New BC Political Discussion - POST BC Election 2017

[misher]

Originally Posted by CanSpice

The NDP put PR in their election platform before there was even a whiff of having to form a government with the Greens. Saying that the Greens are driving this bus is completely inaccurate.

My mistake. Though I truly do think the Greens want this a lot more than the NDP does.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by misher

My mistake. Though I truly do think the Greens want this a lot more than the NDP does.

Going by that logic, I'm surprised the Conservatives aren't pushing for prop rep. Then they'd at least have a couple of seats instead of nothing.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Going by that logic, I'm surprised the Conservatives aren't pushing for prop rep. Then they'd at least have a couple of seats instead of nothing.

Actually they are, sort of. They don't have an official position, but they are calling out the BC Liberals on their shitty misleading ads.

[fredinno]

Originally Posted by Bcasey25raptor

On Immigrants, the numbers should be halved, either that or we should make it mandatory new migrants settle outside of Vancouver and Toronto. The population decline is mostly a myth anyway, population will increase if it becomes fiscally feasible to raise children in ur society, currently it isn't as the costs are prohibitive. This is why the NDP wants a universal childcare system which i strongly support. Better to have our own in Canada born and raised here to import citizens of convenience to subsidize the programs Canadians demand from our government.

That's not true; people who have the money to raise children generally either don't have the time, nor value having children more than quality of life.

Children simply aren't a good cost-benefit deal for the parents (other than intangible benefits), and there's no cultural reason. Giving enough of a financial reason is simply not sustainable, since the total cost for a child is $12,825/year on average; much higher than the already difficult to fund $6,299/capita/year spent on healthcare.


I generally also agree with cutting regulations on housing development, but it probably won't overcome the simple supply-demand issue that drives high RE prices.

It's not just foreign investors. Low Vacancy Rental rates, low-interest rates (even at its current high-level of 1.75%, it's VERY low- making it more profitable to lend now and buy, rather than wait)/first-time buyer loan programs (though that is being eliminated), and construction delays are why the housing prices have plateaued, rather than decreased.
https://vancitycondoguide.com/vancouver-condo-report-february-2018/

Also, real-estate prices in Vancouver are always going to be higher than average, even assuming low population growth due to simple geography, popularity, and green zone restrictions. It's only going to get 'more affordable', not 'affordable'.

Also, you can't just move immigrants into the interior of BC; that's how you get a glut of foreign workers with no jobs. For the most part, there's less opportunity, both for more jobs and job creation.

[logicbomb]

https://globalnews.ca/news/4677853/nanaimo-by-election-a-dead-heat-according-to-mainstreet-poll/

Mainstreet Research released a poll on Monday that shows a neck-and-neck race between the B.C. Liberals and the NDP. According to the poll, if the election were held today likely NDP candidate Sheila Malcolmson would get 39.8 per cent of the vote, while Liberal candidate Tony Harris would get 38.2 per cent of the vote.

Looks like the GreenDP's days are numbered. I imagine a lot of angry Green supporters and hopeless conservative supporters will flip over to Liberal.

[misher]

Originally Posted by fredinno

That's not true; people who have the money to raise children generally either don't have the time, nor value having children more than quality of life.

Children simply aren't a good cost-benefit deal for the parents (other than intangible benefits), and there's no cultural reason. Giving enough of a financial reason is simply not sustainable, since the total cost for a child is $12,825/year on average; much higher than the already difficult to fund $6,299/capita/year spent on healthcare.


I generally also agree with cutting regulations on housing development, but it probably won't overcome the simple supply-demand issue that drives high RE prices.

It's not just foreign investors. Low Vacancy Rental rates, low-interest rates (even at its current high-level of 1.75%, it's VERY low- making it more profitable to lend now and buy, rather than wait)/first-time buyer loan programs (though that is being eliminated), and construction delays are why the housing prices have plateaued, rather than decreased.
https://vancitycondoguide.com/vancouver-condo-report-february-2018/

Also, real-estate prices in Vancouver are always going to be higher than average, even assuming low population growth due to simple geography, popularity, and green zone restrictions. It's only going to get 'more affordable', not 'affordable'.

Also, you can't just move immigrants into the interior of BC; that's how you get a glut of foreign workers with no jobs. For the most part, there's less opportunity, both for more jobs and job creation.

Very smartly written. I think the slowdown of population growth is mostly cultural. We’ve taught people use protection, marry later, have kids later, go to college, it’s ok to be gay, ok to be single, etc. Honestly just eyeballing it it looks like the weaker feminism is in a nation and the stronger the religious fervor the higher the population growth.

[bluefox]

Originally Posted by logicbomb

https://globalnews.ca/news/4677853/nanaimo-by-election-a-dead-heat-according-to-mainstreet-poll/



Looks like the GreenDP's days are numbered. I imagine a lot of angry Green supporters and hopeless conservative supporters will flip over to Liberal.

