You're Poorer than You Think! Statistics show only wealthy Canadians getting ahead

 It's true! You're poorer than you think! - stuartpilbrow photo

Latest stats confirm vast gap between ordinary folks and pension-rich CEOs.

Bill Tieleman's 24 hours/The Tyee column

Tuesday August 2, 2011

By Bill Tieleman

"I've been rich and I've been poor -- believe me, rich is better."

- Mae West

A major bank's ads say "you're richer than you think" but in fact, you're poorer!

New statistics actually prove it.

If you believe you have been working harder but not getting ahead year after year, you're probably right.

That is, unless you are wealthy.

The sad reality is revealed in a new Conference Board of Canada study and other statistical information.

In the 33 years between 1976 and 2009 median income increased by just 5.5 per cent -- from $45,800 in 1976 to $48,300 in 2009. [Median income is a dividing line, with half the population making more than that and the other half less.]

But the gap between rich and poor skyrocketed during that same time.

The already huge income difference Canada's wealthiest 20 per cent held over the neediest 20 per cent almost doubled, from $92,300 to $177,500.

And the richest of all benefitted the most. The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives determined that the top one per cent got one-third of all income gains in Canada from 1997 to 2007.

All this spells increasing inequality in Canadian society -- too few people enjoying too much money while others barely get by.

Shawsome pension!

Let's put a face to these statistics.

If you have Shaw Cable you may have noticed the price has gone up steadily over the past few years for basic and additional services.

My cable bundle has jumped from $45.95 in 2004 to $64.95 today. That's a $19 increase, or 41 per cent, in seven years or almost six per cent each year.

But average wages have only gone up by about half that amount -- between 1.8 and 3.3 per cent annually. And many workers in the public sector have faced no wage increase the past few years.

So why have Shaw's prices increased at more than double the rate of workers' wage increases? Here's one likely reason.

Shaw Communications chief executive officer Jim Shaw recently retired at the age of just 53.

His pension is $16,000. A day. Every day of the year. That's almost $6 million annually.







Jim Shaw - ex-CEO Shaw Communications





Add in his brother Brad, the new CEO, and father J.R. Shaw and the total retirement bill comes to $147 million, according to the company's own books.

Kind of makes B.C. Ferries CEO David Hahn's $315,000-a-year pension after 10 years at the top look like peanuts -- but it isn't, because over 60 per cent of Canadians don't even have workplace pensions.

How's your pension doing?

That means -- unlike Hahn and the Shaws -- ordinary folks depend on the Canada Pension Plan, which pays a maximum of about $11,500 a year and an average of just $6,000, and any personal savings for their retirement.

But a third of working-age Canadians don't have a Registered Retirement Savings Plan or similar investments. And those with an RRSP will only get on average less than $300 a month when they finish working.

Yup, it's true. You're poorer than you think.

Now go pay your cable bill and jump on a ferry -- but try not to think about whose pensions you're really investing in!

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Wine Barbarian is back at last - and with a Wine Spectator Top 100 wine available in BC for under $30!

Vina Mayor
Reserva 2004

The Return of the Wine Barbarian!

Fellow wine lovers, winos and wine rookies, foodies, restaurant hounds, amateur cooks and more - I'm back!

Unfortunately my Wine Barbarian blog has been very neglected due to a series of reasons but.....I hope to make amends and more importantly, make this a useful blog for wine drinkers, restaurant goers and food fiends in BC and everywhere else.

You will find wine reviews and recommendations, restaurant reviews and travel reports - all of which happened here before but very infrequently.

I've turned over a new leaf - and it's a grape leaf!

Please check out my first new post in quite a while - about one of my absolute favourite wines available in BC and other locations - a Wine Spectator 93 point Top 100 Wine of 2010 - at $29.

Click here to find out more.
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Jack Layton's New Cancer Changes National Politics Again



Jack Layton, Bill Tieleman and Thomas Mulcair in 2007

 With the future of NDP in balance, his pick for interim leader is puzzling

Bill Tieleman's 24 hours/The Tyee column

Tuesday July 26, 2011

By Bill Tieleman

"Cancer is a word, not a sentence."

- John Diamond, British journalist

New Democrat leader Jack Layton's surprise disclosure Monday that he is suffering from a new form of cancer will shock not only his party, but federal politics itself.

As someone who has known Layton since his days as a Toronto city councillor in the 1980s, and who endorsed Layton's 2003 NDP leadership bid, I'm saddened to learn of his new illness but inspired by his fighting spirit.

Canadians' kindness will support Layton's efforts to overcome cancer once again, as he did successfully with prostate cancer. We can only hope that Layton's determination to beat the disease is successful.

But his plans to return to Parliament when it resumes September 19 seem overly optimistic, given his frail, gaunt appearance and hoarse, almost unrecognizable voice.

That could mean a significant shift in the dynamic of federal politics, because as leader of the official Opposition, Layton is also the alternative to Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Surprising choice for interim leader

While with a federal election just behind us and a majority Conservative government firmly in power for four years means that political stability is guaranteed for now, the future of the NDP is very much in the balance.

Layton attempted to deal with the first question for the NDP -- who will be interim leader until he returns -- but his answer is somewhat puzzling: rookie Member of Parliament Nycole Turmel.

Turmel has only been an MP for Hull-Alymer riding in Quebec since the May 2 election.

