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| Premier Christy Clark lights Olympic cauldron to support Vancouver Canucks - but Stanley Cup chances were numbered afterwards. BC government photo |
And will Clark's number be up in the next provincial election?
Bill Tieleman's 24 hours/The Tyee column
Tuesday July 19, 2011
By Bill Tieleman
"Becoming number one is easier than remaining number one."
- former basketball star Bill Bradley
How does Christy Clark add up as British Columbia's new premier? Here are all the numbers you need to decide.
0: Number of debates Clark accepted with political opponents. She turned down a debate with New Democrat leader Adrian Dix on the Harmonized Sales Tax and at least two debates with Vancouver-Point Grey NDP candidate David Eby in the May byelection campaign.
1: B.C. Liberal MLAs who supported Clark's leadership bid. Backbencher Harry Bloy got his reward -- a cabinet job at last.
2: Positions Clark took on the Metro Vancouver mayors' proposed two cent a litre gas tax to pay for the Evergreen Line and transit improvements. First she said it wasn't a good idea -- but then it was.
"When British Columbians say that they're not really excited about paying more gas taxes, I get that. Because my focus as premier is how do we make life more affordable for people, rather than less affordable," Clark said on July 11.
But by July 13, Clark was back onboard the bus, and Transportation Minister Blair Lekstrom was cleaning up her flip-flop.
"I can't speak for the premier. What I can speak to is the fact that I've spoken with the premier about this and I talked to her about the comments she made," Lekstrom said. "We're very clearly on the same page."
3: Positions Clark held on the HST. First, it was to take a free vote in the legislature on the HST to kill it, then to hold a binding referendum without changing the 12 per cent rate, then to change the rate.
"We aren't going to be talking about trying to reduce it by a point or two before the referendum. I mean, I think people will see that as buying them with their own money," Clark said in March.
Then Clark promised in May she would reduce the rate by one point to 11 per cent in 2012 and a further point to 10 per cent in 2014.
4: Months Clark has been premier.
4: Days Clark has spent in the B.C. legislature as premier.
22: Months until Clark faces voters under the province's fixed election date of May 14, 2013 -- unless she scraps the law and calls an early ballot.
3,000 to 12,000: Scalper market dollar value range for two free tickets Clark was given to attend the final game of Stanley Cup playoffs by Vancouver Canucks' owner Francesco Aquilini. Face value was in the hundreds of dollar per ticket and the gift was cleared by the province's conflict of interest commissioner.
20,000: Dollars given to Clark's leadership campaign by BC Liberal backroom operative and registered lobbyist Patrick Kinsella's Progressive Group. Kinsella's wife Brenda also donated $3,000.
25,000: Dollars donated to Clark's campaign by Aquilini's development and construction company.
50,000: Dollars given to Clark's campaign by developer Wall Financial Corporation and owners Peter and Bruno Wall.
324,000: Number of Google search hits linking "Christy Clark" with "Vancouver Canucks".
199,000: Google search hits linking "Christy Clark" with "Twitter".
38,000: Hits linking "Christy Clark" with "B.C. Rail".
6,140: Hits linking "Christy Clark" with "photo op".
4,880: Hits linking "Christy Clark" with "flip flop".
2,080: Hits linking "Christy Clark" with "education policy".
979: Hits linking "Christy Clark" with "economic strategy".
113,000: Number of extra jobs the HST would create in 10 years according to a B.C. government-commissioned report by economist Jack Mintz.
24,400: Extra jobs the government-appointed "Independent Panel" of experts said the Harmonized Sales Tax would create by 2020.
9,400: Number of jobs actually lost in B.C. in June 2011, one year after HST implemented, according to Statistics Canada.
7.3: Percentage of British Columbians unemployed in June, higher than all western provinces without the HST -- Saskatchewan 4.9 per cent, Manitoba 5.5 per cent and Alberta 5.6 per cent.
So there you have it, B.C.'s new premier by the numbers.
The question is, when the next election is called, will Christy Clark's number be up?
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20 comments:
Slow news day obviously.
C'mon Bill you can write better quality columns than that one.
How can you tell its summer time in BC politics? When analysts like Bill can sit down and come up with stats like "number of google hits linking Christy Clark with (insert donor payoff here)." Seriously (something Christy Clark knows nothing about being serious that is) if the HST referendum goes down (in other words, the YES side wins by a large margin), does anyone actually think Premier Photo Op will have the guts to try and get a mandate from the people of BC? Are you kidding? I'm curious what the approval ratings are for Clark and Falcon. Particularly when they are telling people that the exemptions that existed to the PST will largely be gone, once again ignoring what the public are saying, and then trying to con them with their "its a choice between a 10 percent HST and a 12 percent GST PST" nonsense. Alot of people I talk to want an early election to get rid of the Fiberals. But I doubt that a rebuking from the public will get Premier Kodak to actually call one. The only difference between Christy Clark and Gordon Campbell, is that one looks better in a skirt than the other one. Oops I mean a kilt.
