tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35935973.post6671263294472406567..comments2023-07-25T02:39:44.615-07:00Comments on Bill Tieleman: Carole James should have thanked MLA Michael Sather, not thrown him out of caucus over Tsawwassen Treaty oppositionBill Tielemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03304971610140279157noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35935973.post-47495964869804806572007-09-21T07:34:00.000-07:002007-09-21T07:34:00.000-07:00Booby Traps! Oh C'mon, the James Gang has been mor...Booby Traps! <BR/><BR/>Oh C'mon, the James Gang has been more or less permanently enmeshed in one or another trap since before the 2005 election. Mostly, they've been traps of the caucus's own invention. <BR/><BR/>The point is that the party has, wittingly or unwittingly, behaved as though it has no 'political' sense at all since Joy McPhail walked out of active politics.<BR/><BR/>Instead of hammering the Liberals for their mistakes, their greed and the way they cater to special interests, the NDP has turned its own guns on itself: twice on MLA salaries and pensions and now, even more fundamentally, on the paving of ALR lands.<BR/><BR/>It's time for the party's real supporters to start screaming for a change in leadership and tactics before 2009. There will be lots more opportunities to deal with Campbell...he keeps on with his selfishness project for the economy and fewer and fewer middle class citizens can afford to live in 'the best place on earth'. <BR/><BR/>Let's get back to basics Carole - or move aside and find someone who will.<BR/><BR/>Provincial politics is not the school board. <BR/><BR/>Keep up the principled criticism Bill...eventually someone at HQ will wake up and realize all the smoke is fire.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35935973.post-53740227279740515222007-09-20T18:37:00.000-07:002007-09-20T18:37:00.000-07:00Bill:My position as I have posted on babble, attem...Bill:<BR/><BR/>My position as I have posted on babble, attempted to post on Public Eye Online, etc is this:<BR/><BR/>There's fault on both sides of the entire situation with Sather and caucus. Whoever decided that to "whip" the vote (caucus strategists I suppose) should have their heads examined. It would pass in the leg either way, and there was no need to put an ultimatum / gun to people's heads over this.<BR/><BR/>It causes grief and dissention when there's no need for it. And also plays straight into the opposing sides hands. However...<BR/><BR/>Sather ran and won under the BCNDP banner. He was afforded support from provincial office, not too mention Carole, logistics support, and everything else. That's not to say that you have to go along with everything, no matter how distasteful it may appear. He chose to stand on his principles, which he should be admired for. But in our parliamentary democracy, when someone in caucus, steps outside the lines, and goes against caucus wishes, the traditional punishment is expulsion from caucus for a period of time.<BR/><BR/>I respect him for standing up for his principles, however I find it odd that he's not willing to accept the consequences for doing so. And I also believe that that's led to a lengthening of the expulsion. If it were me heading caucus, I would have suspended him for the length of the voting procedure for the treaty. He could have abstained or been sick or something, but he's choosing to defy caucus.<BR/><BR/>Instead of taking his medicine as it were and letting things blow over, for the good of the party and yourself, he decided to make a bigger stink about it by forcing the issue at provincial council. The council backed caucus' decision decisively, and now Sather finds himself out longer than need be.<BR/><BR/>So just to summarize, this entire boondoggle could have been prevented if people had their eyes open and thought strategically and seen these booby traps popping up. Instead, here we sit, looking divided, and taking potshots from such luminaries such as DeJong and Falcon, 2 of the bigger Campbell lickspiddles. Just freaking great.<BR/><BR/>KeglerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35935973.post-67192119399324765552007-09-20T16:00:00.000-07:002007-09-20T16:00:00.000-07:00Anonymous, you are way off the mark.First of all, ...Anonymous, you are way off the mark.<BR/><BR/>First of all, I am a political commentator with a lot of experience, not a party hack spinning on behalf of the NDP.<BR/><BR/>Second, I am paid to give my considered political opinions. I don't see any NDP complaints when I whack the hell out of Gordon Campbell and his colleagues - which is most of the time and for good, documented reasons.<BR/><BR/>Third, I have nothing against Carole James and have in fact said positive things about her in the past. But I will not overlook obvious and glaring political mistakes - like throwing Michael Sather out of her caucus for supporting a longtime party policy.<BR/><BR/>I personally hope the NDP presents a viable and electable alternative to the BC Liberals in the next election. To do that they have to do a better job than we've seen this term so far.<BR/><BR/>And perhaps that's the real reason for your complaint against me, because I have and will call it as I see it.<BR/><BR/>If party diehards like you want things glossed over, too bloody bad.Bill Tielemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03304971610140279157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35935973.post-6504554219366171562007-09-20T15:46:00.000-07:002007-09-20T15:46:00.000-07:00Note to Bill: The NDP leadership race ended years...Note to Bill: The NDP leadership race ended years ago. Get over it. <BR/><BR/>Your recent critical remarks about the NDP sound like they were crafted by one of Gordon Campbell's 110 spin-masters in the Premier's office. You are making their political case for them, and you're pissing off a lot of NDP'ers in the process.