Think Campbells' government is a good manager of our resources. Think again. Read about Ladyfern -how the provincial Liberals squandered 3 billion of natural gas through greed and mismanagement on a single natural gas play.

http://www.canadianbusiness.com/article.jsp?content=20030512_53695_53695&page=1

Highlights of the article include:
Ladyfern also highlighted the BC government's greed for fast money--as well as the dubious competence of the province's energy regulator. "The people who truly got burned were the owners of the resource: the people of British Columbia," says Ian Doig, editor of Doig's Digest, a monthly Calgary-based oil and gas newsletter. "Ladyfern was supposed to be a monster play, but with regulatory neglect it became a national embarrassment."

By March 2002, so many wells were sucking on Ladyfern that production declined from 700 million cubic feet per day to 400 million cubic feet. Production today stands at about 300 million cubic feet--and is expected to soon become a trickle. As a result, there wasn't much gas left to cushion this winter's price shock.

None of this information, of course, has ever graced a government press release. Throughout 2002, Premier Campbell continued to champion Ladyfern as the poster girl of the province's oil and gas industry. Campbell even boasted that oil and gas dollars accounted for 8% of the province's revenue, or nearly $2 billion--a sum even greater than forestry brought in.

With the exception of the BC government, just about everybody involved in Ladyfern now offers some sobering hindsight.

Rob Woronuk, a Calgary-based analyst with the Canadian Gas Potential Committee, an independent natural gas resources watchdog, pointedly describes Ladyfern as a model of how things shouldn't be done. For a find as precious as that, a competent regulator should have paid attention to reservoir geology, conservation and the public interest, he argues. A proper plan for depleting the reservoir over time in an economic manner would have maximized returns to the taxpayers of BC, Woronuk adds. "You are supposed to do that," he says. "That's the public's gas. We own that."

Oh, the roads, how they heave and pitch, and belch forth their asphaltic burden.
Love spring, but long for smoother roads.
metalman.

I am glad that spring is here, soon I can start raking my lawn and general spring clean up, but yeah the potholes! god!! I am sure there are logging roads in better shape.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Interesting post herbster.
I had heard snippets on the Ladyfern play but seems the real story was kept fairly quiet, and obviously for a reason as far as the government is concerned.
I guess this is what happens when we have a Premier and his inner circle who have to control and meddle in everything,including things that they know nothing about.
It is also what happens when we have a government and a Premier who operate on spin and manipulation, as opposed to facts.
Considering what the Liberals are spending and the burn rate on our tax dollars,none of this comes as a suprise.
Why do I get the feeling this could be just the tip of the iceberg and this is not the only boondoggle that will come to light sooner than later?

Also interesting is the post from Charles about the U.S. energy subsidy. That little tidbit could be foretelling the death knell of our pulp industry, and if you think things are tough now, just wait until Canfor leaves town. We will then be a dusty little university town for sure.
I bet we will still have the same potholes in the roads then too.
metalman.

"Why do I get the feeling this could be just the tip of the iceberg and this is not the only boondoggle that will come to light sooner than later?"

Sooner or later? The Ladyfern was news in 2003. Surely there is something else by now.

Going to be pretty interesting if there is lots of rain this weekend.... the new lake on 97S at the Buffalo Ranch has almost breached the highway... certainly destroying the driveway at "Old John's" place... serious pooling along the East side of the highway but the runoff cannot get to Redrock Creek because of plugged culverts.

The upper bridge on the creek is completely underwater by about two feet and Redrock Road West is closed at that point.

Ducks obviously seem to be enjoying their new playground.

Time to move into "Mud Season" from "Spring" ... oh joy !!

:-)

V.

Very true red2b, but my concern is for the province in general,not just oil and gas.
And you're right...there is a lot more now, but obviously people would rather not see it!

Good post, herbster. And you're bang-on, Andy.

Slowly we'll come to realize, (probably too slowly, for our own good), that the upper echelons of BC Liberal-dumb are populated by the modern day 'global capitalist' versions of the "cut out and get out", "take the money and run" resource rapers of old.

