Daniel Thorburn - BC Refederation Party

[Castanet News]

This thread is for the candidacy of Daniel Thorburn - BC Refederation Party.

[Daniel_B_Thorburn]

The party has concrete, detailed, and lawful plans to implement our three fundamental Principles . These principles are enshrined in our Party Constitution, and in our first three policies. This ensures that all subsequent policy will be subject to our constitution.

A BC Refederation [BC Refed] government will:

Policy #1 - PROVINCIAL CONSTITUTION - declare the citizens of this province to be the sole source of political rights in BC, thus allowing the citizens to write a Constitution of British Columbia that will define and limit the powers they grant to government.


Policy #2 - DIRECT DEMOCRACY [DD] - implement Direct Democracy based on the successful Swiss model as a right for the citizens of British Columbia, in order that all aspects of governance in the province are subject to the will of the people.


Policy #3 - REFEDERATION - simultaneously negotiate changes in the relationship between BC and the central government. That is the concept of Refederation. We will be the first province to propose a new confederation in order to reduce the power and corruption of the Ottawa bureaucracy, and to end the usurpation of our provincial rights. We will renegotiate the existing status between governments on:

Supreme Court - The Charter of rights - Criminal Justice system - Official bilingualism - Health Accord - Immigration - Aboriginal issues - Fisheries - National Debt - Multiculturalism - International Treaties - Tax policies - Armed Forces - Human Rights Commission - Unemployment Insurance. If negotiations with the central government prove unsatisfactory, the BC Refederation Party’s Direct Democracy Act will allow British Columbians a referendum on separation.


Policy #4 - EDUCATION

We will propose legislation for voter approval, to put BC education back on a sound footing by means of:

o A more efficient educational system, and more educational choice for families.
o Correction of 1-12 class composition, not class size, as the main problem.
o Reorganization of the 1-12 system into homogeneous classes and schools.
o Return to the “Three R’s” to improve early Reading, Writing and Math skills.
o Graduation of more BC university students with higher academic standards.
o Expansion of the flow of BC Arts, Trades, and Technical graduates.

A more efficient and productive education system will result from the reorganization of classes and schools into homogeneous groupings. A restructuring of the Department of Education will enable a return to BC’s earlier standards of classroom learning, discipline and behavior. Parents and children will help choose the optimum route to the best education for the child.

Correcting the composition of classes, not class size, will benefit all our stakeholders - children, parents, teachers and society. On the one hand teachers are hampered today by unnecesssary paperwork and by the ‘accountability’ ideology that judges a teacher by the student product. But on the other hand struggling teachers need assistance to either improve or get out of the profession.


Homogeneous classes and schools. Classes of students of similar ability will progress at their best speed through material best suited to them. Class disruptions and stress will be minimized. Middle Schools [7-10] and High Schools within a school district will offer special needs education, a good general education, an arts/trades/commercial education, or an academic education. Special needs children will be integrated when it is beneficial to all parties. Student movement between streams will always be an earned option.

Publicly funded universities will concentrate on academic and professional courses. The future flow of more advanced academic students from the reorganized K-12 system will make possible higher university graduation requirements, thus matching standards in other nations. College and other diploma granting institutions will be expanded to meet the province’s needs for BC ‘homegrown’ tradesmen and business/commercial managers.

A tightened supervisory approach will improve K-12 ‘time on task’. New higher student standards made possible by homogeneous groupings will be carefully applied. This results in the highest achievement of every child, whereas the present system has watered down requirements, fostered a false sense of achievement, and has contributed to teacher burnout with excessive record keeping.

A win/win approach.