While she was chosen unanimously as caucus chair and is an experienced former president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, Layton's choice of Turmel could be debated and even overturned.

Putting an MP with under a month's parliamentary experience in charge of the official Opposition is almost unheard of.

But the party passing over both deputy NDP leaders -- Vancouver's Libby Davies and Montreal's Thomas Mulcair -- would be astonishing.

Either could easily handle the job for at least the time period Layton indicated.

But that choice isn't made by caucus. It will be a decision of the NDP's federal council -- its elected national executive -- on Thursday.

And despite the best wishes of all for Layton's recovery from cancer, thoughts will turn to the possibility of a full change of leadership in the near future.

Inevitable consideration

Turmel's selection may be most of all an indication that Layton does not wish to put in place anyone who may have longer term leadership aspirations.

No MPs will want to talk about that in light of today's stunning news about Layton.

But inevitably, due consideration will have to be given to ensure that the federal NDP is prepared for all eventualities.

Meanwhile, we can only wish Layton the best in what is an extremely unfair blow to a leader who has been so successful for the party.

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Christy Clark by the Numbers - how does BC's new premier add up so far?

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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Elections BC's rotten decision. It should have declared Kash Heed's Vancouver-Fraserview seat vacant after BC Liberal election overspending confirmed

Kash Heed & ex-Premier Gordon Campbell at 2009 cabinet swearing-in

Elections BC has made a rotten decision.

It has allowed Kash Heed to retain his Vancouver-Fraserview seat as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia despite the BC Liberal Party admitting it overspent the $70,000 limit by an extra $5,000 in the 2009 election campaign.

Elections BC's lawyer Donald Farquhar told the Vancouver Sun that the independent agency would not ask for Heed's seat to be declared vacation.

"We're not contending that he [Heed] acted in bad faith. So if he can establish for the satisfaction of the court he acted in good faith -and we're not contending otherwise -then he would not have his seat vacated," Farquhar said. "But we are asking that he pay the penalty, which is two times the amount of the excess spending."

Heed's campaign manager Barinder Sall is facing criminal charges and Election Act charges for allegedly creating a vicious and defamatory anti-New Democratic Party leaflet and distributing it in the riding in the final days of the campaign.  Alleged leaflet printer Dinesh Khanna also faces charges.

NDP candidate Gabriel Yiu was robbed in that election - cheated out of winning the seat.  Now he is being mugged by Elections BC.

Heed's lawyer David Gruber told media outside a BC Supreme Court hearing in Kelowna where Chief Justice Robert Bauman heard the case that his client had no knowledge of the overspending or of the sleazly leaflet, which accused the NDP of being in favour of everything from legalizing cocaine and prostitution to imposing a death tax.

Fair enough - we'll take the former BC Liberal Solicitor-General and former West Vancouver Police Chief at his word.  And wait for Sall and Khanna's trial to hear more.

But the BC Liberal Party overspent the legal limits in that riding by $5,000 - that's an undisputed fact.

Someone, somewhere knew that was cheating, that it was illegal and that the penalty could be voiding the election results.

Heed didn't do his job as a politician.  Heed didn't check the finances or look at the paperwork or ensure that the spending limit was not exceeded.

And not by a few cents.  By $5,000 - 7% more than allowed.  The money that was spent on an absolutely despicable flyer aimed at scaring members of the Chinese-Canadian community into voting against Yiu - the NDP's excellent candidate.

Heed won by less than 800 votes - $5,000 could have made the difference between winning and losing.

So regardless of Heed's ignorance of the law - rather ironic for BC's former top cop - the price for overspending should be a by-election.  Instead, Elections BC's lawyer

Heed should be free to run again and face Vancouver-Fraserview voters and Gabriel Yiu a second time - if he dares.

But if Elections BC allows any candidate from any party to flagrantly overspend the limit and retain the seat won through cheating - by claiming ignorance of campaign spending laws - it will happen again and again.

And that's rotten.

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Black Dodge pickup truck with license plate CL 9159 linked to vandalism of Fight HST signs in Surrey - can you help find it?

2006 Dodge Dakota pickup truck

Can you help find a truck linked to vandalism of Fight HST referendum signs in Surrey?

We have been informed by a very reliable source that on Sunday July 10 at about 5:40 p.m. a black 2006 Dodge pickup truck with license plate number CL 9159 - similar to the one above - was connected to Fight HST sign vandalism in the Port Kells neighbourhood of Surrey.

A black pickup pulled over at 182 Street and 92 Avenue.  A blonde woman in her mid 30s to early 40s in a flowered dressed jumped out and grabbed a Fight HST sign that was put up there and threw it into a blackberry bush.

She jumped back in the truck, which then sped off - but our witnesses were able to follow it and write down the license plate number - CL 9159. 

Our witnesses believe the driver and passenger of this truck are aware they were followed and their license plate identified.

If you know the identity of the owner, driver or  passenger of this truck, please contact me.  You can email me or simply send an anonymous message that will NOT be posted.

Police have not been contacted at this point and we simply want to determine if the information we have about this incident can be further corroborated.

If you are the owner, driver or passenger involved in this vandalism - if you contact me and explain what happened, the police may not be contacted.

This behaviour is wrong, it is illegal and it has to stop.

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BC Liberals' carbon tax doesn't work - gasoline sales up year after year, Statistics Canada figures show



Vancouver traffic jam - Mark Woodbury photo

Carbon tax a smoking wreck on the highway

As gas prices go up, pollution does too. Time to fix it.

