Backtracking on the Pig-Out

[arikara]

It would appear that the honeymoon is over between the NDP and the Liberals in BC's Legislature, and not a moment too soon for the benefit of the citizens of the province. The adversarial system protects the public, collusion does not. Everyone wants to encourage more constructive debate in the legislature; adversarial doesn't have to mean rude, and co-operation should never mean collusion to rob the public purse.

NDP Leader Carole James was the first off the mark with an amazingly frank confession:

"I entered public life to do politics differently, to help re-establish faith in our democratic institutions and to provide new leadership and a new tone to the public dialogue. The NDP Caucus takes full responsibility for failing to meet that standard on this issue."

That's an understatement, but at least James called for the government to withhold Royal Assent and Proclamation of Bill 17. Legal experts will have to determine the way out of the mess, but to the casual observer there are three standard proclamation sections in any piece of legislation: 1) instant law when the Lieutenant Governor attends the House, 2) timed implementation in accordance with a provision in the Bill, or 3) proclamation by a cabinet order (OIC). Bill 17 doesn't have an OIC proclamation provision so it is probably necessary to kill the Bill by introducing another Bill that will repeal it - another embarrassment for all MLAs.

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Even if the Liberal caucus feels the heat as James has done and backs off, neither side of the legislature is going to recover easily from an incredibly dumb political stunt. MLAs on both sides have an enormous amount of work to do to convince voters that all politicians aren't simply out to grab what they can for themselves. No amount of electoral reform will overcome the cynicism generated by the MLAs' attempted cash grab. It will take a lot of good works before anyone can greet an MLA without saying "Oink, Oink".

http://www.strategicthoughts.com/
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How about those pigs swilling at the trough. The workers have been at best getting 0 for years, some have been suffering through pay cuts and many more have been getting canned due to jobs being privatized. So the MLA's turn around and unanimously vote themselves a base pay raise of 15% along with other gold plated perks???

I am totally disgusted with the NDP for agreeing to this. It didn't take them long to join the dark side did it? I wrote a scathing letter to my MLA and he has already responded by phone... unfortunately I was out... even leaving his home phone number if I want to talk to him. It was pretty brave of him considering; but its going to take a lot for them to fix this one. This might just be the impetus needed to get some Greens into office.

I hope that everyone else who is appalled by this behaviour lets them know.

[Spazito]

1. I, too, am appalled by this

Having just having had the teacher's strike, one would think any and all politicians having a lick of sense would have known the outrage this would cause against both parties.

There wasn't even the pretense of a debate, never mind a real one. Hindsight is wonderful but it does nothing to fix what has already occurred, in regard to Carole James, foresight was called for on this decision, imo.

[arikara]

2. I hope you wrote to your MLA about it

I'm just blown away by the total stupidity of the NDP. It was a brilliant move on the part of the liberals whether they meant it to play out that way or not. The thing is, the liberal "base" wouldn't care less if they voted themselves a big raise. And it would blow over shortly for any that did care. But as for the NDP who've billed themselves as the defenders of the people, for them having signed on for it will not be easily forgotten. They can backtrack all they want, but they won't be trusted again.

The liberals won big time, and you can bet that they are sitting in their back rooms swilling their champers and sucking on their stogies and holding their sides from laughing at the NDP suckers.

[Spazito]

3. Unfortunately, my MLA and I have already crossed swords more

than once so anything I would say to him would mean squat and he is NDP. He is a leftover from the corrupt Clark government, I was so very much hoping the NDP would have run a different candidate here so I could have voted for them as I could not vote for Corky ever! I was totally surprised at the lack of political acumen by Carole in this, she is a very bright woman with, from what I have seen from her in other venues, good political sense. It failed her this time and the price for that failure will not be cheap, sadly. One cannot easily undo a disastrous decision like this one because the lingering bad taste remains long after the actual issue has passed.

[arikara]

4. Really? I'm surprised, but on the other hand after this vote maybe not...

I did think Corky was one of the better, more well meaning ones. He is the only politician who has ever actually come down to the food bank in Victoria, rolled up his sleeves and mingled with the volunteers. He's one that I was especially disappointed in that he voted for filling his pockets.

[Spazito]

6. Sadly, I used to think he was one of the 'good guys', too

until he refused to take responsibility for his part in the disasters of the Clark government, protected and defended even the most egregious of the lies that were told.

I learned the 'hail fellow well met' manner Corky has is just a facade. I voted for him once, very happily, never again. The harm he did in his own riding in the school district amalgamation, alone, is enough for me.

I would be more successful contacting Carole James than I would in contacting Corky, she is a genuinely caring person, of that I have NO doubt and, thanks to your urging, I will do just that. Thanks for the nudge!

[arikara]

7. Interesting...

I think I'll write to old Cork myself and see what he comes back with. I do give credit to my own MLA for calling personally, admitting that they made a terrible mistake and taking personal responsibility on the matter.

[arikara]

5. Regardless, it still wouldn't hurt

to tell him what you think. He is obligated to respond to you, and the more they are taken to task the better.

I think this stupidly disasterous move is the biggest gift the Greens could have received. And if they have any smarts they will start capitalizing on it asap.