Matthew Reed - BC NDP

[Al Czervic]

Now this is a debate, public vs private sector. With a public private partnership, the cost becomes,
cost plus, and that means profit has to be built into the equation for the private operator.
I think profits from such ventures should go to the public that owns the infastructure.
BC Bonds built this province in the 1950's under WAC Bennett and it proved to be a good move for the people of this province. Most people don't understand to this day that BC Ferries, BC Rail,
BC Hydro and a number of other building blocks of the BC economy were actually nationalized under
the Social Credit banner not the NDP and they did it for the common good of the citizens of this
province. I think the NDP would be wise to institute the green bond issue and again put this
province on the road to progress for everyone instead of Gordon Campbell's circle of friends.

I think promoting green projects and energy conservation is all good. However to increase your borrowing costs to fund such programs through the sale of “bonds” only means that you are paying more interest than you need too.

More money being spent on increased interest means that there is less money available to hire more park rangers, pay paramedics like firefighters; put into healthcare or whatever else the NDP is also promising to do. This is why I say the green Bonds program as a doomsday project.

Not to mention when you pay increased interest that added interest payments comes off taxes taken from the poor and middle class. Who buys investments that generate interest rate related income returns? The more wealthy and affluent. So even from a public policy perspective this ultimately becomes a wealth redistribution scheme where only the higher income earners will benefit from these NDP bond based interest rates. It just makes no sense on any level to do this.

[damngrumpy]

So far my support is going to Mathew Reed, as I have supported the New Democrats in the past, however there are some things that really tick me off with the party these days. There are all kinds of riding's that have candidates that the people of the riding did not directly choose.
They are riding that are reserved for women or minorities or for some other reason. In your case
you got the nomination be merritt therefore I will consider you. NDP policy comes from a more grassroots based system but this is a flaw. Anyone should be able to run with equal standing in any riding in the province. I want to see a party that is socially progressive, and in fact fiscally conservative. A policy that believes in progress by having a plan to pay for new programs if required, before instituting the new program.
There are some tough days ahead for a new government and the NDP must demonstrate they have the vision and discipline to conduct themselves in a professional manner should they form government.
Remember, in d parliamentary democracy, the majority do in fact rule, however it is also to be
understood that while ruling the majority must respect the views of the minority, failure to do so
would make a mockery of the democratic system itself

[hellomynameis]

what a turn off...

[Freefalling]

Yeah it is...as you read through the postings you will come to see that the Judyfreewomen, TRUE CONSERVATIVE and Russel-Winfield don't really care and fail to understand they are hurting their candidate...what a loss...

Anyways, I think that Matthew does care about the community and the future. He approached me at a forum and as a youth that's pretty exciting. He is considerate and knowledgeable. Now if he was an independent, he would have my vote in an instant! I think he has a way to go, but I do not agree with much of the NDP in their past records (especially the Alcan sale and the effects on the environment and human rights). He knows the area well, boohoo, he moved to the Westside after 16 years of living in Rutland/Lake Country...I can barely afford to live here! Overall, I respect him as a younger person, a business owner and educator...but I just can't bring myself to vote for him...yet

[Captain Awesome]

Matthew Reed,

Saw you today on HWY97 waving at traffic! That crazy beard of yours sure stands out!

Good on ya.

[Freefalling]

The NDP Economic Record in the 1990s:

* The NDP came into office in 1991 on a promise of fiscal discipline, low taxes and economic stability. The actual results looked far different:

* After saying they wouldn’t raise taxes during the 1991 election campaign, the NDP raised taxes by nearly $2 billion in their first two years. As a result, by 1994 B.C. had the highest marginal income tax rates in North America.

* From 1994 onward, B.C.’s economic growth performed below the national average nearly every single year. By 1998, B.C. had the worst economy in the country.

* The NDP brought in EIGHT consecutive deficit budgets and doubled the province’s debt. They introduced five debt-management plans over eight years, and missed every single target. As a result, they received two credit rating downgrades during their time in office.

* The total operating debt – the debt accrued through spending on government operations – doubled to over $12 billion in 2000/01. This resulted in a $3.8 billion "structural deficit" left by the NDP in 2001.

* Between 1992 and 2000 B.C. ranked last in private-sector job creation per capita in the country, and suffered the highest unemployment rate of all the Western provinces nearly every year. The unemployment rate reached 10.2 per cent under the NDP with record high unemployment for women and youth.

* Under the NDP, Real Disposable Income dropped every year between 1991 and 1997, and didn’t even return to 1991 levels until 2001.

* Under the 1990s NDP, thousands of British Columbians fled the province. In their last three years of government (1998 to 2000), B.C. lost nearly 45,000 people to other provinces.

