Tish Lakes - BC NDP

[usquebaugh]

I'm glad that Tish Lakes took the time to talk to the paramedics at the debate hosted by CBC and the Kelowna Capital News, unlike Gordon Campbell and the Liberals, who had the RCMP remove the paramedics who were protesting at his visit last week.

Striking Paramedics not welcome at rally

[usquebaugh]

Debate too hot for many candidates
By Daily Courier Staff
Monday, April 27, 2009

Front-running candidates for the May 12 provincial election had little interest in attending what was billed as a forum on personal values.
None of the Liberal or NDP candidates showed up at the Saturday night event, sponsored by the Kelowna Right to Life Society. Invitations were sent to all candidates well in advance, society spokesman Marlon Bartram said Sunday.
“I think it‘s possible that some of the candidates just weren‘t interested in attending an event where some hot-button issues were going to be discussed,” Bartram said.
Topics at the forum included public funding for abortion, polygamy, legalization of euthanasia and sex education in schools.
Liberal candidates Norm Letnick, Steve Thomson and Ben Stewart responded to the invitation, saying they had prior engagements planned for Saturday.
None of the three NDP candidates, Tish Lakes, Tisha Kalmanovitch and Matthew Reed, responded to the invitation.
Six candidates did attend the forum: all three Conservative hopefuls (Mary-Ann Graham, Mark Thompson and Peter Neville), along with Green candidate Robin McKim, Daniel Thorburn of the B.C. Refederation Party, and Independent Al Clarke.
About 40 people attended the forum at Okanagan College.

The Liberals didn't attend the event either....

Why would the NDP want to respond to a group that is known for its decidedly anti-women's rights stance (not to mention its apparent disrespect for the LGBT community)?

[logicalview]

[quote="usquebaugh"]I'm glad that Tish Lakes took the time to talk to the paramedics at the debate hosted by CBC and the Kelowna Capital News, unlike Gordon Campbell and the Liberals, who had the RCMP remove the paramedics who were protesting at his visit last week.

So sorry C.

You got it wrong again. The Capri Hotel asked them to leave. But hey twist away.

BTW "ordinary British Columbians" are more concerned about the economy than a bunch of angry strikers protesting on private property.

[logicalview]

Why would the NDP want to respond to a group that is known for its decidedly anti-women's rights stance (not to mention its apparent disrespect for the LGBT community)?

Who cares if the NDP attended or not C.

It's just the arrogance of not even replying to the invitation.

I would have thought that the local brethern of the NDP would have showed up to stand up for "ordinary British Columbians" rather than run and hide. What kind of representation is that?

Matthew said he was going to attend the Day of Mourning for workers killed on the job and I didn't see him there.

[Captain Awesome]

[usquebaugh]

Also, since the Kelowna Right to Life group didn't give parents the common courtesy of choosing whether or not their children saw the grotesque images being held up by Marlon Bartram and his ilk along Harvey Avenue last spring, I don't think that such a discourteous organization deserves a response to its invitation. Since the forum was only attended by 40 people, it doesn't seem that their particular concerns are resonating with very many Kelowna area voters (yay for that!!!). If anyone wants to talk to the Right to Life crowd, they just have to go to KGH on a Tuesday morning.... (If there's one good thing about the construction at the hospital, it's that it has somewhat disrupted the pro-life protesters....)

[usquebaugh]

Go Tish Lakes!!

[logicalview]

unlike Gordon Campbell and the Liberals, who had the RCMP remove the paramedics who were protesting at his visit last week.

Hey C. It never ceases to amaze me how you and your NDP ilk only tell half truths.

So lets visit what Brad Fraser, regional vice-president with the Ambulance Paramedics of British Columbia had to say about your attempted Campbell bashing....

Campbell made several campaign stops throughout the Okanagan Valley Wednesday, and Fraser said Campbell made a habit of stopping to chat with the protesting emergency service workers.

“At almost every stop he came out and talked to us and heard our story and promised he’d do his best and promised us he’d get the process started,” said Fraser.