         

Bill Tieleman's 24 hours/The Tyee column

Tuesday July 12, 2011

By Bill Tieleman

"The carbon tax alone could cause a reduction in B.C.'s emissions in 2020 by up to three million tonnes of CO2 equivalent annually."

- B.C. Ministry of Finance website.

If the intent of the B.C. Liberal government's three-year-old carbon tax was to reduce gasoline consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, it's been a smoking wreck on the highway.

The carbon tax puts an additional tax of 5.56 cents per litre onto the already high price of gasoline, which includes many other federal, provincial and municipal taxes.

The gas tax went up another 1.1 cents a litre on July 1 -- with the intent of persuading consumers to reduce gasoline consumption.

It also applies to home heating fuels, natural gas and other petroleum products.

But there are a few problems. First, the carbon tax isn't working.

Statistics Canada figures tell the gassy tale of woe.

In 2010, B.C. motor gasoline sales were 4,695.7 in thousands of cubic metres compared to 4,529.8 in 2008 -- the first year the carbon tax started, on July 1.

There are many other factors that affect gas sales but one thing is clear -- selling more gas each year means greenhouse gas emissions are going up, not down.

Doesn't fund green improvements

Why the carbon tax isn't reducing consumption is simple. Increasing the price without providing drivers with more options on how to reduce their use of fuel doesn't work.

The B.C. carbon tax introduced with great fanfare by former B.C. Liberal premier Gordon Campbell is supposed to be revenue neutral, offsetting the increased cost of gas and other fuels with personal and corporate income tax cuts.

That means the nearly $1 billion in extra gas taxes annually doesn't fund public transit at all, nor does it provide financial incentives to buy more fuel-efficient vehicles, make your home more energy efficient or fund other environmental projects.

The second big problem is that the carbon tax is unfair, because it's a regressive consumption tax, like the Harmonized Sales Tax.

Lower and middle income British Columbians end up paying proportionately more of their limited budget on gas and heating fuel than wealthy people.

While there is a carbon tax rebate for very low income earners, the maximum personal credit is $115.50 and the personal income threshold for the maximum grant is $31,000.

That means the carbon tax makes you pay more than your fair share of the cost while you don't at least get the benefits of better public transit so you can leave the car at home to go to work, or get a tax break on buying a gas-miser vehicle with lower emissions.

How popular really?

Environmentalists went ga-ga in delirious joy when the carbon tax was introduced as the first in North America, hoping it would start a trend.

Instead, every other jurisdiction has rejected the idea and the federal Liberal Party's vaunted Green Shift plan for some form of carbon tax espoused by then-leader Stephane Dion in 2008 turned into a flaming electoral disaster.

Environmental group the Pembina Institute issued a news release optimistically titled "British Columbians support the carbon tax" just before the July 1 carbon tax increase citing a poll it commissioned that purported to show support for the controversial measure.

In fact, 33 per cent said the carbon tax has been "positive" for B.C. while 41 per cent said it was neutral. Another 27 per cent said it was "very negative" or "somewhat negative."

But the poll also shows that a majority -- 51 per cent of respondents -- do not want any further increases in the carbon tax after 2012's final 1.1 cent hike to 6.67 cents a litre goes ahead, while just 29 per cent support further gas and fuel tax increases.

The poll also shows that 49 per cent of respondents support using new carbon tax revenues for public transit, topped only by the 56 per cent who say use it for health and education.

That indicates the carbon tax could be fixed in a way most British Columbians would support.

But so long as it penalizes lower and middle income earners, not to mention northern and rural residents who simply have no public transit options at all but nonetheless have to pay the carbon tax, the reality is clear.

The carbon tax pledge is still a lot of hot air.

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How much will Smart Tax Alliance spend to promote HST - $15 million? Christy Clark made sure you will never know

Premier Christy Clark made sure you can't find out if the Smart Tax Alliance spent $15 million to run a pro-HST advertising and "robo" call campaign or who donated - by scrapping disclosure rules

Secrets of the HST Referendum

What the BC gov't won't tell you about the tax and who's behind the campaign pushing it.

Bill Tieleman's 24 hours/The Tyee column

Tuesday July 5, 2011

"Where secrecy or mystery begins, vice or roguery is not far off."

- Samuel Johnson

There are many things powerful people want to make sure you never know about the Harmonized Sales Tax binding referendum now underway.

What is the total budget of the pro-HST Smart Tax Alliance? $15 million?

They won't tell you. But it could be more than the $12 million the BC Liberals spent in the 2009 election. And over double the $6 million B.C.'s New Democrats spent.

That big business group is buying expensive television, print, radio and Internet advertising, paying for automated "robo" calls to millions of voters and hiring spin doctors galore.

That's on top of the more than $5 million the B.C. government is spending to promote the HST.

But you will never know what the Smart Tax Alliance spent -- because Premier Christy Clark made sure of it.

Believe it or not, there are no third party financial spending disclosure rules for this referendum. None.

You can read who spent how much in both the 2005 and 2009 electoral system referenda -- but you won't be able to on this one.

How much did the Coal Association of Canada donate to the Smart Tax Alliance? The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers? The Canadian Energy Pipeline Association? The Insurance Bureau of Canada? Other business groups?

And why?

They are all Smart Tax Alliance members, but you won't ever know unless they voluntarily decide to tell us -- fat chance, especially before voting takes place.

