Frankly Speaking

Rich Coleman's new responsibilities for BC Hydro, which he assumed in today's cabinet shuffle, are a signal that the BC Liberals want to deepen the fissure between the NDP and the Greens over the Site C dam project. The objective is another election, as soon as possible. Most people may think the revised cabinet announced by Premier Christy Clark on Monday is simply rearranging the deck chairs on the rapidly-sinking Titanic. On the surface, that is absolutely correct. However, a closer look at the new cabinet could lead to the conclusion that Clark is outfitting them with life preservers, in the strong hope that this new cabinet will all board life boats, and make their way aboard a new ship. The new responsibilities given to Langley East MLA Rich Coleman illustrate this point perfectly. He has been named minister of energy and mines, with responsibility for BC Hydro. He is still deputy premier, even though that fact was left out of the news release announcing th...

Finance Minister Mike de Jong The coming election (or “shareholders’ meeting,” as Finance Minister Mike de Jong called it in the Feb. 21 budget speech), is virtually the only factor driving provincial politics these days. After all, it is just over two months away – on Tuesday, May 9. The current session of the provincial legislature simply helps set the table for it, and the budget is by far the largest item on the table. Thus the budget must be looked at through a political prism. That’s why the biggest item in it was a significant cut in Medical Services Plan premiums. The premiums have been rising at a spectacular rate over the past five years, and have become a lightning rod for criticism of the government. Back in 2011, when Christy Clark became premier, a family of three paid $121 per month in MSP premiums, while a couple paid $109. This year, a couple or family of three or more pay $150 per month – $1,800 per year. Because many employers pay half of that cost a...

Contractors trim limbs and repair damage to power lines on 82A Avenue in Surrey, more than 48 hours after Saturday's windstorm. Bonnie Bucholtz photo A massive oak tree, likely planted close to 100 years ago at what is now Port Kells Park, lost a major portion of its trunk in Saturday's windstorm. The tree fell across 88 Avenue and remnants of it can be found on both sides of the street. Frank Bucholtz photo This week's column in the Surrey Leader and Peace Arch News Surrey was likely the hardest-hit area of all the many parts of B.C. affected by Saturday’s windstorm. As of Tuesday night, less than 2,000 of the 710,000 customers who had lost power as result of the storm were waiting for restoration of service. Most of them were in Surrey. On Monday morning, when slightly over 50,000 customers were waiting for electricity, more than 20,000 of them were in Surrey. There were 137 separate outages in Surrey still awaiting repair at that time, according to BC...