These guys are NOT 'free-enterprisers' ~ those people who had an interest in building something of value in BC for all British Columbians.

They're "fast-buck" artists. Masters of spin, and hype, and hoopla. They'll get their come-uppance one-day, even if we don't wake up in time to put an end to their perverted machinations.

That's the ultimate irony of the situation. The 'money' that they crave ~ their 'ticket' to prosperity ~ will be rendered worthless. They'll have destroyed it's purchasing power through their unmitigated greed.

Does anyone know if it is true that our gov't has given a lot of money to the Reservations for tickets to the 2010 games.

Politics is about policy. Focusing on the mistakes of government is stuipid. The Liberals make big mistakes and the NDP make big mistakes and everyone else makes big mistakes.

The NDP doesnt believe in merit (see caste society, class system, pre-revolution) and they think everyone can get paid big money and the money will magically grow on trees. Its part way to communism, and we all know how well that worked for everyone (see USSR).

We can trade government mistakes back and forth all day. Its a fools game. You have to look at least a little deeper than that.

The black liquor subsidy is a major issue. US producers will now produce just to get the subsidy, further depressing the market and putting serious pressure on Canadian producers.

You are so right herbster. Ladyfern is exactly as the man says, a national embarrassement. I doubt Campbell even remembers, now that the buzz is all Horn River and Montney.
Just like Ladyfern any possible spin-offs and jobs will mostlikely get done by special Albertans brought in by Campbell's producer friends. BC residents can't possibley do the high tech jobs like hauling dirt or pipe.

I liken the wood industry to the transportation industry. Those black smiths, saddle makers that serviced the horse and buggy business dismissed the first Model T car that drove by as a fad or ill conserved venture however those that embraced change, planned for how the future of transportation would look made lots of money and succeeded. The wood industry will not go away but will change allot and listening to Pat Bell of the BC Liberals the other day has a very good grasp of what change is and will occur and is showing great leadership so BC and its wood workers have good long term jobs.

Everyone else is adjusting to these hard times and it is not pretty but this is a world crisis. I believe BC Liberals even though they are not perfect by a long shot are far ahead of the NDP with specific plans and actions that are very good for BC. This is the first time in memory where we have Saskatchewan, Alberta and BC with progressive conservative governments that have a better relationship with the Federal government, which means a very strong Western Canada for a change. Its tough now but we have very big opportunity for all BC workers.

whineo...I assume you are serious?
Have you been able to find anymore on this as to whether or not it is in fact true?
That's one I haven't heard yet, but I wouldn't be the least bit suprised, considering Campbell's penchant for kissing butt in all the right places!

DOES ANYONE ON HERE READ ANYTHING THAT IS POSTED???????

Herbster. You and the others who are so eager to lay blame on whomever you wish to blame, BCLiberals, NDP, the man in the moon, it really does not matter, relly need to get facts straight.

It is a long article, and I can see that few on here have the staying power to read though anything that long and find the details you need to know.

Here is part of it people:

Close to the start of the articel, which was published May 12, 2003 .... see that???? 2003 ... 2003

"Astute business readers will recall that the provincial government and industry boldly hyped the area, dubbed Ladyfern, as a natural gas find of historic proportions just three years ago. Premier Gordon Campbell called it "the largest discovery in the last 15 years in Canada."

Did you read that?????? "3 years ago" ...

altogether now, let's do the math ..... I know the figures are a little bit on the large side for some.....

2003 - 3 .... the last time I did that grade two calculation was .. well let us say it was a while ago .... but it still comes out as 2000 ..... so May 2000 ....

And .... who was the premier in May 2000???

I know, I know ... that taxes some people's memory ... but can we all say the NDP .... ???? Can we all say Dosanjh ????(since Feb 24, 2000) ......

I know, it is a name some people would prefer to forget ....