Nor are there rules requiring referendum advertising to identify who authorized it or how to contact them. The BC Liberal government chose not to demand it.

These regulations are essential parts of any B.C. election or referendum, but have gone missing this time.

So the Smart Tax Alliance can completely avoid voter scrutiny before and after the ballot.

That stinks. Badly.

Did you know that the HST won't instantly become 10 per cent if you vote "No" to keep it?

It would only become 10 per cent if the BC Liberal government still exists in 2014 and keeps its promises, first to cut the HST to 11 per cent in July 2012, and then to 10 per cent in July 2014.

But government and Smart Tax Alliance ads don't mention that key fact.

"To lower the HST from 12 per cent to 10 per cent vote NO," a June 17 government print ad says -- with no reference to when or how.

A Smart Tax Alliance TV ad featuring cherry orchardist Christine Dendy boldly states: "And now the decrease in the HST from 12 per cent to 10 per cent saves us all money."

But there hasn't been a decrease. And no, it doesn't save us all money.

You still have to pay a full seven per cent more on hundreds of goods and services like restaurant food, basic telephone and cable, home repairs and maintenance, domestic air flights and much more that you never had to pay under the previous combined PST and GST.

Even if you believe the BC Liberal government, which broke its word over and over about the HST, will really reduce the rate to 11 per cent and then 10 per cent three years from now, you will still pay an extra five per cent on all those items that you never did before.

It won't "save us all money" -- unless business passes on 90 per cent of its savings to consumers -- which is what the government claims will happen.

And most big businesses in B.C. don't produce consumer goods you buy -- so their savings on exported aluminum, forest products, coal and copper will go to their pockets, not yours.

The HST also won't save you money, unless you don't have to ever repair your roof or do significant renovations. Or unless you don't spend much money going out for dinner and a show or travelling or on and on and on.

Did you also know that government ads saying the 10 per cent HST is "law" are completely misleading?

"We want people to know if they vote to keep the HST that the reduction will take place by law," Clark claimed last month.

But the "law" is simply a federal Order-In-Council approved by the federal Conservative cabinet, not a vote by Parliament.

And it could be just as easily rescinded with only a signature.

Besides, B.C. has a fixed election date law setting the next provincial election for May 14, 2013 -- but Christy Clark can easily change that law and has repeatedly talked about holding a vote long before then.

The BC Liberals also repealed their own "balanced budget" law when they went deeply into the red ink. This is a government with laws to be broken.

The HST Referendum Voters Guide mailed to British Columbians with the views of both Fight HST and the Smart Tax Alliance, as well as the so-called "Independent Panel" of experts on the tax was sent out before the Clark government announced additional HST rebates and proposed a future reduced rate.

That means the expensive mailing was both inaccurate and unfair -- since the registered proponent opposing the HST had no way to respond in the one flyer going to every British Columbian.

But the government has spent more than $5 million on misleading "stick man" and other advertising to promote its position.

You can choose to disregard my views -- as a Fight HST founder, I've opposed this tax from the beginning.

But I'm not paid to do so, and I don't have a multi-million dollar ad campaign trying to mislead you. The other side does.

Before you vote on the HST, ask why there is no disclosure of spending despite a massive pro-HST campaign, why standard election financing rules were dropped, why there is no requirement for government or corporate advertising to be truthful or even authorized by an official agent.

Ask the business members of the Smart Tax Alliance how much money they are spending and who is giving it to them.

But you won't get an answer. Just more ads supporting the HST.

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Vancouver Canucks game rioters "stupid and contagious" but rot starts at the top - why expect better behaviour?

Vancouver police face rioting crowd June 15 - thanks to Cassandra for exclusive photo - click on photo for full sized detailed look

Vancouver Rioters and the Hollow People Higher Up

Why be surprised at the Vancouver crowd's bad behaviour when the rot starts at the top?

Bill Tieleman's 24 hours/The Tyee column

Tuesday June 28, 2011

By Bill Tieleman

"Here we are now, entertain us / I feel stupid and contagious"

- Smells Like Teen Spirit" - Nirvana

The Vancouver Canucks riot was not an aberration nor was it conducted by "anarchists" as Mayor Gregor Robertson and Vancouver Police Chief Jim Chu wrongly claimed.

The rioters were instead pathetically hollow people with no moral compass.

Most had jobs, good parents and an education. One even held a prestigious membership on a national sports team.

None of that mattered.

They wanted entertainment and what better than a riot with burning police cars and the lasting memories that come from having your pictures taken in front of jumping flames?

But why expect better behaviour from young people when the rot in our society starts at the top?

Take Vancouver Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini repeatedly telling media -- including one woman reporter - to F*** off for doing their job of asking questions after his team lost game seven.

Apparently making millions from a sports franchise does nothing to improve basic manners and instil professionalism.

By June 17, the foul-mouthed Aquilini was telling Global TV that "Real fans don't riot."

Are you kidding? Of course they do!

Who but a real Vancouver Canuck fan would buy an overpriced team jersey valued from $80 to $320 to wear on a riot and looting spree?

Watch the videos, Francesco, and in each incident you'll see about $15,000 worth of your Canuck merchandise-wearing fans rolling and burning cars or smashing downtown storefront windows.

Yes, "we are all Canucks" -- even the crazed rioters.

