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1. I’m uncomfortable with the term “truthiness” as applied to the legend on Christy Clark’s 2013 election campaign bus, most of her 2013 election campaign platform, and most of her and her caucus’ public statements since.

   The term “not necessarily” in the definition implies there might be some inherent truth involved. The facts show otherwise.

   I’m sticking with Liar (noun): deceiver, fibber, perjurer, false witness, fabricator, equivocator; fabulist; informal – storyteller.

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   • Lew, once again you get to the heart of this matter. You’re right. BC Liberals have moved far beyond puffery. For them, the outright lie is a primary political tool.

     Liberals seem to take pleasure in perverting truth and with more than 200 propaganda artists at work on BC’s public payroll, it’s costing taxpayers tens millions of dollars every year. Of course, that’s a fraction of what their mismanagement costs. That number is 10 digits long.

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2. The 2016 BC Budget shows total BC Provincial Debt (which includes Crown Corps. such as BC Hydro) growing by an average of 6.2% from 2009 to 2018, from $41 billion to $71 billion.

   Dividing 72 by an annual growth of 6.2% means the debt would double in 11.6 years.

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   • The chart above includes contractual obligations as reported in the province’s public accounts. The single largest segment is $58.3 billion owed by BC Hydro and Columbia Power for independent power producer energy purchase agreements. Much of the remaining obligations relate to transportation and health facilities.

     Liberals pretend contractual obligations are not debts. If Government borrows $25 billion, to be repaid over time, to build hospitals, bridges or highway, they count that as debt. But, if private partners borrow money to build hospitals, bridges or highways, that is NOT debt, even if the public must give money over time to the private partners so capital costs can be retired.

     There is an equivalent at car dealers. We can borrow from a bank, buy a car and make monthly payments. Or, we can drive away in the same car and make monthly payments to a leasing company. This is a Consumer Reports explanation of the difference:

     To decide whether or not to lease your new car, it’s important to understand how the financial mechanics of leasing compare with a loan. In some ways, leasing is just like taking out a loan. When you lease, you borrow the entire value of the car (minus any trade-in or down payment). For example, when you drive away in a $36,000 leased vehicle, you’re immediately tying up the entire $36,000 that the finance company gave the dealership, the same as if you had bought the car with a loan. And just as with a loan, you’ll be charged monthly interest on that amount, minus what­ever you pay back along the way…

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3. http://www.smh.com.au/national/transport-project-budget-blowouts-hit-28-billion-says-report-20161023-gs8mh1.html?deviceType=text

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4. The election is fast approaching. This is a must read in regard to our “media” here in BC. Substitute the US and Australia, think BC and Canada. My opinion on the media in this province is that it is not doing what it should be and that is fair and complete coverage. Not missing and leaving out what people need and want to know about, Site C and BCUC, VSB firings, health firings, etc.) for example.
   So …. read the attached and think for yourself as you sit in front of a tv and watch “the news” and the ads for the next 6-7 months. Don’t be fooled by what is in front of you. Think for yourself, research and read things not necessarily from the “mainstream” media.

   http://pressthink.org/2011/08/why-political-coverage-is-broken

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