What happens if the HST Referendum is defeated (the NO side wins)?
Are people going to accept it, or just comtinue to whine alot?
Christy at last count had a higher approval rating than Dix (who comes across as being grumpy).
Wow, google hits. How persuasive. Sounds like a fun game! Let's see...
"Bill Tieleman" and "NDP" - 29,300 hits.
"Bill Tieleman" and "partisan" - 4,370 hits.
"Bill Tieleman" and "left wing" - 2,400 hits.
"Bill Tieleman" and "propoganda" - 5,100 hits.
"Bill Tieleman" and "honest reporting" - 28 hits.
"Bill Tieleman" and "economic expertise" - 1 hit.
"Bill Tieleman" and "quality journalism" - 34 hits.
WOW you're right, that was fun! And oh so informative!
(Not making these up, check for yourself. It's only fair, no?)
Who was doing the counting that showed Mz. Christy with a better approval rating? Something out of the PAB office maybe
Statistics are always a good idea to repeat. I can never remember numbers and percentages, from month to month. I appreciate the bloggers, for doing the research, for me. They are far better at it, than I and thousands of others, would ever be.
Don't stop Bill. I saved all of your statistics, for reference.
BC is now becoming a brain drain. The HST, the high gas prices, the high cost of living and all the other Liberal tax grabs. The low wages. BC is losing their, highly educated citizens.
I always tell young people, get the hell out of BC. These kids are slinging beer, with College and University educations, with large student loans to try and pay.
BC's high cost of living and poor wages, and a student loan, means they don't have a prayer of, owning a home in this province.
This is the result of, the stupidity of the BC Liberals for the past eleven years. Corruption and greed, has killed many a country. Corruption, greed and thefts, have destroyed BC.
And then, there is foolish Christy and idiot Falcon, threatening their own citizens, and forcing the HST, on the very people that can't afford it.
Bill "the Premier" is in fact not the Premier. She is only the pretend Premier because a handful of B.C. Residents have said so. Read, the Liberal Party Members that voted.
The "people" have not spoken, but we will ...................
Cheers
Hmmm
gordon campbell - drunk...281,000 hits
Cristy Clark - lying...80,000 hits
Liberals lying to people of BC...5,130,000 hits.
Don't need to say much more about the government we have now. Vote "YES" to get rid of them!
"Hmmm
gordon campbell - drunk...281,000 hits"
Hmm..
Number of subject repetitive commentaries - 1
"Cristy Clark - lying...80,000 hits"
Number of spelling errors - 1.
"Liberals lying to people of BC...5,130,000 hits. "
Number of repetitive subject commentaries: revised to 2.
"Don't need to say much more about the government we have now. Vote "YES" to get rid of them!"
Number of statements stating no releationship to voting in a provincial election, and voting in a referendum: 1
Judging by the comments here it appaears this blog is being closely followed by the BCLiberal PABlum.
"Judging by the comments here it appaears this blog is being closely followed by the BCLiberal PABlum."
Correct! These leaches will try anything, even lying. 200 plus of these lowlifes, fire all of them! Vote "YES" to get rid of the lieberals!
Yes, I think you are right. They are scared stiif that they will be fired at the next election. LOL, serves them right!
This google idea is pretty funny.....I googled Bill Tieleman and ass wipe and got over 1500 hits!
Anyone ever try Google for Anonymous
"Judging by the comments here it appaears this blog is being closely followed by the BCLiberal PABlum."
Number of statements made under a blogger's state of psychosis: 1
"Vote "YES" to get rid of the lieberals!"
Number statments that indicate misunderstanding of what the HST referendum decides: 1
terrible journalism Tieleman.
If you play that game, you'll get burned.
Google hits:
"Bill Tieleman" and "Idiot" - 22,900 hits
"Bill Tieleman" and "retarded" - 18,700 hits
"Bill Tieleman" and "Deceitful" - 18,9000
It's a game you always lose Bill.
The comments on this blog are completely irrelevant to the content/story and frankly toxic. Please edit.
"to the pathetic individual who made reference to "union scum" I would only say this. How does it feel to look in the mirror each day and see a pathetic, sad, hateful and utterly meaningless human being?"
Hmm.. does this poster want to tell us?
Hello, Is this wonderful blog still open. When I press the submit button,I will know. My only comment is to google Christy Clark Fan Club. As the Sickmen state decide for yourself
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