BC Political Discussion: Election 2024 & 43rd Parliament

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by Tvisforme

Sorry, but did you mean BC's in the best or worst position nationally? Unless I'm misreading the graphs, only Alberta and Saskatchewan are lower on the "combined federal and provincial debt as a share of the provincial economy" graph and BC's interest on debt is the lowest of all the provinces.

Clarification: yes, "leading" as in "least debt."

Seems like the "communists" are the most fiscally-responsible party in the country at the moment.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Clarification: yes, "leading" as in "least debt."

Seems like the "communists" are the most fiscally-responsible party in the country at the moment.

Not if you consider they started from zero deficits when Horgan left. Eby has blown a huge hole in the budget in just a couple of years. Well done.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by GMD

Well I don't subscribe to the Globe, so I can't read the rest of the article, but it isn't like them to post flat out lies in their paper, they usually leave that for PostMedia...

Anyway, as I posted up-thread, per capita GDP growth over the the past 5 years is higher in BC than in any other province.

I actually agree that the government needs to bring the budget closer to balance, but Rustad has blown any credibility he might have had on the issue with uncosted plans for huge infrastructure items, big proposed tax cuts and a plan for a referendum on any new taxes.

What do you think, Whatnext, do you think Rustad plans to bring the budget into balance - how, given the platform and promises made?

Absolutely Rustad is starting to look like as big of a flip flopping hypocrite as Eby. Hard to reconcile huge handouts to Translink with fiscal responsibility, especially since they’ve admitted their current network isn’t sustainable without huge intakes of tax dollars.

Also his flip flopping on UNDRIP makes him look like an opportunist. No wonder people get turned off politics. What do these two parties actually believe in?

[Bcasey25raptor]

Eby and the NDP will win, they have the momentum and we're entering the final 2 weeks when voters actually pay attention

[madog222]

It's far too close to be saying that, this election can easily end up down to a few hundred votes in a single district.

Also I wouldn't say the NDP has the momentum, just the opposite.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Not if you consider they started from zero deficits when Horgan left. Eby has blown a huge hole in the budget in just a couple of years. Well done.

Keynesian 101: invest some now to earn some later. Not having infrastructure and hospital staff will cost every BC resident a lot more in the long run than a few hundred bucks a year.

Ironically, the "tax and spend" party is currently more frugal than the "fiscally conservative" parties who always go on about debt and balanced budgets in the first place.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by Bcasey25raptor

Eby and the NDP will win, they have the momentum and we're entering the final 2 weeks when voters actually pay attention

I voted last week

[jollyburger]

Conservatives were in court petitioning the NDP to be forced to call themselves the BC Community Party

The B.C. NDP is petitioning the courts to force the B.C. Conservative Party into changing how its name shows up on election ballots, arguing that the current phrasing could confuse voters.

NDP Leader David Eby said the name as it stands now — the "Conservative Party" — is misleading, and comes across as the federal party instead of provincial.

"Mr. Rustad is working very hard to mislead people about who he is and who he represents," Eby said during a press conference in Kelowna. "He's pretending to be part of the federal Conservative Party. He's not, he's misleading people."

The B.C. NDP filed its court petition on Thursday, asking for Elections B.C. to change the Conservative's ballot name to "BC Conservative Party."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/provincial-election-ballot-name-1.7343889

[seamusmcduff]

During a press conference in Kelowna Friday, Rustad was asked about a billboard that recently popped up in front of an $80 million mansion owned by Chip Wilson, the billionaire founder of Lululemon, accusing the BC NDP of being “communist.”

“Eby will tell you the conservatives are ‘far-right’ but neglects saying the NDP is ‘Communist’,” the sign states.
“What do you think of Eby’s statement that you are on the side of billionaires like Chip Wilson?” a reporter asked. “He said maybe Chip Wilson is your guy and he’s basically accusing you of catering to the 1%, the richest British Columbians.”

“Well, I have to see that sign,” Rustad replied. “I didn’t realize he was actually putting that up there”

“I don’t disagree with him when he calls David Eby a communist.”