Policy #5 - HEALTH

There are two foundations of a modern society - Health and Education. Both affect us for a lifetime, making them a priority for a total overhaul. All health legislation will be placed before the people for acceptance or rejection under our DD Act. Acceptance will provide the ‘authority’ to re-open the federal Health Act in negotiations with Ottawa.

o We will seek a vigorous recruitment and retention program for medical personnel.
o We will reinstate proactive alternative medical practices such as physiotherapy, dental and chiropractic in the BC Medical Services Plan so that the redirection of patients will provide reduced costs and direct savings to the health care system.
o We will direct health care dollars to patients instead of spending on expensive administration staff and facilities of a non-medical application.
o Regional Health Boards will be held accountable for cost overruns.
o We will seek a universal health insurance plan under the auspices of ICBC.
o We will open the delivery of all medical services to proposals for competitive alternatives, subject to costs and quality of care.

We will immediately address shortfalls in service by a vigorous recruitment program to acquire medical specialists, doctors and nurses.

The current health system is overburdened by people with the primary complaint of pain, who are unable to take advantage of alternative health care options due to cost and/or lack of insurance. These basic services will be included in healthcare and implemented with the reform of funding practices under a new administration in a restructured ICBC.

We propose to overhaul health funding by placing the Medical Services Plan under the umbrella of the successful Insurance Corporation of BC [ICBC]. ICBC will have two divisions - HICBC [health] and VICBC [vehicle], with Worksafe funding separate but under health. In conjunction with the actuarial and administration techniques of ICBC the Regional Health Boards and Worksafe will then coordinate their budgets and be held accountable under that corporation’s mandate to professionalize the funding and reporting of all health service financials. We intend to place a fully accountable system before the public so that the funding of services is transparent, and competitive service alternatives can be explored in a factual manner without political interference from special interests and changing governments. Regional Health Boards will then be expected to seek medical delivery alternatives from any accredited source to meet the budgetary and medical standards set forth, and will strive to move the present system into a competitive system focused on patient care instead of patient rationing.

We believe in a publicly funded system with medical services delivered by the best provider, public or private.



Policy #6 - ENVIRONMENT

We believe that our society will not survive if it continues to poison the environment. We will enlist the aid of the public to find achievable solutions to our problems and will present them to the electorate for approval.


o We will not impose artificial tax incentives to reduce environmental impact without realistic solutions dedicated to sustainable and measurable goals.
o A solution should not kill the economy by forcing business out of the province to pollute somewhere else.
o We will place an immediate moratorium on river and stream hydro projects, as well as new fish farms, and will assist existing farms into ‘dry land’ systems.
o We will take steps to bring a more sustainable organic approach to agriculture and will seek the public’s advice on genetically modified foods.
o We will not employ scarce agricultural food for vehicular fuel.


Merely trading carbon credits is not a full solution. We need to address the problems of pollution caused by the transportation of people in cities where public transportation is available but under-utilized. We will seek to tap into the creative minds of citizens through the cooperative development of simple concepts for clean transportation. We will look at incentive programs to develop clean alternative energy solutions.

It is a priority to save our rivers and streams from uncontrolled development. The current policy of the Liberal government for private power production on rivers is dangerous, as the impacts on our rivers is not fully known.

It is imperative to get fish farms out of the ocean to save our wild salmon. We will place a moratorium on new licenses for open water fish farms and will require existing farms to immediately move away from our estuaries and salmon bearing streams. We will consider the use of crown land for existing fish farms at no cost, as a grandfather agreement to get these open fish farms into closed containment farms on dry land, with all the appropriate environmental water and land protection now in place for other industries such as mining and other land based aqua/agriculture. We need to find ways to encourage development of more natural ways of farming using less chemicals and more natural source materials to rebuild soils and produce healthier food for our domestic market at competitive prices, without causing economic hardship. We will ensure public safety by in-depth investigation of genetically modified foods, and use our DD system to ensure the people of BC have the last say over their distribution in this province. We will not permit bio-fuel agriculture to displace food production.

