This is the sort of news we should have been hearing non-stop from the Official Opposition while Gordon Campbell’s associates plundered the public treasury. Why did it take so long?
John Horgan is addressing ethical issues that seemed unimportant to BC Liberals and he is the first major politician to emphasize a series of connected policies. None of the BC Liberal candidates did this. The other NDP leadership candidates have supported the principles but not given this focus.
I applaud Horgan because integrity issues motivate my blogging efforts at Northern Insights. Horgan said his government will:
- End the direct political influence of big money by banning corporate and union donations to political parties,
- Restore the spirit and intent of FOI legislation so that FOI requests become the measure of last resort. Open government means that government should protect people’s privacy and routinely disclose information about its activities,
- Routinely disclose MLA legislative and constituency expense accounts and routinely release ministers’ and senior public officials’ appointment books, and
- Increase funding for Officers of the Legislature, including the Auditor General.
The NDP leadership candidate says:
The measure of government integrity has to mean more than the avoidance of criminal charges. A John Horgan government will lead by example and demonstrate to the public that it is always acting in the public interest, not in the interests of special friends and insiders.
Categories: Ethics, Horgan, John
IN-SIGHTS 
Gwyn Morgan is to Christy Clark, as David Mclean was to gordon Campbell.
The corporate elephant in the room.
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Carole James regularly tabled legislation to ban corporate and union donations. Disclosure of MLA expenses has already been agreed to by NDP and Liberal MLAs. The NDP consistently has supported more funding for officers of legislature and lamented abuses of FOI legislation.
John's greatest contribution is his charm and wit. His policy ideas are conventional NDP – including the fact he doesn't say where the $$$ will come from to pay for promises.
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I applaud your applauding of Horgan
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It is a valid point to note that these are NDP policies but it is important for each leadership candidate to convince us that important ethical issues will be given top priority. I can think of many ways to pay for the programs and I would start with removing subsidies being paid the oil and gas industry, particularly the exploration credits paid for already located gas. I would also claw back the provincial tax bonanza experienced by extractive industries when HST came in. I'd also cut back over generous executive remuneration (Hahn and friends for example) paid in the public sector and most particularly eliminate double dipping. I'd stop granting multi-million dollar profit opportunities to promoters who are flipping highway maintenance contracts and private power supply contracts. etc. etc.
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Horgan would be able to take questions from “anonymous 2:47” in a public setting and outline in detail where the dollars would come from…..and not lie about it. The dollars are there.
I don't think it is a libellous statement to say if people like Pamela Egger can leave a corporate law positon with the BC Securities Commission in order to join the IPP Swift Power…..there is money to be made. That was just from the Agreement to Purchase issued by Hydro…..more money made from the recent sale of Swift to Fort Chicago Securities. That deal in itself would pay for a few programs.
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