Right, because he had to meet with them then because it was the only opening in the workers' schedules...

Mr Bell does what Mr Campbell tells him to do...nothing more. It is called Paul Nettleton Syndrome...don't so as your told you get expelled from the party...loss of a nice huge wage and pension package too I bet!

Mackenzie and Ft. St. James aren't the only places where benefits will be running out!

I bet Pat told the workers all about China - maybe the workers could be his suitcase boys - so at least they could also get a free trip to China. Pat is "the messenger boy" for Gordon - if he doesn't do as told - he wil be also looking for an EI cheque - oh forgot - good pension - more than EI workers get in a whole year.
Time to give him the boot - Mackenzie is thriving - ask the people of Mackenzie!!

Rather than play politics, Pat Bell, our MLA, was out doing what he has been sent to Victoria to do (by us, the voting public). He is working for us, and has our best interests at heart.

Going to some NDP hotairbag sponsored rally that has no wheels would be the last thing that Pat should have done.

I am no lover of partisan politics, but I can tell when we have some competent people looking after our interests. Pat is one of them.

Thanks for your work, Pat, and keep it up.

Oh come on!! "Thanks for your work, Pat"??? He was entirely ineffective at preventing 1200 workers in Mackenzie losing their jobs, and has done nothing to help them since. He has done nothing BUT "play politics". Who ARE you 'beesknees', his publicity agent??

Come on trustnopolitician, Mr Bell was instrumental in helping to organize charter flights of able body men and women out of Mackenzie to points in Alberta to work.
After all Alberta's economy is all part of Pat and Mr Campbell's economic plan in keeping British Columbia's people working.

Of course workers have travelled from province to province for work before as in NFLDer's travelling west.

This is very inovative thinking as this has never been done before in this format of government sponsorship or endorsement.

With great ideas such as this Mr Bell could be the only one left in his riding to vote for him in his re-election bid.

Wow, beesknees....what is really scary is that I think you actually believe what you just wrote.
That's great...Pat Bell and Gordon Campbell depend on that kind of rhetoric for their existance.
Unfortunately, the people of MacKenzie need to depend on more than Pat Bell's warm fuzzy spin and empty promises.
You should try that line on someone who's E.I.is about to run out and their next stop is Welfare.

Oh come on!! "Thanks for your work, Pat"??? He was entirely ineffective at preventing 1200 workers in Mackenzie losing their jobs, and has done nothing to help them since. He has done nothing BUT "play politics". Who ARE you 'beesknees', his publicity agent??

"He was entirely ineffective at preventing 1200 workers in Mackenzie losing their jobs"

-Have you not seen the price of lumber? Did you know you cant run a company thats public at a loss? I dont like politicians as much as the next guy but come on give credit where it is due. One industry towns dive with the markets.

Wow. So much hostility here. It is terribly unfortunate that people's EI money is running out but besides extending EI benefits (a federal program not provincial) what can the Govt. do really? I think they would be strung up if they attempted to run the mill like back in the Skeena Cellulose days.

What we need is a program or a group of dedicated people who can assist these folks in finding meaningful work. From start to finish they would work with each person on an individual basis and find out what their skills are and where they would like to be. While in the program each person would be eligble for full EI benefits for upto 1 month AFTER the worker was placed in a suitable job. That way if the job turns out to be inadequate the worker would have the opportunity to quit without predjudice.

If someone needs to be retrained then they can go back to school or to technical college while on benefits. The program could also approach those industries that are still going strong and identify their work demands and attempt to place displaced workers there too.

Yes this program would cost big money. However as a tax payer I could support an initiative such as this one to help folks along. I think the social benefits outweigh the costs.

Anybody who would vote for this Liberal Gang needs to have their heads exmined.

They have been in office for how many years now and have done nothing at all for the Forestry or Mining Industries in BC and they never will.

The people will only get more of the same from these Gangsters. If the people of BC want anyone that will speak for them at all they will need to get Gordo and his Gangsters out of OUR Offices !

Nicklan your right but what is our alternative?

To Nicklan the other blame it all on who is in charge types; there is a Provincial election coming up feel free to step up and run for office see if you can do any better.
If you wish to make changes in how things are done become politically active, lobby with facts, figures, insightful ideas, and get out and VOTE when the day comes.
Just blurting out and saying it is all the governments fault because. Because Why??
Give your ideas of who you think we should or should not elect or re-elect as our leaders.
That is what we need not just a lot of empty name calling.

fenceman, it is easy to say that people should step up and run for political office if they are not happy with what we have,but the truth is,thats's almost impossible.
We have a political system here in B.C.where nobody gets in unless they happen to have a ton of money and support from the power brokers..
I am willing to bet most of these people are pretty broke.
Even then,if they are not part of the "club" and kiss the right asses, they haven't got a hope of becoming a "politician" and this applies to all the parties.
They don't call them "parties" for nothing.
That's called power and control and it is how people the likes Gordon Campbell stay at the deep end of the trough.
Campbell bought his support and loyalty with two nice fat raises for his boys at our expense over the last couple of years, when he started to feel the heat.
His minions were very greatful and now devote their time to pleasing their leader and keeping their jobs.
Pleasing unemployed people like those in MaKenzie or Fort St.James really doesn't have much to do with anything,and anyone who thinks it does,really doesn't understand "politics".
Empty name calling is about all these people and a lot of others have left and the louder they get,the better!

Yes Nicklan, we know how you feel - think about this though... in the 90's the NDP darn near ran forestry into the ground when there was money in it. Now there is no money in it so you blame Campbell? This is a world economy problem, not a Liberal problem. Some of you think the government can wave a magic wand and solve the forestry woes. It isnt going to happen and it SURE AS H E DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS wont happen if the NDP get back in power.

Pat seems quite confident and excited about being around after the next election(#300 top 10 B.S.)....sure the bleep hope not.