What? Say it isn't so!

The regional Vice-President of Ambulance Paramedics of British Columbia said that Campbell made a point to meet with the strikers.

How can you squirm your way out of this one? Don't be so Flaky.

Fish Flaky.

[Symbonite]

I think the NDP proposal of the Min Wage to go up is crazy especially with todays economic times. I think there will be a lot of layoffs and/or shortened work weeks because of the min wage going up...and at the end...doesnt make a difference.

Not only that the cost will trickle to the goods and we will be buying higher priced goods.

[CountryAtHeart]

"that the voices of ordinary British Columbians are heard"

Who are "ordinary British Columbians"? Can Tish define who these "ordinary" people are? Why does she listen only to them? Do they speak to her?


There are plenty of candidates who volunteer and interact in their communities far in excess of Tish.

Who do they represent? Who do they advocate for?

These are issues that are very important to me, therefore, it is not about who does how much. But it is about the issues that are close to them.

[usquebaugh]

Go Tish!!

[Captain Awesome]

I think the NDP proposal of the Min Wage to go up is crazy especially with todays economic times. I think there will be a lot of layoffs and/or shortened work weeks because of the min wage going up...and at the end...doesnt make a difference.

Not only that the cost will trickle to the goods and we will be buying higher priced goods.

Around 5% of people make min. wage in BC. Tiny part of our population. Yet if min wage was increased, it would send inflation all the way up. What a great way to fight recession.

[Liberty and Truth]

What a load of hogwash that Tish Lakes is the only one listening to the Paramedics. Typical spin from typical spin-meisters at the NDP, the same ones who gave us the "fudge it" budget. This morning my wife tried to get to her job but the damn paramedics were blocking her access - real tough guys standing up to a 5ft 2 inch woman just trying to get to her job. This is public property these idiots are blocking, all in the name of maximum disruption against the Liberals on election day. I am sick of government unions and organized labour supporting the NDP here in BC with this kind of crap, all because they want to return to the glory days of the NDP being in power, who "listened" to them, which is code for the truth, which was the NDP government bending over and giving them everything they asked for, wages spiralled out of site and our province's economy was flushed down the toilet. It was totally embarassing to be a province with all of these resources, and yet having to put our hand out to the feds for funding. There is NO EXCUSE for that.

As for TIsh Lakes - I don't see anything in her bio that suggests to me she would have the first clue about what it takes to be an MLA or being a part of a functioning government. I don't see anything in Carol James bio either that suggests she would have the first clue how to be a premier. That's the real issue I have with the NDP - they only run teachers, labour organizers and low-level government bureaucrats as their candidates, who spout off soundbites about "listening to ordinary British Columbians" but then you dig below the surface of the soundbites and there is nothing there - their only solution being to "provide funding" - well news flash - we've seen this movie before - and the "funding" comes from only one source - taxpayers - and that well runs dry when all of the taxpayers leave the province, like they were doing in droves 10 years ago. The NDP should do everyone a favour and fold up as a party, they are far too dangerous in their ideologies to ever run something as important as the BC provincial government. They are unqualified and just plain lazy in their ideologies and execution.

BTW - at least Stewart's team has shown me they want to win. I have seen him waving at the side of the road on the way to work in the morning, I have received flyers, phone calls and even a personal visit at my house. I have seen NOTHING from Tish Lake's team, probably good, because if they did come to my house, they'd be berated for a solid hour and told to take a flying leap off the nearest pier.

[CountryAtHeart]

Liberty and Truth wrote:

BTW - at least Stewart's team has shown me they want to win. I have seen him waving at the side of the road on the way to work in the morning, I have received flyers, phone calls and even a personal visit at my house. I have seen NOTHING from Tish Lake's team, probably good, because if they did come to my house, they'd be berated for a solid hour and told to take a flying leap off the nearest pier.

And what does this say about you, as a person...As you write a scathing opinion about the character of the NDP, without the fair criticism towards the Liberals and the cuts they have made to the most unfortunate around us, you then proceed to let us in on how you would conduct yourself if you did meet Ms Lakes. I would say that maybe you ought not be too quick to throw stones when speaking of character.