For a byelection that hasn't even been called yet? I wouldn't hit the panic button just yet.

[WestCoastEcho]

The Clerk of the House and the Sergeant-at-Arms apparently are under investigation by the RCMP, and both are now on indefinite leave from their jobs:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-c...ure-raised-as-early-as-january-1.4915604

Both were apparently escorted from the BC Legislature following a vote by House leaders.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by WestCoastEcho

The Clerk of the House and the Sergeant-at-Arms apparently are under investigation by the RCMP, and both are now on indefinite leave from their jobs:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-c...ure-raised-as-early-as-january-1.4915604

Both were apparently escorted from the BC Legislature following a vote by House leaders.

There's something a bit weird about the whole situation. I hope the NDP doesn't get dragged down by something shady that Speaker Plecas (erstwhile Liberal MLA) has cooked up.
https://vancouversun.com/news/politics/s...new-sergeant-at-arms-for-b-c-legislature

[misher]

Originally Posted by whatnext

There's something a bit weird about the whole situation. I hope the NDP doesn't get dragged down by something shady that Speaker Plecas (erstwhile Liberal MLA) has cooked up.
https://vancouversun.com/news/politics/s...new-sergeant-at-arms-for-b-c-legislature

You mean the former Liberal MLA that the Liberals hate?

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by misher

You mean the former Liberal MLA that the Liberals hate?

Hence the "erstwhile".

[whatnext]

Thanks John Horgan and the NDP Team!

BC's Operating Debt Eliminated

B.C.'s surplus this year has grown to $1.3 billion, and the government's operating debt has been eliminated for the first time in 40 years, B.C. Finance Minister Carole James said Monday, November 26 in a second quarter budget update for 2018....

https://biv.com/article/2018/11/bcs-operating-debt-eliminated

[misher]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Thanks John Horgan and the NDP Team!

BC's Operating Debt Eliminated

B.C.'s surplus this year has grown to $1.3 billion, and the government's operating debt has been eliminated for the first time in 40 years, B.C. Finance Minister Carole James said Monday, November 26 in a second quarter budget update for 2018....

https://biv.com/article/2018/11/bcs-operating-debt-eliminated

Surprised, goodjob NDP?

Hopefully this isn't a carryover from the Liberals and will continue.

[WarrenC12]

The government accountants have treated debt in ever-confusing ways over the last 20 years. While this is good news to be sure, BC's Debt has increased by huge amounts even during "positive" budget balance years.

[fredinno]

Originally Posted by misher

Surprised, goodjob NDP?

Hopefully this isn't a carryover from the Liberals and will continue.

Nah, it was mostly increased taxes.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by misher

Hopefully this isn't a carryover from the Liberals and will continue.

Keep in mind that the Liberals mostly "balanced" the budget by taking from ICBC.

[fredinno]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Keep in mind that the Liberals mostly "balanced" the budget by taking from ICBC.

[logicbomb]

The good thing about the current NDP is that the balance of power is ensuring that large corporate unions aren't making bank. There are going to be concessions in these unions, and massive changes with the boomer generation retiring.

It will be interesting to see where public pension reserves come from in a few years. From all accounts, it would seem as if millennial are avoiding the public sector long-term as the conditions, benefits and pay are mediocre for many new employees. Many unions are heavy on seniority and the boomer generation have absolutely sold out and destroyed the rights for those entry level workers.

This is why I prefer minority governments. Nothing good ever comes from NDP or Liberal majority governments.

[Tetsuo]

A big trend in the public sector now, stolen from private sector, is hiring excluded staffs, on year contracts or straight up "contractors".

I've seen some public sector departments entirely staffed by Foreign Visa holders, 6month or 12month contracted employees, or just straight up excluded staff.

[logicbomb]

Originally Posted by Tetsuo

A big trend in the public sector now, stolen from private sector, is hiring excluded staffs, on year contracts or straight up "contractors".

I've seen some public sector departments entirely staffed by Foreign Visa holders, 6month or 12month contracted employees, or just straight up excluded staff.

Cause public sector unions are headed by the selfish generation that have gotten theirs and want more. This is why I got the hell out of the unionized job I was with. I went to one union meeting and the executives of the union discussed how unreasonable it was to retire on a 3.5 k/month pension. They ignored the fact that lower level staff were making below a living wage (~$15 per hour).

In a lot of instances, the compromise for more pay for those with high seniority was more temp/contracted jobs. Disgusting.

People loath unions for a reason and we can see why. They once served a purpose of protecting employees from unjust abuse and firings but now only protect the person that half-asses their job and completely fuck over anyone who is younger than 40.