The articel then continues with words such as:

"As Ladyfern's reputation grew in the spring of 2000, the heavily indebted BC government ($35 billion in the red) gladly started to count all the fast money. From 2000 to 2001, the value of land sales rocketed to $439 million from $248 million. BC's land tenure system supported the frenzy. Instead of selling several large postings to foster rational development over time, the BC government shells out lots of small petroleum and natural gas leases. The more companies working an area, the more rapidly that gas will be brought to market, the reasoning goes. Although BC's system gives the government quick cash up front, it actually promotes over-drilling. Alberta oilmen typically note that BC stands for "Bring Cash."

Hopefully that is short enough for you to understand. But the really, really, really key thng here is .... who was it that was in charge over that time period ....??? come on.... you can do it..... I know you heard the letters before ...... the NDP ....

Okay, so it what the NDP .... but hey, let's blame the BCLiberals ... sounds as good as anyone else, doesn't it.

The election was called on April 18, 2001, and held on May 16, 2001.

So ... can we turn that around now .... as in:
If we do not want to this sort of fiasco again, don't vote for the NDP .....????

Come on everyone, what's the verdict on the stupidity of pointing to this example???

The fact that the article was written in 2003 and dealt with activities considerably into the past should have send a bit of a cautionary message.

"You are so right herbster. Ladyfern is exactly as the man says, a national embarrassement. I doubt Campbell even remembers"


ROTFLMNAO .... Campbell??????

What about you guys????

Herbster, Andyfreeze, bobfedd1, socredible ...

at least red2b got to read the date of the article ......

BTW, why would the article identify Campbell with something thsat happened under the NDP?

Is it perhaps because the publication is CANADIAN Business. What does an Ontario based publication know about BC?
One Mount Pleasant Road, 11th Floor, Toronto, ON Canada

They are lucky if they know where BC is.

"Going to be pretty interesting if there is lots of rain this weekend.... the new lake on 97S at the Buffalo Ranch has almost breached the highway... certainly destroying the driveway at "Old John's" place... serious pooling along the East side of the highway but the runoff cannot get to Redrock Creek because of plugged culverts."

In the 12 years we have lived out here I find it ironic that its just the past two years this has happened to this property. Whats different? Is it because the place is vacant? I often wonder if the logging that took place last winter on the west side has anything to do with it. Its a real shame this is someone's investment.

Hey Gus -read the article

As a result, Ladyfern accounted for about half the increase in Alberta's gas production in the summer of 2001. In other words, about 20 of Ladyfern's wells poured as much gas onto the market as more than 10,000 normal wells. This flood of gas, combined with a slowdown in the US economy, brought gas prices from a high of $12 per million cubic feet in the winter of 2001 to $3.50 last summer. The price collapse dropped AEC's stock value by 31.4% between April and July 2001.

By March 2002, so many wells were sucking on Ladyfern that production declined from 700 million cubic feet per day to 400 million cubic feet. Production today stands at about 300 million cubic feet--and is expected to soon become a trickle. As a result, there wasn't much gas left to cushion this winter's price shock.

The Liberals were in power summer of 2001. Drilling kept on throughout 2001 and 2002. By then the reservoir was pooched. The reservoir was found and explored under the NDP. It took the Liberals to kill the goose that laid the golden egg.

herbster .... the NDP set the plan in action .... the results were left to the BCLiberals ......

Slowly read the statement both you and I repeated

"The price collapse dropped AEC's stock value by 31.4% between April and July 2001."

The Liberals came to power May 16, 2001.

The price started dropping when? We really do not know. We assume the stock was high sometime in April. I am going to assume it is all of April, May, June, July.

Till April 18, the NDP were in power. The NDP were the ones who set up the conditions of working in the field.

The fact is, the find was a big hype. Everyone believed the geological reports. Those reports were seen by the NDP government as well as the opposition, perhaps, certainly as well as the companies interested in this.

Herbster .. you wrote "As a result, Ladyfern accounted for about half the increase in ALBERTA's gas production in the summer of 2001.

This is BC, you know. Do we care about Alberta?

From the article:

"This fantastic frontier tale, which includes big lawsuits as well as out-and-out espionage, roughly begins in 1999."

"In January 2000, the three firms eagerly awaited the results from two exploratory wells drilled along the Alberta border."