Rustad later added Eby wants to build “Soviet-style housing in British Columbia,” without elaborating further.

During the first week of the campaign, Rustad and his BC Conservative candidates have faced criticism for using extreme rhetoric and promoting conspiratorial beliefs.

Rustad has himself come under fire for rejecting basic facts about climate science, expressing regret about getting vaccinated and giving a speech in which he said he worried that the United Nations wants children to eat bugs.

While it remains to be seen if Rustad’s message will resonate with voters, it does appear to be resonating with at least one BC Conservative campaign manager.

Wyatt Claypool, campaign manager for BC Conservative candidate Bruce Banman, tweeted shortly after Rustad’s statement that “David Eby is a communist.”

https://pressprogress.ca/bc-conservative...-premier-david-eby-of-being-a-communist/

[BaddieB]

New Mainstreet Poll has the NDP up two points. They do daily polls and their previous polling had the Cons up 1 to 4 points. I'm wondering if something is happening.

[NetMapel]

BC Conservative Leader John Rustad Suggests Province Would Participate in "Nuremberg"-Style COVID-19 Trials

In July 2024, Rustad was a “special guest” during an online meeting organized by two anti-vaccine groups, BCPS Employees for Freedom and the United Health Care Workers of BC. Rustad previously made headlines after stating at the same online meeting that he regretted getting the “so-called vaccine” against COVID-19.

At another moment during the meeting, Rustad was asked by Jedediah Ferguson, president of UHCWBC and a host of the event, where the BC Conservative leader stood on “Nuremberg 2.0” – Rustad replied by assuring Ferguson that he would be open to the province “participating” in a multi-jurisdictional format.

“Are you okay or for a Nuremberg 2.0?” Ferguson asked.

“A new and bigger two point oh, sorry?” Rustad replied confused, prompting the anti-vaccine activist to repeat himself more slowly: “Nuremberg.”

“Nuremberg 2.0 – ah, yes,” Rustad repeated.

“That’s probably something that’s outside of my scope…”

“I know, that’s a hard one, I knew it, I knew it,” Ferguson interrupted. “I put you on the hot spot right there, for sure, but I had to ask.”

“No, no, it’s fine,” Rustad replied. “Like I say, that’s something that’s sorta outside the scope in terms of jurisdiction of British Columbia but if, you know, we would certainly be participating with other jurisdictions as we look at those sorts of issues.”

I hope BCers know who they're voting for in a few weeks.

[BaddieB]

Make your own Election 2024 map!

https://canadianpolling.ca/diy/bc

I would love to see people's predictions. This is mine. It is based entirely off vibes and the last two provincial elections. I do not have an encylopedic knowledge of every riding. The two independent ridings are toss ups imo. I think there is a slight chance Eby could lose his riding but win the election.

Hard to say 13 days out, since the debate could have a huge impact.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Then we should raise the age to start collecting CPP to 65 years.

Force druggies off welfare or get them to work for their cheque.

AI is going to replace a lot of jobs anyway. How many taxi drivers will be replaced by Musk's robotaxis (if he gets it to work) etc etc.

Are you already 65?

Are there a lot of 60-65 year old druggies collecting CPP?

You do realize the amount collected varies based on when you start collecting it. I think the current system is fine. CPP is something you pay into as a working Canadian. It's not a tax subsidized handout.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Are you already 65?

Are there a lot of 60-65 year old druggies collecting CPP?

You do realize the amount collected varies based on when you start collecting it. I think the current system is fine. CPP is something you pay into as a working Canadian. It's not a tax subsidized handout.

If we are as direly short of workers as Justin keeps bleating then why would we incent people to retire at age 60? Age 65 was set up retirement age decades ago when the life expectancy was a lot shorter.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by whatnext

If we are as direly short of workers as Justin keeps bleating then why would we incent people to retire at age 60? Age 65 was set up retirement age decades ago when the life expectancy was a lot shorter.

Nobody is forcing you do you anything...

You can delay CPP to 71 and collect even more. Hell you can even keep working past 71. My dad did.

