On CTV News tonight the anchor expressed concern that there could be riots following Sunday's Grey Cup in Vancouver. Don't worry people, the Lions do not enjoy the same level of widespread committed fandom as the hockey team. The Lions have their fans, but in much smaller proportion and passion than with the Canucks. They aren't going to burn down the city if the Lions lose, so everyone can relax. Besides, playing in an 8 team league means every team makes it to the championship every few years, whereas in the NHL it could take the Canucks another 15-30 years to make it back to the big show. Losing in the finals is not nearly as devastating in the CFL.
I'm not sure if I'm going to be watching the Grey Cup. I work early in the morning and only have a fleeting interest in CFL football, preferring the NFL instead. 4 downs and 32 teams provides much more variety and a better game. Though 32 years ago today, my mother went into labour with me at a Grey Cup Party, so I do have a nostalgic connection to the big game. Mike Harris was also at the same Grey Cup Party where I started being born, but that was before he entered politics.
I'm predicting no riots on Sunday.
Showing posts with label BC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BC. Show all posts
Occupy Vancouver Peacefully Dismantles, Before Moving A Block Away
This morning in Vancouver the talk of the town was that the protest at the Art Gallery was closing up shop, that the clowns were choosing to leave peacefully instead of defying a court order. So what did they do? They took down their tent city in front of the Art Gallery and moved it behind the Art Gallery to the provincial courthouse. Classy. To add insult to stupidity, they decided that it would be a good idea to block a major traffic corridor on a Monday afternoon while they were relocating around the corner. Nothing wins the battle for hearts and minds quite like making commuters sit in gridlock.
The new location is also on public land because they seem unable to find a private land owner who is willing to host them. Really, if you are the kind of person who wants a heroin party on your front lawn, you probably don't have a front lawn. Even our left wing Premier Christy Clark was pissed off, suggesting that the next court order will be coming a whole lot faster than the last one. Granted, this sounded a lot like her demand for swift justice for rioters back in June, so I won't hold my breath.
The new location is also on public land because they seem unable to find a private land owner who is willing to host them. Really, if you are the kind of person who wants a heroin party on your front lawn, you probably don't have a front lawn. Even our left wing Premier Christy Clark was pissed off, suggesting that the next court order will be coming a whole lot faster than the last one. Granted, this sounded a lot like her demand for swift justice for rioters back in June, so I won't hold my breath.
BC Votes: Remember The Gas Tax
On Saturday the voters of British Columbia will be voting in municipal elections, and everyone should get out and vote. If you live in Vancouver, you need to vote against Gregor Robertson. He's a blowhard idealist who promised to solve all the world's problems when he was first elected. Here we are a few years later, and there are far more failures than successes. For those who aren't voting in Vancouver proper but rather a greater Vancouver municipality; I'm encouraging everyone to vote against any incumbent mayor who voted to jack up the gas tax when we already have a carbon tax. Vote the bums out of office!
The mayors primarily responsible for the gas tax are:
Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson
Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts
Port Coquitlam Mayor Greg Moore
Langley Mayor Peter Fassbender
Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart
District of North Vancouver Mayor Richard Walton
West Vancouver Mayor Pam Goldsmith-Jones (not running)
Do not vote for any of these people who might be running for re-election. Richmond mayor Malcolm Brodie voted against the gas tax along with the Mayors of Burnaby and Delta, so keep that in mind if you are voting there.
As for city council, I don't have much of an opinion. If you happen to live in West Vancouver, do not vote for Bill Soprovich. Two years ago I attended a city council meeting regarding the Olympics, and one of the notes I wrote in my notepad was "do not vote for Bill Soprovich". I didn't elaborate and don't even remember why I wrote it, but I'm sure I had a good reason...
The mayors primarily responsible for the gas tax are:
Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson
Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts
Port Coquitlam Mayor Greg Moore
Langley Mayor Peter Fassbender
Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart
District of North Vancouver Mayor Richard Walton
West Vancouver Mayor Pam Goldsmith-Jones (not running)
Do not vote for any of these people who might be running for re-election. Richmond mayor Malcolm Brodie voted against the gas tax along with the Mayors of Burnaby and Delta, so keep that in mind if you are voting there.
