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 […]
Comforted by false reality
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 […]
The price we pay
Trailer – THE PRICE WE PAY – a feature documentary by Harold Crooks from Filmoption International on Vimeo. Playing in Vancouver as part of the VIFF, International Village #9, October 4 – […]
Government serves insiders and elites
Plutocrats It is clear that BC Liberal strategy is to reward insiders and elites. That’s been shown in countless ways, particularly since Christy Clark took office as Premier in 2011. Shortly after […]
How the Legislature works, or does not work
Sean Holman, after 9 years investigative reporting on provincial politics, became a full time faculty member of Mount Royal University’s Communications department. Losing Sean and Public Eye Online was unfortunate for British […]
The Explainer explains
Surveying corporate media coverage of the education dispute, I noted a column by Vaughn Palmer that displays his particular usefulness when BC Liberals want information distributed. Here is an excerpt from Palmer’s A […]
Food for thought
Site C Dam: Food for Thought from Peace Valley Environment Assoc. on Vimeo. Produced by Damien Gillis of The Common Sense Canadian.
More Liberal devastation
A report released today shows that B.C. Liberal hikes to ferry fares are causing economic damage across the province, say the New Democrats. “This new report does the work the government should […]
Planned degradation of public education
Principal reports on devastating budget cuts to parent population. Such honesty needed for all of BC. #bced #bcpoli pic.twitter.com/aYeROVmdPh — Karen Richard (@KarenRichard14) September 10, 2014 The first comment here reminded me […]
UBC Professor of Law Joel Bakan speaks
“I see a lot of sense in the BCTF’s insistence on eliminating E80 from the package for consideration in binding arbitration… “As is true of any negotiation, the respective bargaining positions of […]
Lies and Liberals, an inherent match
In November 2001, after NDP MLA Joy McPhail reported a government plan to increase medical service plan premiums, Canadian Press quoted Liberal Health Minister Colin Hansen, “Joy MacPhail needs a new Deep […]
Dignity not in anti-union Liberal playbook
Recognizing that workers have the right to bargain collectively as part of their freedom to associate reaffirms the values of dignity, personal autonomy, equality and democracy that are inherent in the Charter. […]
Qu’ils mangent de la brioche
Yeah, folks. If you’re inconvenienced and frustrated by empty public schools, Premier Photo Op may have a solution. She tried it, she likes it. And if you can’t afford the tuition, do […]
CBC dominates the Websters
I bet Jack Webster’s spirit twitches when the $175 a plate bun toss named for him recurs and this town’s higher purpose people gather to honour worthy journalists, not all of whom […]
Thanks Skylab: Not that I’d ever have envisioned a time when I’d be ‘recommending’ anybody pay more than a New…