Why are you against freedom?

[Burquitlaman]

Originally Posted by whatnext

If we are as direly short of workers as Justin keeps bleating then why would we incent people to retire at age 60? Age 65 was set up retirement age decades ago when the life expectancy was a lot shorter.

(1) Regular retirement age is at 65. Taking out CPP at 60 comes with heavy penalties.

(2) Did JT say Canada is short workers across the board in every industry, in every province?

(3) CPP began in 1966 when Canada's life expectancy was 72. Today's life expectancy is 82 and change. Let's say we push up the retirement age by the life expectancy inflation. Regular retirement age is anywhere from 70 to 75 (technically it should be 75 if we go by your theory). Do we do this insane exercise again when the life expectancy is 92?

Just because we live longer, it doesn't mean we are no longer showing signs of ageing lmao. We just have better healthcare, so we die less from diseases like cancer and heart attacks etc.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by NetMapel

BC Conservative Leader John Rustad Suggests Province Would Participate in "Nuremberg"-Style COVID-19 Trials

I hope BCers know who they're voting for in a few weeks.

Mass executions obviously.

[logicbomb]

Originally Posted by Burquitlaman

(1) Regular retirement age is at 65. Taking out CPP at 60 comes with heavy penalties.

(2) Did JT say Canada is short workers across the board in every industry, in every province?

(3) CPP began in 1966 when Canada's life expectancy was 72. Today's life expectancy is 82 and change. Let's say we push up the retirement age by the life expectancy inflation. Regular retirement age is anywhere from 70 to 75 (technically it should be 75 if we go by your theory). Do we do this insane exercise again when the life expectancy is 92?

Just because we live longer, it doesn't mean we are no longer showing signs of ageing lmao. We just have better healthcare, so we die less from diseases like cancer and heart attacks etc.

The bottom point held true until the last few years. People are not getting any preventive examinations or ignoring early systems of various diseases due to not having access to basic health care services.

There's a reason why I'm age 38 and doing yearly physicals and screening thanks to a family physician who has expressed concern about our generational outlook. The ailing health care system, more pollution, accumulated impact of the indigestion of micro plastics, COVID. The rhetoric is we are observing more cancers due to advanced screening but more youth in general are getting cancer period.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/cancer-millennials-genx-1.7287779

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Burquitlaman

(1) Regular retirement age is at 65. Taking out CPP at 60 comes with heavy penalties.

(2) Did JT say Canada is short workers across the board in every industry, in every province?

(3) CPP began in 1966 when Canada's life expectancy was 72. Today's life expectancy is 82 and change. Let's say we push up the retirement age by the life expectancy inflation. Regular retirement age is anywhere from 70 to 75 (technically it should be 75 if we go by your theory). Do we do this insane exercise again when the life expectancy is 92?

Just because we live longer, it doesn't mean we are no longer showing signs of ageing lmao. We just have better healthcare, so we die less from diseases like cancer and heart attacks etc.

I'm not saying raise the retirement age but make it so you're only eligible at age 65. If Justin thought we needed to flood the country with bogus international students to help with a claimed labour shortage it makes absolutely no sense to encourage people to retire early.


Most of the Canadians who were under the Canadian Pension Plan (CPP) typically take it while they are at the earliest possible age to do so, as reported by The Globe and Mail.

An informal survey conducted by The Globe and Mail found that the most popular age to take one’s CPP benefits is 60, with 34 percent of the respondents saying so. This was followed by those aged 65 with 19 percent and those aged 70 with 16 percent. This coincided with the data from Statistics Canada that also found that nearly 40 percent of Canadians who were born between 1940 and 1950 began to take their CPP benefits at the age of 60...

https://www.benefitsandpensionsmonitor.c...ted%20by,aged%2070%20with%2016%20percent.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by whatnext

If we are as direly short of workers as Justin keeps bleating then why would we incent people to retire at age 60? Age 65 was set up retirement age decades ago when the life expectancy was a lot shorter.

So nothing to do with the BC Election then?