A friend said, “Hey, did you notice that Britain had an election, and everybody lost.” Governments don’t usually fall because of a single mistake or policy error. They fall when ordinary people, […]
Filthier and richer
Norm Farrell
Before retirement, I worked in accounting and small business management. I have published commentary about public issues at IN-SIGHTS.CA since 2009.
". . . as natural as the ocean water"
When regulators at the Minerals Management Service had concerns about the safety equipment for offshore oil rigs, the agency did not impose stronger regulations and instead allowed industry to police itself, according […]
Lessons for those who say, "Drill baby drill!"
WASHINGTON — As offshore oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere boomed, a 2003 report warned that the industry wasn’t taking time to find and fix the problems that commonly […]
Liberals master self-destruction
One thing that BC Liberals have mastered in this 39th Parliament is self-destruction. Oh, it’s been brewing for a time but, like an aging airliner, this government is about to be grounded […]
Affluenza outbreak appears imminent
The Midas Curse: Nine out of 10 affluent families will lose their wealth in three generations. “The offspring of riches: Pride, vanity, ostentation, arrogance, tyranny.” Mark Twain With Shaw acquiring Global TV […]
Building public consensus behind closed doors
May I suggest reading Paul Willcocks’ April 29 Times Colonist column: Moving past the politics of blind division. Paul says too many British Columbians choose not to talk about public policy; they […]
"They get more, we get less"
For those who do not subscribe to Alexandra Morton’s newsletters, I repeat her latest news. She is on a walk to Victoria from northern Vancouver Island, walking to save the wild salmon. […]
Today’s wtf moment
CBC Vancouver News reports that Torstar, owner of Toronto’s largest paper, is in the running to take over financially and intellectually bankrupt Canwest Newspapers. To determine if this might be an unsatisfactory […]
Cry for British Columbia
First published October 18 2009, this issue rises back to the top because the proposed Victoria marina has cleared another roadblock. Abraham Lincoln said: Democracy is the government of the people, by […]
More regulation and smarter regulation
New York writer Joe Conason is one of the sharpest political commentators around and one of the most accessible. He writes at Truthdig.com, an online news magazine for progressive voices: . . […]
Two hits and a miss
A two day visit to Victoria this week allowed me to gather information that will prove useful to future writing in Northern Insights. I met people who were informative and furthered my […]
Reader contribution
Curtis & Leroy saw an ad in the Quesnel Advertiser Newspaper in Quesnel, BC and bought a mule for $100. The farmer agreed to deliver the mule the next day. The next […]
Best way to rob a bank is to own one, an anti-regulation story
PBS program Bill Moyers Journal has been available by broadcast, podcast and online transcript. Moyers is proudly a long time bane to public injustice and America’s military industrial complex. Also, of course, […]
Russian rebellion
As British Columbian’s learned during the Olympics, important people must never waste time standing in lines or sitting in slow moving traffic. That is for people of lesser purpose. Muscovites know this […]
Final solution
Item: Vancouver school year shortened 10 days to deal with a budget shortfall. Item: Between the 2001–02 and 2008–09 school years, 176 public schools in BC have been closed, unprecedented in BC […]
Leadership race warming?
Victoria pundit Les Layne says, “Before she became a very adroit politician, [Carole] Taylor was a veteran broadcaster. She never says anything by accident.” B.C.’s Carole Taylor joins outcry against HSTBy Justine […]
Markets – incorruptible gods, unless they are not
Indisputable evidence that self-regulation leads to disaster, one more example:From McClatchy Newspapers, Apr 22/09 WASHINGTON — A Senate panel investigating the causes of the nation’s financial crisis on Thursday unveiled evidence that […]
Site C – first purpose
On April 10, Northern Insights reported that Liberals will force BC Hydro to provide firm-power to private producers for export. Privates want a choice of selling to BC Hydro or contracting with […]
Modern public service
Justice Department lawyer Alain Prefontaine would not provide a date for the Military Police Complaints Commission as when it could expect the release of documents relating to the transfer of prisoners by […]
Voters have not forgiven . . .
On April 17, AngusReid Public Opinions published a poll on the British Columbia political scene. BC Liberals Plummet as HST looms; British Columbians Want a New Party This is the analysis provided […]
I hope Canada hurries up no tolerance based rules. I also hope this country has at least a clue of…