the bank.

One has decades and centuries when nothing happens and then .... "here I am!!!"

Posted by: NMG on December 8 2008 6:59 PM

"That brings us back to where the power of Canada really flows from"

Why are people surprised that the power of Canada rests with our major urban centres? Afterall, power comes from people. Since the vast majority of the people in Canada live in the large urban areas, it's perfectly logical that they would have the most power. What the heck am I missing here? Is my logic hat not on properly?

As an aside, what's the difference between the folks advocating for Western Seperation and the folks in Quebec that did the same? The answer is simple IMHO. The folks in Quebec actually organized themselves into a legitimate political party (with a pretty significant stake at the table) and they've turned their frustration into results. Their Western counterparts have done nothing and have no influence. They are doing the equivalent of sitting around a campfire talking about it with the buddies over a beer or two. Want to get results? Be strategic, and get organized. But then you'll run into that whole population problem again. That being the simple fact that most people in Western Canada would laugh the notion of Western Seperation out of the room. Why? Because most Westerners don't agree with breaking up Canada, sort of the same as most people from Quebec. Now, if you could form a party that held Western interests as a priority and it could cater to all people in the West (meaning it wasn't full of wing-nuts), you might get some results with time . . .

Posted by: MrPG on December 9 2008 9:19 AM

Right on the money, NMG. Be careful though, that kind of thoughtful logic usually isn't welcome around here.

Posted by: gus on December 9 2008 10:44 AM

I too agree with NMG's post, MrPG.

No one seems to make a note of the fact that the recent Quebec provincial election has shunned putting anyone into power that is preaching separation from the federation. So, as NMG said, as with most westerners, most Quebecers also do not agree with separation.

It is great to see that the leadership of the Liberals will be settled before parliament comes out of its deep sleep. Should give Harper a bit more of an impetus to come up with a viable budget. Of course, I am sure they are already developing the spin about how the chosing of the leader is undemocratic and all that to obfuscate the real issue. Hopefully the Canadian public will see through that.