May Election

We will just have to wait and see what happens on May 9th, and if enough voters want to take a chance on the NDP again and if they can win a majority of ridings from the Liberals.

Gracie’s Mom,

In regards to your question:

“Interesting news this morning. I wonder what our local candidates think about this…
http://www.thenorthernview.com/news/419095994.html?mobile=true”

Might I suggest that you contact the candidates directly and ask? It would also be generous of you to share those responses with the readers of this thread. From an earlier post:

Ms. Rice can be reached at: jennifer.rice.MLA@leg.bc.ca

Mr. Pond can be reached at: herb.pond@bcliberals.com

As for your complaint: “Why is it that I can’t get a straight answer but the same old rhetoric?”

I have always found that when communication breaks down it often pays to model the type of response you are expecting.

So might I also suggest that you could respond to the following question: Do Liberal supporters honestly believe that focusing on corporate betterment is more important than addressing the educational, social, health and policy inadequacies that this riding currently experiences?

By modelling your answer to the question in a clear, concise non-rhetorical manner with a logically developed argument you will be able to show NDP supporters the type of answer you are looking for…and why.

I look forward to your response.

I’ll be honest and say I am not a real supporter of either party. I don’t believe that the Liberals have done a good job overall with the social issues in our province. Though I don’t believe this riding has suffered anywhere to the extent of what is going on in some other areas of the province especially the lower mainland. I personally believe that to have a successful province in every aspect that a government needs work cohesively with big business and the social issues. Government needs good business sense to bring in the revenue needed to support health, education and other social issues as well as being to able to maintain our provinces infrastructures without burdening the taxpayers with higher taxes and fee’s. I don’t have faith in the NDP that they can do it either.

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Doesn’t the fact that the Libs have done everything possible, to the point of giving away the store on LNG, prove to you that the whole ‘free enterprise gov’t’ line they’ve been using since WAC Bennett means dick all?
Business is motivated 100% by ROI and profit. Not who you vote for. Let’s just look at the references to Alberta. WHO pissed away their Heritage Fund? WHO put all the eggs in one basket?
The NDP gets the short end all the time because they always get in when TARFU and everyone’s pissed off. Then we’re at least spared the ‘belt tightening’ make things worse times like when Bill Bennett was around.
Sorry to disappoint common misconceptions but the Harcourt times weren’t awful in the least here in the North. It was the damned softwood agreements and the insistence of the Yanks to end the ‘appurtenance’ clauses that screwed up the economy here not Glen Clark.
And to forestall the typical Northerner comment that money ‘wasted’ on Skeena sawmill saved Terrace from becoming a depressing shit-hole like Burns Lake, Hooterville and the rest of central BC, and pales compared to wasting $5 billion on bridges that made things worse and no one will use down where people have everything under the sun.

Gracie’s Mom,

An interesting response.

I find the following definition helpful:

“Rhetoric is the art of discourse, wherein a writer or speaker strives to inform, persuade or motivate particular audiences in specific situations.”

Using the above definition much of your response is (might one say?) rhetoric? By using phrases such as ‘I believe or I don’t’ you the writer are attempting to inform the audience (readers of HTMF) of a personal belief (political in nature).

You do possibly step out of rhetoric when you make the statement: “Government needs good business sense to bring in the revenue needed to support health, education and other social issues as well as being to able to maintain our provinces infrastructures without burdening the taxpayers with higher taxes and fee’s”. That is presented by you as a fact. Can you explain this fact a bit more?

You don’t believe the Liberals have done that (implied in the following). “I don’t have faith in the NDP that they can do it either.” Why?

Personally I see nothing wrong with discourse/rhetoric. It can lead to interesting conversations: through it you even suggested that the Liberals have not been successful in applying good business sense to some very pressing problems. My goodness – have you established common ground from with the conversation can move forward?

Or was it all just rhetoric?

How do voters here feel about paying more in taxes for lower mainland bridges?

The important question isn’t how voters feel about paying more in taxes for lower mainland bridges…but why do we keep supporting failed economic strategies?

