Archive
De-growth or growth? Maybe we don’t need to figure that out
May 16, 2012
There has recently been a renewed interest in the question of whether the ecological crisis means we need to see (or plan for) a stabilization or even a decline in economic growth. This week there is a major conference on degrowth in Montreal. York University’s Peter Victor has made important contributions to this debate in… View Article
Overcoming climate despair: We are the U-turn generation
May 12, 2012
This week, federal Environment Commissioner Scott Vaughan released a disheartening report, slamming the Harper government for having no plan to meet is own 2020 greenhouse gas emission reduction targets (targets that are already completely inadequate). It’s not surprising news, but adds to the feelings of desperation harbored by many. Those of us concerned about climate… View Article
BC’s P3s promise “eye-watering” profits” for private investors. And more of them coming
May 9, 2012
Two stories that came out on the same day last week should raise concerns about where the BC government continues to go with public private partnerships (P3s). The government announced it was going to build two hospitals on Vancouver Island in Campbell River and in the Comox Valley. Premier Clark then told the Campbell River… View Article
Poverty Reduction: Even Alberta joins the fold. When will BC?
Apr 29, 2012
With Alison Redford’s big re-election as Alberta premier last week, Alberta will now join the ranks of provinces with a comprehensive poverty reduction plan. This will leave BC and Saskatchewan as the only jurisdictions in Canada without a provincial or territorial plan. The Alberta plan may prove to be the most ambitious to date. On… View Article
Climate change will shape BC in 2035, one way or another
Apr 28, 2012
I have an oped in today’s Vancouver Sun as part of its BC in 2035 series. Climate change will shape BC in 2035, one way or another We live on a different planet from the one our parents grew up on, says environmentalist Bill McKibben. Climate change from our rampant combustion of fossil fuels has pushed the… View Article
Hail to the Chief? Or Bailing on the Chief?
Apr 18, 2012
A leaked provincial Cabinet document indicates that the provincial government is contemplating “suspending” the powers of one of its most powerful public servants in order to expedite a controversial logging program that has raised alarm bells in the professional forestry community. The document leaked late Tuesday afternoon, is the second confidential report in as many… View Article
Environmental Assessment
Apr 18, 2012
It’s hard not to sympathize with those who want to drastically change provincial and federal government environmental assessment processes. You only have to suffer through one or two, witnessing seemingly endless meetings, memos, draft terms of reference, real terms of reference, draft reports, real reports, and the obligatory sprinkling of highly structured consultations — all… View Article
And they all fall down: The day of reckoning in B.C.’s over-cut interior forests looms
Apr 18, 2012
For more than a quarter century, logging companies at the government’s blessing have been on a tear through British Columbia’s expansive interior forests. In the name of “salvaging” economic value from forests attacked by mountain pine beetles, beginning with a smaller outbreak centered in the Williams Lake area in the 1980s and followed by the… View Article
Canadians want higher taxes from the federal budget
Mar 29, 2012
The Globe and Mail released the results of a new poll they conducted on what Canadian priorities are for the upcoming budget. The findings seem to have stumped at least some of the journalists, judging by their account: What stood out most was the across-the-board call for higher taxes. Yes, you read that right. Respondents… View Article
Log exports: waving the white flag of economic defeat
Mar 28, 2012
Hi folks — I recently wrote this op ed for the Times Colonist on raw log exports and wanted to share it here too. We’re told there’s no alternative to sending our unprocessed wood out of the country; but some in the industry beg to differ… As more and more raw, unprocessed logs leave British… View Article
Enbridge Pipe Dreams and Nightmares
Mar 21, 2012
We released today a report by yours truly on the economic costs and benefits of the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline. In particular, I take aim at the outrageous claims about jobs made by the feds and Enbridge as part of their sales pitch. The report takes a closer look at the input-output modelling of job impacts, and considers alternative investments… View Article
Christy Clark, George Abbott – meet Jeffrey Moore
Mar 14, 2012
There’s a freight train heading for BC’s education system — and it’s not being driven by government or teachers. This train hit the tracks long before the current collective bargaining dispute. Its operator is an eight-year-old boy from North Vancouver, named Jeffrey Moore. With the support of his family, Jeffrey is driving a human rights… View Article
TransLink Funding and Governance (Yet Again)
Mar 8, 2012
I always smile when I think of the provincial negotiator Peter Cameron’s comments when we were wrapping up the final details in the transit funding and governance negotiations leading to the creation of Translink. We all thought we had a good agreement. MetroVancouver would be given broad responsibilities to plan and deliver transit services, develop… View Article
A toxic spill and communications chill
Mar 6, 2012
So here’s the little that we know about a pipeline break that occurred more than half a year ago and that British Columbia’s Oil and Gas Commission feels for whatever reasons the public is best kept in the dark about. The incident occurred on August 19 of last year when a 35-year-old pipeline broke and… View Article
Slim pickin’s for BC’s children and youth in budget
Mar 2, 2012
Just in case anyone missed just how bad BC’s new budget is for the province’s children and youth, I thought I’d post First Call’s reaction from our news release: CHILDREN AND YOUTH GET SLIM PICKINGS IN BUDGET 2012 It notes that Finance Minister Falcon talks of fiscal prudence, but the budget’s failure to invest in the… View Article
BC isn’t broke: putting teacher bargaining in perspective
Mar 2, 2012
Last Monday, BC teachers held a Day of Action in communities across the province to protest the BC government’s decision to legislate a contract and put an end to their collective bargaining process. I was invited to speak to teachers at the Surrey rally, where I had the opportunity to share some of my analysis… View Article
Local living wage employer wins best employer award
Feb 29, 2012
Hats off to Eclipse Awards, a local small business that was one of the first to seek certification as an official Living Wage Employer. At an awards ceremony last night, Eclipse won the Best Employer award from Small Business BC. Their status as a living wage employer played an important role. Here’s a news release… View Article
The long term costs of legislating workers back to work
Feb 25, 2012
As the provincial government spends the weekend drafting back-to-work legislation that will impose a contract on BC teachers, I found this opinion piece I wrote back in the year 2000, when the previous BC government legislated CUPE school support workers back to work. Still feels remarkably timely. So, just thought I’d re-post that old piece… View Article
The Great Natural Gas Footrace: Where Have We Seen This Before?
Feb 24, 2012
Several weeks ago, some running buddies of mine – two fine chaps working in the provincial civil service – invited me to speak on a panel at the annual Association of BC Forest Professionals meetings in Victoria. I had the good fortune to be joined by Bruce Fraser, former chair of the BC Forest Practices… View Article
The false economy of BC Budget 2012: deficit exaggerated to avoid spending on real problems
Feb 21, 2012
Today’s BC budget was simply titled Budget 2012. It broke with the tradition of ambitious-sounding titles we’ve seen in the last decade (such as 2010’s Building a Prosperous British Columbia budget), but that’s about all the change you’ll notice from the previous administration’s budgets. Despite the fact that this was hailed as the first budget… View Article