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 […]
Ready, fire, aim
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.
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 […]
At BC’s Public Accounts Committee
An excellent recap of the reasons behind the call for individuals to appear before the Public Accounts Committee to explain extraordinary financial transactions. Sept 15 2014 SSC PAC Corrigan to Ralston https://www.scribd.com/embeds/242109182/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&show_recommendations=true
Reporters as stenographers
Two years ago, the corporate media published headlines about ferry subsidies. This report, which came during fiscal year 2013, was enough to stir the Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation into action. They warned that […]
Profits first, charities second
Not what it seems. I’ve kept an eye on finances of the CKNW Orphans’ Fund. My attention began after the Corus radio station dropped its long time policy – under Griffiths family […]
Nature has inviolate principles, Christy Clark does not
A comment left by Lew on an earlier article deserves to be featured. Here is Christy Clark, the premier of our province, speaking as a radio show host just before leaving to […]
Puffery, misrepresentation or outright lies?
Puffery is an exaggeration or overstatement expressed in broad, vague, and commendatory language. According to Law for Business (Barnes et al., 1991), “The elements of misrepresentation are ordinarily given as: Misrepresentation of […]
BC Ferries costly but not innovative
A report by CBC News says that BC Ferries will equip two Spirit Class vessels to run on LNG. With minor hull improvements, annual fuel savings for the 20-year-old ships are estimated […]
Comforted by false reality
A New York Times article, The Surprisingly Large Cost of Telling Small Lies, quotes a successful English business person about the need to confront truths, even uncomfortable ones, “…telling lies is the […]
Tax evasion at the heart of global economy
The Globe and Mail reported September 19, 2014, after Elizabeth Thompson’s September 18 story at ipolitics: Internal Canada Revenue Agency documents confirm the agency is cutting some of its most highly-trained staff […]
Vapourtax – UPDATED
Nineteen months and one general election have passed since Premier Clark announced “establishment of a new British Columbia Prosperity Fund.” However, we still have no word on exactly how LNG is going […]
Managers justify generous treatment of managers
In 2013, the consulting firm Ernst & Young was hired to review trends in compensation across the BC Public Sector. It is now available through the Legislature’s public documents. Reports of this […]
#bced in my twitterverse
On @globalnews Sandy @Garossino suggested readings of J.Griffin's judgement with findings of bad faith. Start here: http://t.co/Xmw8LmiNYZ — Norm Farrell, IN-SIGHTS.CA (@Norm_Farrell) September 10, 2014 "Democracy has to be born anew every […]
The real news gets ignored – REPLAY
I wrote the following article in 2011. It demonstrates how little has changed. On the day George Abbott became the first Education Minister to speak at a convention of the teachers’ union […]
Beat reporters left the building
In 2010, the small city of Bell, CA was front page news nationwide. Over 17 years, the city manager and other municipal officials bilked tax payers out of millions of dollars. The […]
Next we sell off naming rights for schools – REPLAY
This article first published September 2011 remains timely. Private business promoters aim to eliminate public enterprises through privatization, contracting out and outsourcing. They promote the myth that delivery of services by private, often […]
I hope Canada hurries up no tolerance based rules. I also hope this country has at least a clue of…