[damngrumpy]

First of all a message to Dave, I am not inconsistent, not everything the Socreds did was bad the same goes for the NDP. Al Clarke, has seen many political costumes of late and independent is just
another one of them, he sort of reminds me of someone who can't make up their mind about what to dress as for the Halloween ball. Clarke is enjoying his last attempt and the general public are not
going to be fooled for a minute.
As for the NDP, and the candidate for this riding, I think it will be an uphill fight, but Reed has some interest from the general public. People should also be thinking about the day after the election. Right now the NDP is behind, not by much but behind. The conservatives are starting to take votes from the liberals, and the greens, I believe they will see a slight drop before election day as there is only one real alternative to the present liberals and that is the new democrats in BC.
Campbell has already peaked and they are within 3 or 4 points of each other. If the trend continues
the NDP could win with a slight majority in terms of seats. If we want a voice in Victoria we should be looking at supporting Reed. This is an election where the Liberals could have an edge in popular vote and still lose

[Al Czervic]

Remember our have not province and riding in the 90's under the NDP leaden blanket , see Alan Clarke's NDP and Liberal Report Card titled 2 decades of Arrogant and Hippocritic government!
at: http://www.electclarke.ca IT'S TIME FOR CHANGE IN KELOWNA LAKE COUNTRY!

MORE THAN EVER " WE NEED OUR COMMUNITY REPRESENTED IN VICTORIA" NOT
" VICTORIA REPRESENTED IN OUR COMMUNITY BY A NON-RESIDENT
SCRIPTED BC LIBERAL OR NON-RESIDENT NDP CANDIDATE"

" MATTHEW REED YOU DO NOT LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY- ALAN CLARKE LIVES IN OUR COMMUNITY"

" NORM LETNIK YOU DO NOT LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY-ALAN CLARKE LIVES IN OUR COMMUNITY"

MAY 12TH ELECT A "VOICE FOR KELOWNA LAKE COUNTRY" ELECT ALAN CLARKE INDEPENDENT www.electclarke.ca

Sometimes I wonder if you are really working for another campaign and are going out of your way to annoy people and motivate them to vote against Alan Clarke.

If I was Alan Clarke I would be telling you to tone it down. You are not helping him. Trust me.

[Mr Danksworth]

BLAH BLAH BLAH

You really are a blowhard idiot aren't you? Even if I was going to vote for Al, I wouldn't do so now, because of the behavior of you and you ilk. I'll be spreading the word to keep all of you out of the legislature. Thanks for reminding us what a true conservative really is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman

[Phoenix Within]

The NDP Economic Record in the 1990s: <info snipped>

Lets not forget the most important three words that summed up the NDP regime back then: Fast Cat Ferries.

[Gaetane Daigle]

*wrong thread/Jo*

[Phoenix Within]

Gaetane,

Do you not have the decency to not campain in some one elses forum? Thank you for proving why I will not be voting for Alan clarke

[fluffy]

The NDP Economic Record in the 1990s: <info snipped>

Lets not forget the most important three words that summed up the NDP regime back then: Fast Cat Ferries.

As much as the Fast Ferry project was an ill-conceived and mismanaged attempt to revive an ailing ship-building industry more than anything else, let's not lose sight of the fact that it was the current Liberal government that took the project apart and sold it off for a fraction of its value, knowing that they could shift the majority of blame onto the NDP.

[Phoenix Within]

Believe me when I tell you I'm NOT defending the Liberals on this, but it was all probbaly sold off because it was a bad ship that no one wanted to buy. I seem to recall them having a hell of a time trying to sell off the three ships that were made.

Edit: Through research I discovered that the ferries were sold off at auction for $19.4 million for the fleet of three. Unfortunately, the same company that bought the ferries at auction had offered the Liberals $60 million for the vessels before the auction, but the Liberals turned then down.

I remember the news stats about them when they first started running. They cost three times as much (severely over budget to begin with), used three times the fuel, and left nine times the wake as a conventional ferry. All that to save an average of 15 minutes off the run. I also remember seeing news footage of small boats being smashed up against their docks when the Fast-Cats passed by some of the islands. It was an NDP make-work project that didn't work. Didn't a bunch of Glen Clark cronies also serve as directors for the Ferries?

[Mr.Powell]

For theferniefinch:

As a preface, I'm a democratic socialist who'll be spoiling his ballot May 12th. I just wanted to take issue with the carrying on about the NDP record of the 90's, which from what I hear was terrible but honestly I'm not familiar with. The thing is that today's provincial New Democrats are not the same ones that took office in the 90's, just as Ignatieff's Liberals aren't Chretien's Liberals, and Harper's Conservatives aren't Mulroney's Conservatives. There are of course many carry-overs and similarities, but the next time I go to the polls federally I'm not going to paw through McDonough's accomplishments to determine if Layton's fit to lead, just as I wouldn't look at Clark's works to see where James' is going.

I hope that makes sense,
Peace,
Mr.Powell