<BR/><BR/>The Campbell Liberals already have the Vancouver Sun, Vancouver Province, Victoria Times-Colonist, virtually every other daily and weekly newspaper, Global TV, CTV, CKNW, and other affiliated radio stations across BC actively working to re-elect them and eliminate the NDP as a political force in the province. <BR/><BR/>We don't need BC's only left-leaning columnist sh***ing all over the NDP as well - unless, that is, you really would like to see a return to the 2 MLA scenario we suffered under from 2001 - 2005.<BR/><BR/>Make your mind up... are you a progressive New Democrat, or just another corporate lackey spewing out right wing propaganda? <BR/><BR/>There are more than enough socially corrosive, mean-spirited, envrionmentally destructive, anti-labour policies being implemented by the BC Liberal government that could keep a columnist busy for half a lifetime. You sure as hell don't need to waste your precious 10 column inches beating the crap out of your own party.<BR/><BR/>Give your head a shake, Bill!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35935973.post-76685879104875121862007-09-19T15:33:00.000-07:002007-09-19T15:33:00.000-07:00"The Formosa Blueberry Farm wasn't on the NDP rada...<I>"The Formosa Blueberry Farm wasn't on the NDP radar ... "</I><BR/><BR/>No one, including MLA Mike Sather, has objected to the Abernathy Connector going through ALR land, or even through the Formosa Farm. What Sather and others did object to was the particular route chosen through that property, and the measley compensation per acre being offered by Translink. <BR/><BR/>Nonetheless, the fact is that if ALR land is need for a <B>public purpose such as a highway</B>, no one seriously doubts that such an application will prevail. Highways trump agriculture, that's been policy throughout the 35 year history of the ALR, regardless of party.<BR/><BR/>What does not trump agriculture, ... most of the time, ... is a <B>private purpose such as a container yard</B>.Budd Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04194826986794514558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35935973.post-39075227605882716062007-09-19T11:03:00.000-07:002007-09-19T11:03:00.000-07:00this is exactly why party politics does not work, ...this is exactly why party politics does not work, democracy being the first victim. I do see a double standard though, Gordon being able to control all his puppets with no public critisisms, and Carol being critized for doing the same thing.<BR/><BR/>Personally, I feel ALR trumps the treaty process and should not be allowed to be used for development of any kind.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35935973.post-4022072186547631192007-09-19T10:52:00.000-07:002007-09-19T10:52:00.000-07:00Welcome back Bill - regarding this kerfluffle: Wha...Welcome back Bill - regarding this kerfluffle: What ever happened to the idea of "due process" in terms of a defined application etc. process required to remove land from the ALR. Or is that just another "cabinet privilege" of the Head Capo and his Cronies to be able to use any ALR land to bribe anybody they want. <BR/><BR/>Carole James action as usual is pathetic, even a LIEberal is going to vote against the treaty but we need more than two against. I'll say one thing for the Gang that occasionally spends time in Victoria, they are gifted at conflating and obfuscating issues. <BR/><BR/>I see Vaughn Palmer suggests they may try to delay the BVB trial 'til after the next election - hell - why don't they just delay it until everybody is dead, the way things are going that may not be too long.kootcoothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11344208424209840730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35935973.post-36777815636043264272007-09-19T09:02:00.000-07:002007-09-19T09:02:00.000-07:00Where is the Agriculture Minister? The Formosa Bl...Where is the Agriculture Minister? The Formosa Blueberry Farm wasn't on the NDP radar; now another much larger acreage is doomed. And the NDP just doesn't "get it".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35935973.post-32265283226820267982007-09-18T20:38:00.000-07:002007-09-18T20:38:00.000-07:00One wonders just who the NDP leader is getting her...One wonders just who the NDP leader is getting her ideas from? The policy was in place for a long time. It was a party policy as I see it. She changed it. JUst had to go onside with Gordon one more time. The band wasn't leaving town, other accomodations can be made, but they see a follower not leader and knew she would fold. <BR/>My Gosh she is the elected leader but one would believe the rank and file might take umbrage with her action. Wonder how many will still remember her actions, next time the requests for money, or workers will go out. How many membership cards will fade away? Are we to believe that a number of MLA's are so afraid for their short time jobs that they would go against their party and their principals by when told to jump to it, they ask how high, as they pull their forelock? I do expect to see the LIberal side of the house doing what they are told, after all Gordon may reward them with another pay raise before they eventually get dumpted. Follow your NDP principals and lose you email privilage. How petty. One wonders if Corkie will go off on pension and back to horse logging. maybe Lali will jump ship now that a pension looms . But The fellow who really got it on the side of the head must be thinking deap thoughts as he is dragged down not only by another MLA who happens to be leader, and a small group of insiders who are just following her orders. One wonders which policy she will bend or break next time. Only in BC folks say. Lotus Land is still alive and disfunctional. DlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35935973.post-47868134408276632612007-09-18T10:41:00.000-07:002007-09-18T10:41:00.000-07:00Superb column.Superb column.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com