As for city council, I don't have much of an opinion. If you happen to live in West Vancouver, do not vote for Bill Soprovich. Two years ago I attended a city council meeting regarding the Olympics, and one of the notes I wrote in my notepad was "do not vote for Bill Soprovich". I didn't elaborate and don't even remember why I wrote it, but I'm sure I had a good reason...
Where There's A Gas Tank, There's A Way...
A message for the many voices trying to end the Keystone and Kitimat pipelines; you can kill the pipelines, but you can't stop the flow of oil. We have substantial oil reserves and the world has an insatiable appetite for the substance. Short of the NDP forming government and making it illegal to harvest oil, it will continue to travel by the old reliable methods, tankers, roads, rail, etc. Do you think that a fleet of tankers is safer and cleaner than a pipeline? Seriously? That is today's poll question.
The people who are fighting to kill the pipeline from Edmonton to northern BC, the alternative is the status quo, an aged pipeline that runs under metro Vancouver. Do you think that is cleaner or safer? Pipeline to Kitimat, or pipeline under greater Vancouver that carries oil to Vancouver harbour? It is a no brainer. And if you kill the existing pipeline that will just mean more trucks and trains traveling through the mountain passes. Great, that never turns out badly...
You can't stop the flow. Your best hope is diminishing demand through technological innovations, but that won't stop demand to the developing world anytime soon. Perhaps we could put an electric car in every Canadian driveway (though watch what that would do to the price of electricity), but you can't deliver that to the whole world within a plausible timeline. Demand will continue, and even if it slowly diminishes, as supply diminishes prices will remain profitable.
We have trillions of dollars worth of this stuff under the ground. That value leads to jobs, which leads to economic activity which supports countless supporting businesses. It also funds billions of dollars in tax revenue for the government. The oil sands in Alberta helps pay for health care in Quebec and Ontario. How much money does the Canada Pension fund have invested in Canadian Natural Resources? Billions. How many Canadians collect cheques from CPP?
Should Canada build more oil refineries? Yes, absolutely. But if you shut down oil production, the economic consequences would be catastrophic. Come on people; give your heads a good shake!
The people who are fighting to kill the pipeline from Edmonton to northern BC, the alternative is the status quo, an aged pipeline that runs under metro Vancouver. Do you think that is cleaner or safer? Pipeline to Kitimat, or pipeline under greater Vancouver that carries oil to Vancouver harbour? It is a no brainer. And if you kill the existing pipeline that will just mean more trucks and trains traveling through the mountain passes. Great, that never turns out badly...
You can't stop the flow. Your best hope is diminishing demand through technological innovations, but that won't stop demand to the developing world anytime soon. Perhaps we could put an electric car in every Canadian driveway (though watch what that would do to the price of electricity), but you can't deliver that to the whole world within a plausible timeline. Demand will continue, and even if it slowly diminishes, as supply diminishes prices will remain profitable.
We have trillions of dollars worth of this stuff under the ground. That value leads to jobs, which leads to economic activity which supports countless supporting businesses. It also funds billions of dollars in tax revenue for the government. The oil sands in Alberta helps pay for health care in Quebec and Ontario. How much money does the Canada Pension fund have invested in Canadian Natural Resources? Billions. How many Canadians collect cheques from CPP?
Should Canada build more oil refineries? Yes, absolutely. But if you shut down oil production, the economic consequences would be catastrophic. Come on people; give your heads a good shake!
BC Ferries
Image via WikipediaSounds about right. I'm guessing the ferry corporation is unionized. Expect less for more (hello, TTC) in the years ahead as western economies retrench and government/big unions are among the last holdouts against reality.
If things get really bad, expect civil unrest. All those de-moralized socialized hordes relying on government-provided entitlements have no intention of cutting back or being the ones to pay for government over-spending excesses. That puts the entire weight of responsibility on the rest of us.
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