Corruption and disrespect

And why would we expect exemplary behaviour from young fans when everywhere they turn they see corruption and disrespect at the highest levels for the values we want them to respect?

After the riot we learned that four senior RCMP officers face multiple serious corruption charges in the infamous 2007 Surrey Six massacre that saw two bystanders and four gang members murdered.

The allegations include one officer impregnating a potential witness, the girlfriend of a man who pled guilty to murder in the case.

Last month four other RCMP officers were charged with perjury over their testimony in the tragic 2007 Robert Dziekanski tasering death incident at Vancouver Airport.

The allegation is that they lied under oath to protect themselves from prosecution.

While these officers deserve the presumption of innocence before trial, the impact is deeply disturbing.

Nationally, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government was voted in contempt of Parliament by the opposition for the first time in history -- and nonetheless rewarded with a majority government in the following election.

In this province, two former B.C. Liberal ministerial aides who pled guilty to breach of trust for disclosing confidential government information to a bidder in the $1 billion privatization of B.C. Rail had their $6 million legal fees covered by the B.C. government, ending their trial after just two witnesses testified.

And B.C. Premier Christy Clark said during her leadership campaign that she wouldn't cut the Harmonized Sales Tax rate because it would be like trying to buy people's votes -- then she did exactly that once in office.

Government and big business Smart Tax Alliance television and print ads falsely proclaim that the HST is 10 per cent when in fact it is 12 per cent and can't possibly be 10 per cent until 2014 -- if the B.C. Liberal government is both re-elected and keeps its words.

And they say "Vote no for lower taxes" when a no vote will keep the HST in place -- a tax not previously paid on hundreds of goods and services.

Yet they run the ads without a hint of embarrassment.

Those who give a damn

The gap between the good behaviour we expect and the results we see from our role models is tragic.

Fortunately many, many other Vancouver residents do give a damn about something and about their city.

Some tried to stop the rioting and destruction while others made the effort to help clean up, express their disgust for the riot and attempt to restore our city's tattered reputation.

Not all Vancouverites are "stupid and contagious" -- literally thank goodness.

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BC gets final HST payment from federal Conservative government - appointment of ex-Premier Gordon Campbell to High Commissioner to UK job!

New High Commissioner to United Kingdom Gordon Campbell

The federal Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper has made the final payment to British Columbia for agreeing to impose the Harmonized Sales Tax.

No, not the one-time-only $1.6 billion payment to the BC government - the other pay off.

Last week former BC Premier Gordon Campbell was appointed High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, a job that will pay about $190,000 a year, plus an official residence, chef and chauffeur in London.

While many commentators have focused on Campbell's background, relationship with Harper and other factors, none seem to have drawn the obvious conclusion - if the High Commissioner job is a reward - as it has been in the past for prime ministers both Conservative and Liberal - why Campbell?

After all, he doesn't even belong to either federal politicial party and certainly was responsible for the balancing act of keeping both federal Liberals and Conservatives in a provincial coalition misnamed the BC Liberal Party.

That hardly is helpful to the electoral success of the federal Conservatives.

So, if he isn't a party ally, political ally, major donor or diplomatic veteran, why give Campbell one of the best jobs in all diplomacy?

Because he delivered the HST in British Columbia, even if it cost him his job.

The HST is a federal priority and for good reason - Ottawa increases its take of provincial sales taxes through the HST by about $300 million a year.

Campbell's kind of blind loyalty deserves favour - and High Commissioner to the UK is that kind of reward.

No doubt many will disagree with this cynical view.

And I think Campbell will do a decent job, given his long record in public office.

I even wish him well - after all, if I lose my passport in England I'll be depending on him!

But really - let's not ignore an obvious conclusion. 

Only in BC you say?  Pity.

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HST Referendum Vote Is About Democracy, Not Just Money

Fight HST organizer Gabriel Yiu,left, and local residents show off community support for YES to extinguish the HST in Vancouver-Fraserview riding - after over 100 signs mysteriously stolen overnight earlier in June!

Bill Tieleman's 24 hours/The Tyee column

Tuesday June 21, 2011

Voting on the HST not just on tax policy, but also about defending democracy

By Bill Tieleman

 

 

"Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner."

- James Bovard, author

The Harmonized Sales Tax referendum isn't just about tax policy -- it's about democracy itself.

Voting "Yes" to extinguish the HST sends a powerful message to this and every future B.C. government -- do not mislead voters by bringing in a major policy that you denied you would before an election.

We've seen it before -- from this same BC Liberal government that said it wouldn't privatize BC Rail before the 2001 election and sold it off in 2003.

We saw it in Nova Scotia, where the New Democrat government said before the 2009 election it wouldn't raise taxes -- would even cut some -- but afterwards increased their HST to 15 per cent from 13 per cent.

There are always reasons why many governments insist they just had to break their word -- and usually have a few years to get away with it before the next election.

Not this time.

Historic opportunity

The grassroots rebellion led by Fight HST, which I helped create with former B.C. premier Bill Vander Zalm, forced this month's binding referendum vote when the 2010 citizens initiative petition obtained more than 557,000 valid voter signatures.

That means that for the first time in Canadian history -- even Commonwealth history -- voters have the chance to democratically overturn a government policy that was imposed against their will.

That in itself is reason enough to vote "Yes" to extinguish the HST -- to punish a government that didn't respect its own citizens -- and teach all parties a lesson about political honesty.

