Tag Archives: BC Green Party

Politics

The Liberal Challenger In North Island Riding

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By Roy L Hales

While the NDP and Liberal parties battle it out throughout most of the province, on Vancouver Island the chief contenders in this election are the Greens and NDP. Their support is not uniform. Visiting Salt Spring Island a few days ago, I was struck by the overwhelming number of Green party lawn placards. There was more of a three party mix as I drove northwards along the coastal highway. By the time I reached Courtenay/Comox, there were even Conservative signs. A very different scenario emerged in Campbell River. One party’s placcards dominated the political lawnspace. I counted 24 signs bearing the incumbant NDP MLA, Claire Trevena’s name. The remaining five advertised the Liberal challenger in North Island riding, Dallas Smith.

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Finances, Politics

Are the BC Liberals Better Fiscal Managers Than The NDP?

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By Roy L Hales

The BC Liberals portray themselves as the party that brings economic stability and creates jobs. They claim the BC NDP and Green Party would introduce “reckless spending, higher taxes, and bigger government.” But, based on  their past performance, are the BC Liberals better fiscal managers than the NDP?

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Finances, Politics

Conversation With Claire Trevena, MLA for North Island

By Roy L Hales

With British Columbia’s provincial election approaching, I decided to interview the candidates in my riding. Dallas Smith, who is attempting to capture this seat for the BC Liberals, has yet to respond to my emails. Green candidate Sue Moen and I will be talking soon. My conversation with Claire Trevena, MLA for Island North, took place on a bench overlooking the wharves at Heriot Bay, on Quadra Island.

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Finances, Forests

Potentially Embarrassing Questions About BC’s Stumpage Rates

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By Roy L Hales

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During a recent interview, Campbell River film maker Damien Gillis said “there would be a great deal of outrage” if the public knew the degree to which we subsidize logging old growth forests. These subsidies come in the form of lower stumpage fees for the remote areas where most of our surviving ancient forests still persist.  Gillis also informed me this is a central issue in the United States’ softwood dispute with Canada. After the interview, I drew up a series of potentially embarrassing questions about BC’s stumpage rates.

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Environment

Can Canada Build More Pipelines? Or LNG Facilities?

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By Roy L Hales

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In a recent interview with the ECOreport, Simon Fraser University Climate Scientist Dr, Kirsten Zickfeld described Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s idea of fighting climate change while expanding the oil sands and building new pipelines as “delusional.” There is only a finite amount of carbon we can release into the atmosphere and if we hope keep the global temperature rise to 2 degrees C. We are already close to 1.5 degrees and may pass that threshold this year. Even if we do not build any new fossil fuel infrastructure, Canada will exhaust “its’ fair share” of carbon emissions by 2030. These were quite strong statements, so I asked a couple of other scientists – as well as environmentalists, politicians and government spokespersons – Can Canada build more pipelines? Or LNG facilities?

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