Republished from the Facebook page of Sean Smith, with permission. Dear BC Ferries: I know that you are having a hard time trying to figure out ways to save money. Please, let […]
Norm Farrell
Gwen and I raised three adult children in North Vancouver. Each lives in this community, as do our seven grandchildren. Before retirement, I worked in accounting and small business management. Since 2009, I have published commentary about public issues at IN-SIGHTS.CA.
If the numbers are not known, invent them
Reviewing BC Ferries financial statements this week, I was reminded of a radio interview I heard early in the tenure of the current BC Ferries CEO. That was shortly after he banked […]
Fiscal unfairness, a BC Liberal tradition
Between Powell River and Texada Island, ferry service is by the oldest vessel in BC Ferries’ fleet, the 57-year-old MV North Island Princess, a vessel with capacity to carry 49 vehicles and […]
Solar power heating up
Here comes the sun, Mother Jones, November 2014: Last week, an energy analyst at Deutsche Bank came to a startling conclusion: By 2016, solar power will be as cheap or cheaper than […]
Plus ça change…
Suzanne Methot reviewed Farley Mowat’s Walking on the Land, which was published in 2000. From that review: “Farley Mowat detailed government treatment of the Ihalmiut, First Nations people in Canada’s northern lands. […]
Special treatment for special friends
In British Columbia, regulators who don’t believe in regulation are at the tables negotiating with the oil and gas industry. With ideologues like Fazil Mihlar, their fundamental attitudes would have government earning no royalties at all. Indeed, that is a work in progress, with additional benefits such as unregulated fracking and below-cost electricity being made available as well.
NEB sham exposed
It is been long apparent that the National Energy Board is not an industry regulator. It is an industry facilitator that is staffed by people who serve the fossil fuel industry and […]
Should BC taxpayers promote fossil fuels?
If British Columbia continues to encourage the production and transport of coal, gas and oil, we are blowing poisons into the faces of earth’s future generations. I know something about that, I […]
Don’t follow the law, change the law
British Columbia’s Auditor General reported to the BC Legislature and there is interesting commentary throughout. Carol Bellringer qualified her opinion as to the fairness of the province’s financial statements and professional accountants […]
One value Premier failed to learn: truthfulness
This item from April 2013 is updated with current numbers. In a 30-minute TV commercial two years after assuming the office of Premier, Christy Clark said that leadership involves, “holding true to […]
Hedonists of power
Chris Hedges wrote many words for the New York Times; some of them wrong. He participated in false reporting that helped orchestrate invasion of Iraq by the coalition of the dragged kicking […]
Different ways, different results
Note 11 from a study by John Calvert and Marjorie Griffin Cohen of Simon Fraser University, Climate Change and the Canadian Energy Sector: In this regard it is interesting to compare the […]
“…A lot more electricity being needed”
Bill Bennett, a man particularly qualified to make decisions on how the public ought to spend tens of billions of dollars. Bennett gained expertise and honed business acumen as an entrepreneur involved in fishing camps and a goose-hunting lodge on Hudson Bay. Despite potential conflicts, he maintained a financial connection to wilderness tourism even after beginning a career in politics.
Restraint, BC Government style
Nearly half a million children are missing school days this year because government believes that spending restraint is imperative. Restraint in collecting taxes, at least from ordinary citizens, is not as vital. […]
Ready, fire, aim
Andrew MacLeod provided the title above in a Thursday Tweet linking to his column in The Tyee. Slots on Ferries a Complicated Bet, Warned Finance Ministry: After Transportation Minister Todd Stone announced […]
Official opposition on resource development
Opposition members Horgan and Farnsworth speak about resource issues.
Leadership with courage to be honest
Andrew Weaver, MLA for Oak Bay Gordon Head, spoke to the Legislature on October 9, 2014. This are excerpts: The undeniable truth is that British Columbians have been sold a bill of […]
Words and meanings
BC Liberal Throne Speech: “The core services this government provides need to be protected, and the inescapable truth is that they can only be protected if we can afford them.” Translation: The […]
Repeaters, not reporters
Ever notice that corporate media seems to speak with one voice? On balance – or rather, on lack-of-balance – they do. It is the voice of big business. Vaughn Palmer was a columnist lobbing fat pitches into the wheelhouse of natural gas promoters.
Pretending less is known than we know
At times, I wonder if mainstream political journalism in BC is written by the uninformed for the uninformed. Gary Mason provided an example to consider when he commented on the latest threat […]
in-sights.ca 
The Gordon Campbell/ChristyClarke years did not bode well for BC. The same Developer real estate views are still widely adhered…