Democracy is earned

Former premier Gordon Campbell could have listened when the petition was successful and cancelled the HST -- but wouldn't.

The BC Liberal government could have paid attention to polls showing over 80 per cent opposition to the HST -- but didn't.

New Premier Christy Clark could have been different -- but instead her government is running a $5 million advertising campaign claiming the HST is good for us -- while Clark actually claims she is "neutral."

And the BC Liberal Party's big business allies, the so-called Smart Tax Alliance, are running an even more expensive HST ad and automated telephone campaign.

They think democracy can be bought. Don't believe it.

Democracy can only be earned. And it isn't for sale.

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Bill Tieleman in Chicago

Hi friends - I will be in Chicago from Thursday through Tuesday - your comments always welcome but posting may be delayed - cheers!

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The HST vote is about your money - that's why government and big business misinformation so outrageous

BC Liberal government's "Stickmen" ads - $5 million of your taxpayer dollars at work to convince you the HST is good for you - even though they promised not to do it!

Remember - the HST is 12% - not 10% as BC government and Smart Tax Alliance TV ads wrongly claim

         

Bill Tieleman's 24 hours/The Tyee column

Tuesday June 14, 2011       

By Bill Tieleman

"This particular tax takes the tax off business, it takes $1.8 billion off businesses and puts it on consumers, and so that shift is a shift that is ideological as well as factual."

- Former BC Liberal finance minister Carole Taylor on the HST

This month's binding referendum vote on the Harmonized Sales Tax is about your money.

HST misinformation is being promoted with $5 million in B.C. government advertising and another big business campaign from the so-called Smart Tax Alliance with an undisclosed but likely even bigger budget.

Remember -- the HST is a 12 per cent tax on goods and services, not the 10 per cent their ads claim.

That means you are spending up to $1,200 a year in HST that you didn't spend when the Provincial Sales Tax and federal Goods and Services Tax were in effect.

Why? Because you weren't charged the seven per cent PST on hundreds of services and products -- like restaurant food, basic phone and cable TV, home repairs and renovations, domestic airline tickets, haircuts, vitamins, gym memberships, sports and concert events and much more -- a huge list.

Businesses which greatly benefit from the $2 billion tax shift onto consumers want you to believe the HST will eventually be 10 per cent -- but only if you vote NO to keep it.

Rubbish. The BC Liberal government is "promising" to reduce the HST to 10 per cent by 2014.

String of broken pledges

That's the government which promised before the 2009 election it wouldn't impose an HST; promised the HST would be "revenue neutral"; promised all the money would go to healthcare; promised a 15 per cent income tax cut to make up for the HST, promised 141,000 new jobs in 10 years and promised it wouldn't try to buy your vote with your money.

Every single one of those promises has been broken.

Now Premier Christy Clark "promises" an 11 per cent HST next year and a 10 per cent HST in three years -- but only after you vote. Is that believable?

And even if it was, would you really be better off still paying an extra five per cent tax on all the items above?

Right now the seven per cent HST will cost you an extra $140 on a $2,000 domestic flight and an extra $3,500 on a $50,000 home renovation or repair.

Would an extra five per cent tax on these costs be better than zero per cent?

Obviously not.

Yes means No

Giving people a vote to demand government listen is why I helped start Fight HST, which led the citizens initiative petition that forced a binding mail ballot referendum going into the mail this week and next, with a deadline to return it of July 22.

And remember that you have to vote Yes to extinguish the HST and vote No to keep the HST -- that's the way the referendum ballot has been worded by Elections BC.

Don't take advice from government "stick men" ads and big business, which have everything to gain from your loss -- do the math for yourself and your family.

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Prime Minister Stephen Harper No Help to Chinese Voices of Democracy, Human Rights and Freedom in Jail

Imprisoned artist & architect Ai Weiwei

Canada to double trade with China, whose government imprisons artist Ai Weiwei and Nobel winner Liu Xiaobo

Bill Tieleman's 24 hours/The Tyee column

Tuesday June 7, 2011

By Bill Tieleman 

"I believe that no matter what happens, nothing can prevent the historical process by which society demands freedom and democracy."

- Ai Weiwei, imprisoned Chinese artist and architect

UPDATE JUNE 24 - Good news - Ai Weiwei has been freed from prison!  But he is also under a severe gag order from Chinese authorities not to talk about his detention. See: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/06/23/ai-weiwei-gag-order.html

China's best-known artist and architect -- Ai Weiwei -- has been jailed since April 3 for speaking out against that country's dictatorship.

The first Chinese national to win the Nobel Peace Prize -- Liu Xiaobo -- is also in jail, serving an 11-year sentence for "inciting subversion of state power."

On June 4 in Hong Kong, an estimated 150,000 people rallied to demand human rights in China and mark the anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre of protestors by the army.

Meanwhile Canada plans to double our $30 billion a year trade with this viciously authoritarian government by 2015.

That means these two extraordinarily brave men are good for democracy but bad for business, especially for corporations with huge financial investments in China.

What landed Ai in prison

Ai predicted his eventual jailing in May 2009.

He knew that criticizing the 2008 Beijing Olympics -- despite being consulting architect to the fabulous Bird's Nest stadium -- and compiling online lists of the names of children killed in the May 2008 Szechuan earthquake when their poorly built schools collapsed -- would doom his freedom.

