Conservative Party of Canada: Friend of Israel, no Friend to Jews

"There is no better friend to Israel than Canada," exclaimed Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird while on a state visit this past Tuesday. The Conservative party is doubling down on Israel, throwing all of their support behind them, insisting that to do otherwise would be falling a victim to trend. 


"For a country like Canada, the easy thing to do would be simply to go along with anti-Israeli sentiment, to get along with other countries," said Baird. It would appear that that the Conservative Party is sticking to their principals even if they have nothing tangible to gain. Baird Continues:

"Whether it is rockets raining down on Israeli schools, or the constant barrage of rhetorical demonization, double standards and delegitimization, Israel is under attack." 

"It is symptomatic of that new ill — the new anti-Semitism."

I find it ironic that the Conservative Party, successor to the antisemitic and regressive Reform party, is lecturing the world on just the opposite. There may be a Christian Evangelical motivation but by and large this is nothing more then a veiled attempt to court Canadian Jewish voters, hoping we forget their checkered Reform and Alliance past. Why shouldn't they broaden their base? It worked in my home of Richmond BC where 52% of the population are Canadian-Chinese. Conservative Alice Wong won the riding hands down in the 2011 federal election, despite having membership to a political party that once referred to her as belonging to an 'Asian Invasion'.

Freedom of Information is not what it used to be

The Proposed route of the Northern Gateway Pipeline

It's no secret that the export of oil from Alberta is a controversial issue, however, what should be even more controversial is the lack of transparency shown by the respective governments involved when required by law.


Since the rejection of the keystone pipeline by the Obama administration, new focus has been placed on the Nothern Gateway Pipeline which would see the transport of oil from Bruderheim Alberta to Kitimat BC. As expected, there are those against and those who are pro project.


BC Liberal Environment minister Terry Lake is quoted saying that "Critics are wrong to suggest the provincial government has already decided to support the Northern Gateway pipeline that would carry oil from Alberta to Kitimat." Sounds Reasonable, all options are being weighed: pros and cons.


What bothers me, is when a request was made to access a 371 page document regarding the lobbying and approval process of the above mentioned project,, all relevant info related to options or recommendations from ministry staff had been blanked out. Blanked out? What is the reason for blanking out anything? Does the BC Liberal government have anything to hide? Of course they do.

Chilliwack BC Liberal Candidate Laurie Throness is a Conservative

A Conservative in Liberal's clothing?

It has always been my contention that the BC Liberals were conservatives, the BC Conservatives were bat shit crazy and the Chilliwack by-election is certainly proving my point.


BC Liberal Candidate Laurie Throness has been quoted saying that  "I have a long record of conservative politics and I think that we need someone to replace Barry Penner, who is a small "c" conservative, within the Government Caucus."


Sure that's all well and good, except, if you are running as a Liberal candidate, maybe you should enact Liberal policies. 

NDP Leadership Debate Fails to Impress

If the NDP / Canadian left ever hope to defeat the now entrenched conservative majority 3 points need to be discussed :


1. What will your organization due to counter vote splitting?  


To be fair Nathan Cullen did try to discuss this point, however, most candidates were united against even making mere mention of this most pressing issue.

National Parks Should Not be Privatized

An artist's rendition of the proposed Glacier Discovery Walk

I don't get it. For a fiscally conservative government the Conservatives seem to enact some hypocritical policies such as Bill C-10 (omnibus crime bill): a one billion dollars for cost Ontario alone and the 165 million per unit F35 joint strike fighter, working radio equipment sold separately.

If that was not enough there is a project in the works that would allow a private company to profit off of our natural parks. Even if you are not against the above policies aggressively pursued by the current government (I am) one has to at least ask why our fiscally conservative government is anything but.

If we must build a pay-for-use "discovery" walk at least let the revenues benefit the national park, the province or something constructive. 

Source

A petition against the project

Introduction

2011 Election Results

It is no secret that the politics of the left are in a state of disarray in this Country. 


The outcome of the May 2011 election was almost unthinkable to me. I had only been living in Western Canada for 6 months but was starting to get the sense that the politics of my adoptive homeland are not always that of my own. The problems do have their roots in western alienation, however it is a tired premise that does not have much relevance today. 


Conservatism has taken the west by storm. The BC Liberal party is anything but liberal, scantly resembling any Liberal political movement back east. 


The antics of the BC Liberal party certainly have ruined the brand in British Columbia which has further sullied the reputation of the Federal Liberal brand making people turn even more to the right.


The term left coast is now owned uniquely by the United States and does not apply to Canada if the above image is any indication. It is my hope to offer a left of centre perspective to BC politics, Canadian politics, US politics and anything else that might be on my mind at any given time.