Policy #7 - ECONOMY

A vibrant economy is the lifeblood of BC. Without businesses, large and small, there is no future. We will develop policies recognizing the global pressures and competition that all businesses, employees and citizens face in the future.

o We will encourage a vibrant and profitable business sector.
o Government and the business sector will cooperate to nurture a stable workforce and to reduce taxes.
o WorkSafe [WCB] will be an enforcement agency only, and ICBC will underwrite businesses for the benefit and protection of all employees and employers.
o Government will expand and revitalize infrastructure necessary to promote the economy in BC.
o Voter approval will be required for the sale of Crown Corporations. The BC Hydro sell-offs will be reversed. The BC Rail sell-off will go to a full judicial review for a possible reversal.
o We will encourage businesses to replace their part-time policies with superior work sharing methods.
o We will submit TILMA to public review and referendum.
o Business will cooperate with environmentally sound legislation.
o We will renegotiate employment insurance premiums/benefits with Ottawa.
o We will lead other provinces in a lawful tax revolt. By withholding the unlawful federal income tax collected in BC we will compel Ottawa to vacate the field of direct taxation and return to the original tax sharing agreement of 1864.


WorkSafe BC, formerly known as WCB, was originally designed to be free from government interference, to insure, protect and assist injured workers at a low cost. It has failed. We will split the insurance and rehab portions of WCB and shift the insuring portion to ICBC. The focus will be to lower premiums, reduce duplications of service and to insure every worker in BC [see details under ‘Health’]. WorkSafe will focus on worksite safety and rehabilitation. Transportation on safe roads is vital to a successful economy. Highways in the southeast and the north are long overdue for improvement. We will end the sell-off of BC crown corporations without voter approval. Globalization has led to a disturbing trend of ‘part time’ employees, an effort to reduce costs to business. That threatens a stable and cohesive economy rather than benefiting all, and with business and the central government we will seek ways to include all citizens in full employment. We will move to renegotiate the punitive EI premiums and massive surplus that could be used to provide fuller employment. We will support business in this province by assisting in agreements with other jurisdictions outside the province as well as by reducing regulatory ‘red tape’ everywhere.

Policy # 8 - ACCOUNTABILITY

We will immediately introduce Direct Democracy legislation [DD] as a solution to the “first past the post” system. Under the Westminster system electoral reform proposals alone will not make politicians and parties accountable to the people. Our DD legislation ensures empowerment of voters over politicians, the judiciary and the bureaucracy. It allows binding citizens’ input on:


o Easier recall of all politicians elected in the province of BC.
o Binding initiatives, and voter veto over bad legislation.
o Fixed penalties for crimes, including consecutive sentences.
o A public complaints commission to oversee all enforcement, penal and judicial sectors.
o Removal of the power of the HR Commission [BCHR] to prosecute human rights cases.
o Application of stiff penalties to all legislated environmental standards.
o Renegotiation of all overlapping jurisdictions with Ottawa.
o Extension of the “WASTE BUSTER” program to all government departments.

Accountability will expand from a “promise’ to a legal reality, giving voters and politicians a workable recall plan. Voters will be given the right to binding initiatives and the right to an optional referendum veto of any legislation passed. Thus they will hold the power over all legislation, and government will truly become - the servant of the People. While we expect an initial increase in referendums, that will fall off as politicians come to respect the will of the people. A double majority requirement will equalize political power between the rural and urban areas of BC. We will introduce limits on judges by fixing penalties for crime and adopting consecutive sentences for violent crimes. Judges will be subject to confirmation hearings and renewable tenures. All sectors of the legal system will be subject to a public complaints commission, and an optional referendum of the people. The BCHR commission has demonstrated so many non-democratic rulings that it cannot be tolerated in its present role. It will be given a “grand jury” role of recommendations, and prosecution will be returned to the BC court system. All BC politicians will be subject to workable recall. All BC legislation will be subject to an optional referendum empowering the People of BC to hold political parties accountable to the electorate between elections. “Green” legislation will require the inclusion of goals, enforcement, named agencies and penalties before going to referendum or being passed into law, so as to eliminate political pandering and funds wasted on frivolous political schemes.

