COMMENT: Making the case for electoral finance reform
Catching a politician with their hand in the cookie jar is far more juicy than actually building a better cookie jar, so it's little surprise that proposing changes to BC's electoral finance laws is hardly seen as sexy. But if voters truly want accountability and transparency restored to BC politics, it starts with prying the...
In 2009 BC Liberals proportionately outspent 2008 Obama campaign
Barack Obama has nothing on the BC Liberals when it comes to campaign spending, according to an estimate released today by IntegrityBC. Relying on US Federal Election Commission (FEC) figures, IntegrityBC estimates that the 2008 Obama campaign cost $5.10 per registered voter compared to the $5.54 per voter spent by the BC ...
Oil, cancer and bicycles: The unholy alliance of The BC Cancer Foundation and Enbridge
The high-profile sponsorship of a BC cancer research charity event by the world's biggest oil pipeline builder raises serious questions about the ethics of fundraising - and threatens to backfire for both organizations involved.Unless you never open a newspaper, turn on the TV, listen to the radio, or surf the web, you have...
Grand Chief Edward John to join BC Trade Mission in China
Coast Salish Territory/ Vancouver, BC – From October 22-31, 2011 Grand Chief Edward John of the First Nations Summit political executive participated on a National First Nations mission to China led by the National Chief Shawn A-in-Chut Atleo. The mission also included leaders from the Union of BC Indian Chiefs as well as...
IntegrityBC launches “Who really runs BC?” campaign--Liberal donor Pattison Outdoor refuses to run transit ads
IntegrityBC has launched the first phase of its “Who really runs BC?” campaign with the unveiling of the transit shelter ad Pattison Outdoor doesn't want British Columbians to see. In launching its campaign to reform BC's election finance laws, the non-partisan organization is calling for a ban on corporate and union funding...
Kudos to Harper for shipbuilding methodology
It’s as much a tradition as Hockey Night in Canada: awarding federal contracts on the basis of political seats, powerful clout and, in essence, attempts to bribe voters. I saw that personally while covering Parliament Hill, when Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney overruled all technical assessments and recommendations...
Occupy Surrey: George W. Bush met by War Criminal Welcoming Committee
On October 20th, former U.S. Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton were invited by Mayor Diane Watts, the Surrey Board of Trade and Surrey City Council to speak at the Surrey Regional Economic Summit. Each former President was given $150,000 for their appearance, while the attendees paid an astonishing $599 each to...
COMMENT: The costs of being aboriginal in BC
Being First Nations in BC comes at too high a price. We all know the statistics: dismal success at (white) school; endemic poverty on and off reserve; half the prison population despite being only three percent of the Canadian population; high incidence of sexual abuse; the too high a percentage of children in care; high...
COMMENT: Hope, anger, courage: Day One of Occupy Vancouver
A global call was put out for a day of action on October 15th, 2011. Inspired by the swelling movement at “Occupy Wall Street” and hundreds of similar protests around the world, Vancouver residents answered the beckon. This morning marked the inception of Vancouver’s Occupy Movement with thousands converging at the Vancouver...
COMMENT: Time of use billing has always been the plan for Smart Meters
A confidential report on BC Hydro Smart Meter Business Case by Horizon Technologies Inc. states that "BC Hydro will maintain the same rate structures when Smart Meters are first put in, and implement new rate structures afterwards; so that Smart Meters aren't blamed for higher rates."Read the full confidential report here.Rich...