Every candidate deserves to be treated with a grain of respect, even if you don't agree with them.

[Liberty and Truth]

And what does this say about you, as a person...As you write a scathing opinion about the character of the NDP, without the fair criticism towards the Liberals and the cuts they have made to the most unfortunate around us, you then proceed to let us in on how you would conduct yourself if you did meet Ms Lakes. I would say that maybe you ought not be too quick to throw stones when speaking of character.

Every candidate deserves to be treated with a grain of respect, even if you don't agree with them.

Sky - what does this say about me as a person? Well since you asked...

Firstly, where I come from, respect is something you earn. You have to earn my respect, be it all of it, or even a tiny grain. How do you do that? Well how about you start with doing something other than just attacking the other party constantly with inane attack ads. How about you actually say what YOU are going to do, rather than say how bad the other guy is. I couldn't figure out what the NDP stood for from their ad campaigns, and so I had to go and read their online platform to figure it out. And it scared me half to death. It was a blueprint to send us straight back into the hell that we just spent 8 years crawling out from. I think that the NDP deliberately didn't want to advertise their policies as they knew anyone with a tiny functioning brain cell could decipher it would mean utter economic ruin for this province. So did Tish Lakes deserve my respect? Sure, about as much respect as I would give someone that I found was taking a slegehammer to my house, because that's the kind of damage I see someone like Tish Lakes and her ilk doing to my province, my business, and my way of life.

As for this constant sobbing and moaning about "all that's been taken away" - I heard this soundbite constantly from various government activists and lobbyists during the election who would break into spontaneous weeping and moaning every time a TV camera happened to be near by. It wasn't "poor" people who were complaining, it was the paid leachers who make a living off of exploiting their poverty. These kinds of people thrived during the last NDP reign of terror, as the trough was always kept full for these pigs to feed on. Did you people ever stop to think why the Campbell government stopped doling out cash to all of you freeloaders? BECAUSE BC CAN'T AFFORD IT!!! It is basic math. Money goes into the government. Then it goes out. If the money going out doesn't equal the money going in, then something has to be done. The NDP's solution is to raise taxes, take on debt, and bankrupt the government. That way, the crying freeloaders get fat on government cash and will keep silent during elections. The Liberal method is to try and balance the cash coming in with cash outflows, and cut taxes so businesses will flourish, and employ people who pay taxes. So the lazy bureaucrats don't get their free cash, and then cry about "all that was taken away". As you can see, BC is now going into its third term of saying to you government activists - "time to get a real job and look at ways of actively contributing to BC's economy instead of being professional leachers".

Finally - here's another issue I have with the NDP. Have a look at where all of their donations came from: http://contributions.electionsbc.gov.bc ... lerSK=(ALL)&EDSK=0&FilerTypeSK=0&Contributor=&PartySK=7&ED=(ALL)&FilerType=(ALL)&Filer=(ALL)&Party=BC%20NDP&SortColumn=AMOUNT&SortDirection=DESC&DFYear=2008&DFMonth=01&DFDay=01&DTYear=2008&DTMonth=12&DTDay=31&DateFrom=2008/01/01&DateTo=2008/12/31

What the hell??? Why is the BC Federation of Labour and the BCGEU donating all of this cash to the NDP? Are the BC Government workers supposed to be impartial and not political? These people suck down government salaries. Why are they giving money to the NDP? THIS JUST REEKS. These people are supposed to be serving everyone in BC, not just the NDP and its brain-washed followers. This should be illegal, as it is a blatant conflict of interest. OK I'll answer my own question - they reason they fund the NDP is because the NDP gives them everything they ask for, because the NDP ranks are filled with union organizers, teachers and bleeding heart pinheads with no concept of economics. I hope someone somewhere legislates that government unions have to donate fairly to all parties in the next election, so that there is none of this blatant conflict. It just makes me sick that every time I see a government union employee, I know that they only want to help NDP supporters. That is just sooo wrong.