Throne speech, August 2009 edition

The Throne Speech was delivered today in Victoria.

This is likely the last one before the Olympics as the province gears up for the world spotlight in February. Is this Campbell's last stand before bowing out after the games, or will he stay to hit the 10 year mark and beyond?

HST or bust

The BC Liberal government's campaign in support of the highly unpopular HST continues today with an e-mail blast from Finance Minister Colin Hansen. In an e-mail to party loyalists, Hansen explains what the HST is and why it's a good thing, defends the urgency in moving to the HST, tells how the HST affects the average taxpayer, gives an explanation of the revenue generated by the HST vs. the current PST, lists supportive organizations, defends the sudden rush to the HST, justifies covering up the HST during the May election, and counterpunches against the NDP attack.

The BC Liberals have come under fire since throwing the plan on voters in mid-summer. Since then outrage from food and building groups, camp administrators, and former Premier Bill Vander Zalm have filled the news.

With a year to go until the tax is implemented and nearly four years until the next election, the government hopes the rage will subside. If the critics have their way, they will successfully brand it as a tax grab and punish the Gordon Campbell Liberals for as long as they can.

NDP ideas

The NDP convention kicks off later this week in Halifax. The party does not want the focus to be on policy, but since New Democrats go to convention to discuss policy they cannot help it. Here are the policies that are being proposed by the two Burnaby ridings:

• 1-17-09 Protection of Wild Salmon (Burnaby-Douglas and two other ridings)
• 1-39-09 Support for 'Buy Canada' Provisions (Burnaby-New Westminster)
• 2-02-09 Transferring Subsidies from Tar Sands to Renewable Energy Sources (Burnaby-Douglas)
• 2-25-09 Opposing Offshore Drilling of BC Coast (Burnaby-Douglas)
• 3-20-09 Non-Criminal Alternatives to Prohibition of Psychoactive Substances (Burnaby-Douglas, 6 other ridings, and the NDP Disability Rights Committee)
• 4-12-09 Establishing a Department of Peace in the Government of Canada (Burnaby-Douglas)
• 4-16-09 Support to Streamline Access to Medicines (Burnaby-Douglas)
• 4-21-09 Conditions for Proceeding with Trade with European Union (Burnaby-New Westminster)
• 4-24-09 Supporting International Efforts to Bring Peace in Middle East (Burnaby-Douglas)
• 5-04-09 Modernizing the Privacy Act and Access to Information Act (Burnaby-Douglas)
• 6-37-09 Establishing a Collections Access Program for Canadian Museums (Burnaby-New Westminster)

World Police and Fire Games underway

Get out and enjoy the games. They run through next weekend.