"In oil patch lingo, Murphy's wildcat well was classified as a "tight hole," or top secret. EVEN THE GOVERNMENT REGULATORS HAD TO KEEP THE DATA ON THE FIND UNDER WRAPS FOR A YEAR." Thus, the government knew about it.

"But little remains secret in the oil patch for long, and Murphy's two exuberant partners issued press releases in February 2000 announcing successful wells testing out at 31 million cubic feet per day"

"As Ladyfern's reputation grew in the spring of 2000, the heavily indebted BC government ($35 billion in the red) gladly started to count all the fast money. From 2000 to 2001, the value of land sales rocketed to $439 million from $248 million."

Ah...... we finally get to 2001 .....
The BC government who gladly started to count asll the fast money was teh one led byt the NDP .........

Herbster, you are sure you can read for content or are you so blinded by politics that you have lost that ability in this case?

The price collapse referred to in the article is the price of gas.It says right in the piece you quoted that the price of gas was $12 winter of 2001, and $3.50 summer of 2002.

And no, the find was not hype. Anyone in the natural gas business knows if you produce a well too quickly, it will water out. All the Liberals had to do was to reduce outflow capacity at the wellheads. But this would run contrary to their "companies know best" mantra. We heard the same story in the forest with "Results Based Forestry". And how has that turned out?

Of course Liberals take no responsiblity for their actions, and claim the Gods of Market Forces were at work. When really it was inaction on their part. Unfettered capitalism can be destructive, inefficient and short sighted. As Bush and the Republicans have found out. Gordon Campbell and Pat Bell have not learned those lessons yet.

WORTH THE TIME TO WATCH http://saveourrivers.tv/watershed_election.html

Jayda, the real shame is that apparently YRB is not proactive on culvert maintenance
There are culverts North of town within YRB'S purview that I have seen ignored every single spring for years, one day the road will wash out and inconveniance a lot of people.
metalman.

"For a find as precious as that, a competent regulator should have paid attention to reservoir geology, conservation and the public interest, he argues. A proper plan for depleting the reservoir over time in an economic manner would have maximized returns to the taxpayers of BC, Woronuk adds. "You are supposed to do that," he says. "That's the public's gas. We own that."

That work that he speaks about that regulators should have done was at the time the NDP was in power.

An unfair assumption gus.
How long has the Campbell government been in power and what did they do to correct the problems?
They did nothing.

The lake on highway 97 has washed out Patterson Rd, Johns driveway, a driveway up Redrock Rd and has now crossed highway 97 to the west, and is proceeding to take out the shoulder of 97, I barely made it through in my Subaru, single lane traffic. BUT HEY we've got all kinds of YRB vehicles out here now. There's a lot of folks that live up Patterson that may not make it home.

Jayda... thanks for the update... Mother is at it again !! Punnnny humans from YRB will be no match for Her !! HA !!

Mr Rabbitt tells me that this all started a couple of years ago when Mrs Beaver kicked Mr. Beaver out because... "He just wasn't busy enough around the house"... and got herself a new boyfriend who is doing his best to keep up with her.

Funny thing is... Mr. Beaver moved in with Mrs Beaver's sister just downstream at the railway culvert and set about prooving his "male worthyness" by plugging that one quite nicely. Such is life.... :-)

I hope Mr. Rabbitt can make it home tonite safely ... and likewise to all who travel that area ... Peace, my little ones.

:-)

V.

Andyfreeze ...

please provide proof ....

otherwise I will simply counter that they have done plenty .....

You say this ...

I say that ......

great debate, eh??? completely founded on nothing but two people's opinion.

deal with the assertion and do not digress from it.

want another discussion on the same issue .... finish the first one.....

I think Pat Bell and Shirley Bond have constantly proved their commitment to this Province.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out which govenment belongs in BC. Does anyone in their right mind really want to digress?

I wish Pat, Shirley and John all the best in the North and hope to see a very strong Liberal Government once again. I remember all too well the days of the NDP and what they have done to this province not only the last time they were in power but also when I was a young child and they destroyed our province back then to.
Gordon Campbell may not be the best leader for the party but how could we turn on our tv's to Carol James everyday...OMG people would be throwing things at their tv's....