Before his popular blog was erased from the Internet and his Twitter account with 70,000 followers was silenced, Ai wrote: "Reject cynicism, reject cooperation, reject fear... There is nothing to discuss... I won't cooperate. If you must, come bring your instruments of torture with you."

Now Ai languishes in jail, accused of "tax evasion" but clearly being punished for statements like this, written just before the Olympics began: "A society lacking in democracy is incapable of orchestrating true joy for its people."

Many artists have rallied to Ai's cause and those of other pro-democracy activists -- but the art world establishment has been almost as silent as the controlled Chinese media.

That's because China controls access to its vast artistic collections and the funding to permit exhibits to travel to western nations.

VAG curator stands up for Ai

The Vancouver Art Gallery's chief curator Daina Augaitis deserves praise for immediately calling for Ai's release from jail.

"It's terrible. We need to speak out about it. We need to demand his release -- as the French and German governments have already done," said Augaitis, who had previously visited Ai in his studio along with VAG director Kathleen Bartels in 2010.

Unfortunately, of all major American galleries, only San Diego's Museum of Contemporary Art has officially protested Ai's detention.

But several continue with plans to showcase art exhibits organized in conjunction with the Chinese government, including the Milwaukee Art Museum and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Liu Xiaobo's activism

The case of Liu Xiaobo is equally, if not more disturbing.

Liu joined student demonstrations in Tiananmen Square in 1989 and has been a pro-democracy activist ever since, despite losing his job as a teacher and being repeatedly jailed.

Liu's commitment to achieving democracy and protection of human rights through non-violent protest earned him the Nobel Prize last October.

To his credit, Prime Minister Stephen Harper publicly congratulated Liu on his Nobel win -- but regrettably Harper has yet to protest Ai's jailing.

U.S. President Barack Obama called for Liu's release in a powerful statement describing him as "eloquent and courageous."

But China's response was classic -- there was no mention of international condemnation of Liu's imprisonment in official media.

But China did describe Liu as a "criminal" and his being awarded the Nobel Prize "an obscenity."

Here in Canada, a Parliamentary page can stage a silent protest against Harper's government on the floor of the Senate without fear of jailing, torture or death.

Voters in British Columbia will democratically decide in a binding referendum if the Harmonized Sales Tax should be repealed, overriding an arbitrary government decision.

The contrast couldn't be sharper.

So at a time when Canadian and other countries rightly rally support for pro-democracy movements in Egypt and Libya, isn't it also appropriate to demand freedom for Liu and Ai and more support for democracy in China?

Or is it just business as usual?

A disturbing footnote: The last time I raised the issue of democracy in China in 2008 I received email death threats that were investigated by Vancouver Police. They originated in China, which refuses to cooperate with investigations by foreign police.

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Bill Tieleman & Bill Vander Zalm & Chris Delaney - Fight HST - take on Smart Tax Alliance - Vancouver tonight - Wosk Centre 7:30 p.m.



Bill Tieleman, Bill Vander Zalm, Chris Delaney at Fight HST news conference

I will be joining Bill Vander Zalm and Chris Delaney tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Wosk Centre at Simon Fraser University's downtown Vancouver campus as Fight HST debates the Smart Tax Alliance on the Harmonized Sales Tax.

Bill Vander Zalm and I will also be debating in Victoria at Camosun College's Lansdowne Campus on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. [yes, I know, Canucks game on that night - can't change schedule]

Camosun College, Lansdowne Campus
1950 Lansdowne Road, Victoria
Gibson Auditorium, Room 216, Young Building

And we will be in Nanaimo on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

Vancouver Island University
900 Fifth Street, Nanaimo
Malaspina Theatre, Building 310, Main Theatre, Room 218

Click on the links above to get maps and more details.

Please come down and support Fight HST if you can!

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CN Rail - buyer of BC Rail - main sponsor for Christy Clark speech to Vancouver Board of Trade!

Premier Christy Clark - questions on BC Rail?

Don't expect a lot of questions to be asked about the $1 billion privatization of BC Rail in 2003 - or about the Basi-Virk/BC Legislature Raid case - when Premier Christy Clark speaks at the Vancouver Board of Trade on June 16.

That's because the events "Presenting Sponsor" is none other than CN Rail - which bought BC Rail!

The event is a hokey "conversation" between Clark and 60 Minutes TV show co-editor Lesley Stahl.

And in an unintentionally hilarious error by the Board of Trade, ads for the event say: "Join us for this signature even kicking off a new era of member engagement...."

Of course, ex-Premier Gordon Campbell launched his "New Era" of "Hope and Prosperity" after winning the 2001 provincial election.

Clark - who literally refuses to speak Campbell's name in all public statements, referring to him only as "my predecessor" - won't likely use the "new era" term.

What will be interesting is if this "conversation" will be compared to Katie Couric's devastating TV interview with Sarah Palin that showed the Vice-Presidential candidate to be less than up to speed on major issues.

Premier Photo-Op is in serious need of showing some comprehensive grasp of public policy rather than lighting the Olympic Cauldron and wearing a Canucks jersey.

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BC Liberals or Smart Tax Alliance enlist robot calling to conduct pro-HST voter identification

Have you been "robo called" yet about the HST?

If not, you will be - by the firm Prime Contact - who are working either for the BC Liberal Party or the so-called "Smart Tax Alliance" - the big business group spending millions to promote the Harmonized Sales Tax.

I was called at home on Tuesday May 31 at 8:15 p.m. from telephone number 604-283-1504 and I've since talked to half a dozen other people who got the identical robo call.