Policy #9 - SAFE COMMUNITIES
It is the right of the citizens of BC to have Law and Order that provides peace and security for all communities. We will provide legislation on the enforcement, penal and judicial systems to reflect the will of the People:


o Citizens will be made to feel safe in BC.
o Due process will guarantee that citizens’ rights take priority over a criminal’s rights.
o Decisions of a Complaints Commission will be confirmed by a citizens’ initiative when necessary.
o Fixed penalties for crimes, consecutive sentencing and the increased use of dangerous offender provisions will be implemented in BC.
o Children will receive increased protection from severe and life threatening abuse.
o We will install a BC controlled provincial police force.
o The voting privileges of prisoners serving more than two years will be revoked.
o The use of the “Notwithstanding Clause” in the Constitution Act, 1982, will be a BC option to ensure that the rights of the law abiding are respected above those of a criminal.

We will take steps to ensure that the police are equipped to protect us from crime. But police forces in BC will be subject to a public complaints commission which will have the power to make recommendations regarding police conduct - recommendations enforceable by a people’s initiative. A BC provincial police force suggested by the Opal Report of 1994 will replace most services provided by the RCMP. The existing justice system is failing the citizens of BC. We will introduce legislation which will put tough fixed penalties on lawbreakers, regardless of the federal jurisdiction. We will give priority to the rehabilitation of first offenders, and punishment and incarceration for habitual offenders or offenders in violent crimes. Offenders in sexual and violent crimes who refuse to enter rehab programs will be labelled dangerous offenders and subjected to long-term incarceration. Crimes committed with weapons will carry mandatory consecutive sentencing. Those criminals who re-offend after release from prison will be eligible for dangerous offender status, and Parole Board tenure will depend on records of recidivism. We will initiate a complete review of the programs involving “street kids”, with an equal emphasis on both parental rights and obligations, to reduce the increasing delinquency and violence by street gangs in our communities.

Policy #10 - CARING GOVERNMENT

We believe that a truly caring government is one that provides easy access to the existing services, and amends them when society demands a change. By moving services into community Access Centers, both the government and the public will be better informed and more capable of administering and funding established social services.


o Compassionate treatment of citizens will be required of the civil service.
o Access Centers will be expanded and opened longer to serve the public.
o MLAs will relocate to Access Centers to reduce costs to the public purse.
o Social services will implement a screening program to eradicate substance abuse and offer the appropriate aid to willing candidates.
o The feasibility of childcare funding for working parents will be examined.
o We propose enhanced aid from a reformed BC healthcare system for victims of severe diseases.


We believe in a social safety net for our citizens. Events beyond our control happen to all of us, which require us to seek aid when we would never have sought it before. Civil servants will be trained to be compassionate to deserving cases who come to them for help. Access Centers will be open longer hours in order to provide greater access by citizens, and eventually will be expanded to handle all government services, including an office for the sitting MLA, thus reducing administative costs. The Ministry of Social Services will be there to provide needed assistance to citizens but will not become the enabler of bad habits and destructive lifestyles seen in some “street people”. It will not be a violation of personal rights to request a periodic tox-screening, which will be part of a program of screening in order to receive publicly funded benefits. New hope for the willing will be offered in the form of a measurable homeless program for improving mental health, and/or substance abuse, while being sheltered. We intend to reduce the burden on our police of caring for the homeless, and to redirect police funding into their primary role of peace, order and the pursuit of criminals. Additional effort will go into finding ways to provide suitable care for the children of working parents, and we will seek ways to better fund those children cared for by relatives. Caring relatives are preferable to foster homes and should be funded in the same way as a foster home. BC has many people disabled by disease requiring drugs and continuing care. The funding of this problem will be handled under our reformed healthcare system [see Policy #5].



Note
The first three policies above are the BC Refederation Party’s 123 Plan, and all policies, present and future, are keyed to it.

[Daniel_B_Thorburn]

To answer your question, NO WE ARE NOT SEPERATISTS. We are for REFEDERATION which will strengthen BC's position in Canada and give more power to the voter's of our province.

[Freefalling]

Thank you Daniel, it's a very interesting platform, different, but interesting.