Gus, I guess if you are a Liberal ,you never have to say sorry, because its never your fault. If the energy minister doesn't do his job, then blame the regulator.
This is why we have elections. To hold those in power responsible. If you want to return incompetents to power, that is your right. But Ladyfern actually happened, and the Liberals did nothing to make it better. Those are the facts. Deal with it as you will.

I'm with behappy and would also like to wish Pat, Shirley and John a successful return. To think back on the NDP era and the destruction they caused in our beautiful province scares me to death.

So the NDP initiate a debacle and the liberals get slammed for not fixing it?

Its one thing to be a supporter, but be a big boy and fess up to the error of your ways.

All parties in power have made gaffs. The trick with any election is to pick not just a winner, but also a performer. If one sticks blindly to any party then one has been sadly fooled into thinking that that party will be sticking to its ideals. Guess what, not one party in the last 30 or 50 years has maintained its original ideals. They all flip flop depending on what they feel will show them to be good for the governed region. Liberals are more socialist, NDP are more conservative, and the conservatives have disappeared from BC.
The other parties are on show but not really in the race. We really only have a two party system.

Read the history of all the parties registered for THIS election, research each relevant candidate for your area and the leader of each party, listen to what each has to say, ask direct questions of the candidates and get clear answers from them, and debate the key points with every one you know. Don't stick with the party that your parents voted for just because it is easy or you don't know any better. Become an informed citizen and vote conscientiously for the best result.

Remember that only about a third of eligible voters turn out, so make it count. If you are not happy with available choices then vote green. They need to get candidates elected so they can at least be part of the opposition.

The rest is just smoke and spinning mirrors.

Nice to see a little common sense (greta, happy, et al). I'm no lover of politicians in general but I think you'd have to be brainwashed to even consider the NDP as an alternative.

The Liberals get slammed for doing absolutely nothing. That is a fair criticism .

As the story goes, and herbster so clearly outlined (3:26PM), here in BC we don't vote new governments in, we vote old ones out!

We are between a rock and a hard place.

If we dont vote Liberal then by default the NDP will form the Government. We cant vote for the NDP because they did such a lousy job in the past. So what do we do.

Do we vote for the Liberals and thus reward them for being a terrible Government, that should have their asses kicked. Or do we vote NDP and run the risk of further damage to the Province???.

I have never voted NDP and I wont in this election, however I wont vote for the Liberals either. None of the other parties can hope to form a Government, and therefore my vote will go up in smoke.

My position is now this. I am not going to support either of these parties, and who ever gets in gets in. I will have no choice but to live with the results. My gut feeling is that the NDP could form the Government because their voters always turn out, while voters for other parties have the tendency to stay home.

My main reason for voting at all is to vote against the most stupid thing I have ever heard or read about in my entire life, and that is BCSTV. Anyone who votes for this convoluted, idea should get a head scan.

I cannot beleive that we as a Country, and Province would ever come to such a stupid way of voting in a Government. I doubt if one tenth of 1% of the voters in BC even understand how this sicko system works.

hey if the Liberals are so good then what are we having an election for? Just let them rule! I mean really Just What Are We Complaing About. Shut Up B.C. The Liberals got you covered. After all change is good, We'll just have to adjust! We'll just crown them king.After all what do you need choices for? We have the Liberals, (FOREVER). Isn't that great, We'll never need to vote again. King Cambell , now thats got a ring to it. Don't ya think? Maybe the Queen of England will come in 2010 and give us all the big announcement. All British Columbians have given up their province to King Cambell. I'm pretty sure if we waited around for about 20 to 40 years everything will just work out OK. Heck, who cares anymore! Everything's in the toilet, lets just let it overflow. All the politicians are lyers, thieves in some way, much like your local gangser. Can't stop paying your taxes, they'll exxxxxx you. We'll all just have to face it, survival of the fittest is here! Who's gonna lead you, The Liberalies. Hoooray!

did you know that in australia, if you can vote and dont, they fine you? 1st offence is $300 2nd offence is $3,000 and third offence and up is $30,000! I think we outght to have this system here!