What is a "robo call"?  It's a fully automated call that records your responses entered on your telephone keypad and then reports back to the robot's masters.

This call from the Hamilton Ontario-based firm was very simple.

First question:  "Are you in favour of extinguishing the HST?"  Yes or No?

Second question:  "What age range are you?"  Under 18, 18 to 34, 35 to 54 or 55 and older?

Third question: "Are you male or female?"

And that's all folks.

Prime Contact has worked for right-wing Toronto Mayor Rob Ford and several federal Liberal Party candidates and - probably - the BC Liberal Party in the 2009 provincial election.  The firm's website says it worked in that election.

They also do automated polling as well as holding "telephone town halls" - something the BC Liberal government has been doing continually on the HST - with your tax dollars of course.

Prime Contact claims that: "We define ourselves by winning elections, especially the close ones and those that people say are impossible to win! We are passionate when it comes to grassroots campaigning and we want to help you win."
Here's how they describe their service:

"Automated Voter Identification Surveys

When faced with contacting thousands of voters without the budget for Live Agent Voter ID, use our AutoID system to get the job done.

As Election Day approaches, it's important to know who your voters are and what is important to them. With our new technology, even small campaigns can afford voter ID. This can make the difference on Election Day.

Our automated ID technology is accurate, cost effective, and will generate valuable voter data for your direct mail and Get-Out-The-Vote efforts. With PrimeContact, you can acquire the key information you need to win.

We'll save you time. With volunteers, identifying support can take a long time. Not only do you have to recruit the volunteers, but you are unlikely to be able to use every available phone all day. However, with Automated Voter ID we can get started immediately and generate tens of thousands of phone calls every day."

Will robots save the HST?  One thing is clear - they can't vote!
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The HST fix? Trust us, say BC Liberals as Christy Clark plays Lucy to British Columbians as Charlie Brown with football

Charlie Brown meets BC Premier Lucy van Pelt and HST football

Christy Clark Has Trust Issues

She's Lucy. The HST is the football. Are we all Charlie Brown?

Bill Tieleman's 24 hours/The Tyee column

Tuesday May 31, 2011

By Bill Tieleman

"I don't mind your dishonesty half as much as I mind your opinion of me -- you must think I'm stupid."

- Charlie Brown, as Lucy tries to persuade him to kick the football again.

Trust us.

Forget all the times we've broken our promises to you -- this time it will be different.

You have our word on it.

That's what the BC Liberal government is telling voters about the Harmonized Sales Tax.

Believe that they will introduce changes they pledged last week to bring in -- trying to buy your vote with your own money -- but only if you agree to keep the HST in the June binding referendum.

It's like cartoon character Charlie Brown running full speed to once again try kicking the football -- and having it pulled away as usual by his nemesis Lucy Van Pelt.

With the HST, Lucy's character is played perfectly by Premier Christy Clark.

Big smile, sweet words: "This time you can trust me -- see, here's a signed document testifying that I promise not to pull it away."

British Columbians get to be Charlie Brown, the trusting soul who always gets tricked and ends up flat on his back yelling "Arrrgggh!" at his foolish mistake of believing Lucy once more.

That is, unless voters decide to not get fooled again.

Or unless they look at what a bad deal the HST changes really are.

The first part is simple.

Here's what Clark said on March 21 on Vancouver's CKYE Red FM 93.1 on why she would not cut the HST 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.

Now she's trying to buy us with our own money! She does think we're stupid.

And why give a $175 grant for every child under age 18 without any regard for the family income level?

Why give $175 to someone making $200,000 a year? Or $150,000 a year?

But guess who qualifies for that $175 grant -- Premier Christy Clark and Finance Minister Kevin Falcon, who each have a child.

Second, can you believe a BC Liberal government that said it wouldn't introduce an HST, then did so after the election, will cut the HST in 2012 to 11 per cent?

Or that three full years from now it will cut the HST to 10 per cent in 2014?

Can you trust a government that swore the HST would be revenue neutral, then admitted it would raise an extra $820 million a year?

Who can have faith in desperate BC Liberals who said in March 2010 that every dollar from the HST would go to health care, when that's just not true.

Why would you believe a government that promised a 15 per cent income tax cut for all British Columbians last October to convince us to support the HST and then rescinded the tax cut just weeks later?

Can anyone believe BC Liberals who first attacked NDP leader Adrian Dix for pledging to increase corporate taxes to pay for public services -- and then said they would hike corporate taxes to pay for the HST grants and lower rate?

On the HST changes themselves, most British Columbians will still pay more even if the BC Liberals actually do cut the rate to 11 per cent.

That's because you will still pay an extra six per cent on hundreds of goods and services.

The extra six per cent HST would still apply to restaurant food, basic cable TV, telephone, household cleaning, maintenance, and renovations, sports events, movies, gym membership, domestic plane, train or bus travel, taxis, parking, dry cleaning, vitamins, massage therapy, some school supplies, snack foods, haircuts and far more.

In three years if the rate is cut to 10 per cent you will still pay five per cent more on all these things than you did back in June 2009.

Is it any wonder the BC Liberal government is trying to buy your vote with a multi-million dollar ad campaign?

Or that big business is spending millions to keep the massive tax shift that makes consumers pay more and corporations pay less?

Trust us.

Kick the HST football.

What could go wrong?

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