The Port Mann was to pay for itself through tolls - so far a fail. The government misjudged the viability of the user pay model. (By proposing to cap tolls it is in effect admitting defeat). Which would suggest a failure in judging supply and demand - businesses that do that consistently often go out of business. Paying no heed to the results of the Port Mann fiasco they’ve place on the table a proposal to toll the Massey tunnel replacement.

The fact is that the Liberal government has failed to provide adequate services in a variety of areas: education, health care, social safety nets, building new and upgrading and maintaining, existing infrastructure etc.

With numerous examples of past, current and potential future failures of the political/economic model the Liberal government has practiced isn’t it time to re-think whether we can continue down this road?

That’s not to say any other political party will be better. But maybe we need look at electing representatives that can offer us viable alternatives.

By the way - what’s wrong paying taxes when they are used prudently, effectively, and with fiscal responsibility to meet the needs of British Columbians in general. Privatization of services has not been the panacea it was made out to be.

Your question is interesting - because it uncovers so many more.

Not surprised by your response. The Liberals did wrong and if the NDP win it will be all sunshine and roses with more money in our pockets, new schools, hospitals, lots of new well paying jobs, hydro and gas will be cheaper, ICBC rates will be lower and a bridge will be built to the Island to get rid of those pesky ferries. Oh and lets not forget the end of MSP. I will give all you NDP supporters the benefit of the doubt if the NDP form a majority government on May 9th and if after 4 years there is some positive results.

How sad, actually thought there was a chance for some dialogue. You protest your party non- affiliation too much.

“The NDP win it will be all sunshine and roses with more money in our pockets, new schools, hospitals, lots of new well paying jobs, hydro and gas will be cheaper, ICBC rates will be lower and a bridge will be built to the Island to get rid of those pesky ferries”. Wow you really are rabid NDP supporter.

How about positive results from the past? @Gracies_Mom These two links indicate the economic success of any party is about the same as another. I find it interesting that the better outcome was with Harcourt’s NDP.

My question to you is: Why should we pay $9B (or more) for a dam that will eventually sell power to the US for 1/3 less than it cost to generate?

“Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason.” ― Mark Twain

Hey I can’t complain about life in the last 16 years except for personal tragedies. Its definitely better than in the 90’s. Majority of my family and friends have good paying jobs, own homes, have had decent health care and enjoy the good life. Sorry some of you haven’t been so lucky.

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“Que Sera Sera” :sunny::grinning:

How do you feel about paying more for “someone else’s” chemotherapy?

You don’t. You pay less overhead and everyone gets needed treatment.

Besides this whole rewarding only the ridings that vote your way thing is offensive and counter to the purpose of gov’t. Time they added that to the Rules of Ethics and tracked it. And from what I gather from my time with the Libs, they take that as a Divine Right of Kings.
Like I’ve mentioned I worked within the NDP when it was time to get rid of the Socreds, I worked within the Liberals when it was time to depose the NDP. I don’t work with any party now, but it’s past time to change the diapers.

Considering that the North Coast is a NDP riding and has been for awhile we have not been ignored by the Liberals.

The issue of the aging Prince Rupert Middle School is a clear example of our riding being ignored and or punished. The education minister let us know that the Liberals will not replace the school even though there are many safety and health issues with the building.

Just so you know. On her facebook page, Jennifer shared the Globe and Mail article about Pembina with this comment.

Exciting news for Prince Rupert. Watson Island has been a millstone for the municipality. It’s great to see the former pulp mill site put to productive use.

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There must be an election or something in a month for her to be making comments like that…

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Interesting article. Too close to call. I don’t like Clark, but, I will not be surprised if she wins.

I enjoy the argument that the NDP will be bad for business, and BC will go heavily into debt. The Liberals have branded themselves as fiscally conservative. We are carrying the most debt of any province in the country!
I will be voting for John Horgan and the NDP. MLA Rice gets my support.

http://commonsensecanadian.ca/economist-thanks-liberals-bc-canadas-indebted-province/

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As well, we may be the most corrupt.

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