I Agree sum42guy2k

Wonderful. Lets emulate Australia. I'm all for that. Just put "None of the Above" on the bottom of every ballot first, and a place for my "X" beside it so I can vote for the choice I want to make.

Rather than being forced to participate in selecting someone from a list of candidates that have been chosen for me by Parties all promoting a uniform Policy I don't agree with, and only giving me a choice of the Method I'd prefer in implementing it.

I like what you've started sum42guy2k!!!!
The Liberals could use a smart one like you!!!!

Gee, I can't book a head scan until Tuesday which is the first time I can get a medical appointment!
Australia is right on We are lucky to be able to vote and if you don't vote a fine is in order. Lots of people died so we could vote.

Yes, I agree, good idea sum42guy2k and I also agree with Palopu. That STV is the most stupid thing I have ever heard of.

IAM I wouldnt want to be in a party who's leader is going to or already has ruined BC and its economy.
socredible, If you want to throw your vote away just vote for someone not likely to get in, IE the green party!

I wonder how Australia deals with education???????
Shirley Bond has certainly failed our community as Education Minister. On her watch, the learning conditions have deteriorated, funding dried up (as she does not appear to understand the student funding formula that ignores regional differences). It would be less painful to stomach if she were from Surrey or Langley. I can no longer justify her blind allegiance to the party line while children are starving, funding is drying out, students are dropping out in record numbers, and she is merrily going about her business of photo shot after photo shot with the 2010 mascots!
Makes me sick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Funny you should say that, "Lots of people died so we could vote", Lamb. It reminded me of a converstion with two 80 plus year old WW II vets at the ceremonies last Remembrance Day. And both of them, two guys who joined up in 1939, and were in the Canadian Army overseas all through its campaign in Europe right through til the end of the war, mentioned how that virtually everything they'd thought they were fighting against has come to pass. Short of our having to speak German.

They remembered that the Nazis didn't seize power, they had been elected. Democratically. In an election where Germans could make a choice from the list presented to them on their ballots.
And dutifully did.

And that the later "Enabling Acts" that set Hitler up as absolute dictator were also all voted on, and approved by, the German electorate. In referenda.

They both felt now that they had wasted six years of their lives. For what they believed they had defeated over there, had been transplanted and taken solid root over here.

But also that their wartime deprivations were nothing in comparison to those who'd actually given their lives ~ people they'd served with who'd paid the supreme sacrifice ~ the friends they were there to remember, as if they could ever forget.

Yet, in spite of that, both agreed that, the way things have turned out, "If we knew then what we know now", they would've just stayed home. And urged everyone else to do the same.

They went on to list the 'freedoms' we have lost to the same type of "bureaucratic lawlessness" that pervaded pre-war Germany. And is apparently established there, again. And here,too. Stronger than ever, nowadays. With a right to 'vote' that has just about as much meaningfulness as picking the best looking broad in a beauty pagent.

They recalled how you used to be able to build what you wanted on 'your' own land. But now? God help you if you don't beg permission from the relevent bureaucracy first, and submit to all the fees and charges and restrictions. The penalties were worse for the offender than those applied to those engaged in openly criminal activities!

They recalled a lot of other things, too. Mostly how we'd progressively lost the very 'freedoms' their generation had so willingly embarked on a quest to preserve. How, one by one, little by little, our individual 'rights' had been filched away from us by those who'd remake the world to some "Plan".

Kind of brought back the memory of some of those words, "In Flander's Fields", you know, the ones about "...if ye break faith with we who die....". Seems to me that "faith" has pretty well been broken long ago. And nobody's too interested in doing much to fix it.

