Frankly Speaking

If Andrew Scheer seems to be looking slightly over his shoulder in this photo, it's probably because he is the latest in a long line of federal Conservative leaders to be gutted by his own party members. Chances are, his successor as leader will suffer the same fate. Andrew Scheer has resigned as leader of the Conservative Party. This is no surprise, given the incendiary remarks about his leadership, the results of the recent election campaign and the attacks on his personal religious views. Most of the remarks can be traced back to fellow Conservatives - often whispered to the media on condition of anonymity, who then repeat these anonymous opinions as fact. It brings to mind what has often been said about those engaged in politics and other endeavours where the chief aim is to try and persuade others to a certain perspective: “When you lose the battle, one of the first things to happen is that those still standing go onto the field and shoot the wounded.” That this should ...

Photo by Lance Peverley, Peace Arch News As moderator of Tuesday's all-candidates forum in the South Surrey-White Rock riding, I was placed in the midst of the standing room-only audience to ask questions to the candidates on behalf of the organizers and citizens who emailed their questions to the South Surrey and White Rock Chamber of Commerce.  The federal byelection in South Surrey-White Rock takes place on Monday, Dec. 11. The byelection has captured considerably more interest than usual, largely because Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has visited the area twice to campaign with Liberal candidate Gordon Hogg. This is unprecedented for Surrey and White Rock. Never has a sitting prime minister spent that much time and energy campaigning for a single candidate, and no party leader has ever spent time in South Surrey or White Rock during an election. Conservative leader Andrew Scheer has also visited the area twice, and Green Party leader Elizabeth May is scheduled to ...

Finance Minister Bill Morneau has given no indication that controversial tax proposals will be withdrawn. Small business operators who spoke at a consultation meeting were almost universally opposed to the federal Liberals’ plan for tax fairness. The meeting took place Tuesday (Sept. 12) in Langley City, and was hosted by Cloverdale-Langley City MP John Aldag. The Liberal MP said his office has had more correspondence on this topic than any other since he was first elected two years ago. In response to a question from Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce director Jenny Hinch, he said responses to the letters he has received will start going out tomorrow. He had been waiting for a Liberal caucus meeting, which took place last week in Kelowna, before responding, as he knew the issue would be an important one of the agenda there. He also urges anyone wanting to speak about the proposals to send responses to fin.consultation.fin@canada.ca . He asked that people sending responses...

Kinder Morgan photo The Trans Mountain oil pipeline twinning project has been given the go-ahead, but the fallout will continue for a long time yet. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet have decided that the twinning of Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain oil pipeline will go ahead. The decision, announced last Tuesday (Nov. 29), has prompted a firestorm of criticism and plenty of political positioning, particularly in B.C. The pipeline decision has a direct effect on Surrey, as the existing pipeline runs through North Surrey from Port Kells to a location near the Port Mann Bridge, where it crosses the Fraser River. The second pipeline will likely follow a different route. Plans call for it to be located adjacent to the CN rail line through Surrey, with a river crossing to Coquitlam near the existing pipeline. This map shows the proposed pipeline route through Surrey for the additional pipeline planned by Kinder Morgan. The Surrey Board of Trade has taken the po...