Lots of people died so we could vote. It's just to bad that that tax payers pay the price because a political figure head whom makes promises and does not follow though. I will admit I only voted liberal once. Jean Chechien promised to rid the GST I along with others GOT SUCKED IN ! And they have been in every since. Promote a lie, Who Cares , As Long As Your IN! Along came Mr. Campbell. Tell them What THEY WANT TO HERE and they will come. He will never lose his pension, nor will he ever care about small you. As long as his friends and family are looked after, like I said before , Survival of the fittest is here or will be coming soon to a store near you. If anyone is offended, I apologize but I would love to live the movie Trading Places with Mr. Campbell and see if we could be friends afterward.NOT We know that would NEVER happen. Thank-you Mr. Ben Miesner,Elaine for letting me RANT! Exhausted:( goodnight

You're missing the point, sum42guy2k. I'm quite willing to be forced, under financial penalty if necessary, to go and vote. But what I'm not willing to do is to vote for anyone on a list of choices that have been made for me if I don't agree with any of those choices. If I'm to vote I want MY vote recorded as being what I voted for. And if I don't want to sanctify anyone on that list, then there should be a place for me, and everyone else who feels the same way, to disapprove of the choices we're offered. And have that recorded as a 'vote'.

You might remember that those we elect are supposed to be OUR "representatives. They seem to have the notion that their purpose nowadays is to represent their "party" and its "leader" to us. But their "party" doesn't pay their salaries. We do. And as OUR representatives it is incumbant on THEM to find out the results we desire from our government, and do their best to secure them for us. And if none of them are willing to do that, then why should we not have the ability to vote for "None
of the Above"?

I suspect Australia deals with 'education' pretty much the same way we do here, IAM. Whenever you hear those seeking election say, always after the election is over, "We know we promised you such and so, but we just haven't GOT THE MONEY to do that....", what you are hearing is a tacit admission that THOSE WHO CONTROL THE "MONEY" are the real people in charge. Not the person we've elected, nor we who did the electing.

The OLD BC Social Credit "League", (WAC Bennett's crowd), before it morphed into a "Party" (by effectively absorbing the then BC Liberal caucus, or most of it, in what later turned out to be a reverse takeover), used to have a saying:- "That which is physically possible, socially desirable, and morally correct can always be made financially possible."

In other words, what determines what can be done, or should be done, is whether the men and materials and knowledge and ability and desire are present. Whether it can ACTUALLY be done. If it can, "money" is no object. It's just "figures" ~ nothing more.

We were said to be broke for an entire decade in the 1930's. The government cried endlessly that it couldn't do any of theings that needed doing because we "had no money".

Yet when war was declared in 1939, the same Minister of Finance who'd been telling us nothing could be done for the last ten years didn't rise in the House of Commons and protest that we couldn't possibly go to war "...because we have no money".

The "money" that was missing reappeared, as if by magic. Did you ever hear of any of the combatants on either side in that war pleading that they couldn't keep fighting it "...because we have no money"? Only when they actually ran out of men and war materials did the war end. Financially, it could've continued forever.

geez ...... let's get some thinking on your feet in here.

There is only so much someone can force you to do.

So they force you to vote. Unless they have someone looking over your shoulder, or it is an electronic voting machine, all you have to do is spoil your ballot. Put an X in all the spots .... or put a few Xs in next outside the circles or squares ... whatever.

Socredible said it very well:

... those we elect are supposed to be OUR "representatives. They seem to have the notion that their purpose nowadays is to represent their "party" and its "leader" to us. But their "party" doesn't pay their salaries. We do... "

We also pay 223 full-time staffers in the B.C. Public Affairs Bureau to "sell" the BC Liberal Party to us, and to promote the Campbell Government. With a budget of $28 million a year, this Public Affairs Bureau is bigger than any newsroom in Canada.

I worry about the health of our democracy when I hear people expressing terror about an NDP government and the "NDP destruction". I wonder how they came to believe such things. Who taught them to hate their neighbours? Was the Agricultural Land Reserve such a terrible thing? Was the Insurance Corporation of B.C. threatening us in some way?

I remember Dave Barrett as BC Premier. Look it up. Tommy Douglas. Look it up. Look up W.A.C. Bennett, who nationalized Hydro for the benefit of the province. And created BC Rail. And a highway system.

Those veterans didn't fight that terrible war so that we could hate. Maybe we're the ones who haven't kept the faith to look out for one another, and to preserve and protect this beautiful province.

.