Thursday, August 09, 2012

Should BC Take a Page from Harper's Own Book?

Remember Steve Harper's "Alberta Firewall" letter, the one where he advocated the Wild Rose state should ditch the RCMP, implement its own healthcare regime independent of Ottawa and even collect and withhold income taxes?

Well Elizabeth May, writing in our very own Island Tides newspaper thinks B.C. should give Harper's ideas a try.

The letter was co-signed by Harper’s mentor from the University of Alberta, TomFlanagan, Ted Morton (at the time describedas Alberta Senator-elect), the head of theCanadian Taxpayers Federation, and otherAlberta luminaries including KenBoessenkool (described in the letter as formeradvisor to ‘Stockwell Day, Treasurer of Alberta’), who is currently none other than Premier Christy Clark’s Chief of Staff. Stephen Harper, who claimed top spot in the list of signatories, was at the time President of the National Citizens’ Coalition.


The letter set out what the signatories believed to be Constitutionally allowed steps that Alberta should take, including: withdrawal from the Canada Pension Plan,ending the provincial contract with the
RCMP, a provincial take-over of health care decisionmaking, and collecting revenue for the province from income tax.  The aim of this bullish use of provincial powers was "to limit the extent to which an aggressive and hostile federal government can encroach on legitimate provincial jurisdiction." Ms. May puts the situation bluntly:


Has Stephen Harper abandoned the idea that provinces have rights?  Is he prepared to ride roughshod over the wishes of the vast majority of British Columbians?   Has he reversed himself or is it merely a case that provinces only have rights when they seek to promote fossil fuel expansionism?

What they're saying is that if Alberta, Ottawa and the rest of the provinces are prepared to see this pipeline and tanker business rammed down British Columbia's throat, maybe our place in Canada isn't really worth it.   We didn't sign onto Confederation for that.


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Harper's true party is, the Northern Foundation Party from 1989. Harper was the Policy Chief. He has connections with, Nazi intellectuals and Christian Fundamentalists.

Harper is a paranoid dictator. The first thing a dictator does is, muzzle the media. Then they grab control, of everything they can get their hands on.

Harper's ministers dare not make a move, without going through Harper first. Scientist were not permitted to publish their results, they too had to go through Harper first. So, Harper leaving it to science, regarding the Enbridge pipeline means, the fix is in. Harper sneaks behind closed doors, to do his dastardly deeds. Harper's science will not be trusted. This is just another of Harper's scams.

Of course, Harper controls the provinces. Any province opposing him??? Well, they don't call Harper spiteful Stevie for nothing. Just ask the people of BC. Spiteful Stevie and spiteful Campbell, did a lot of dirt to BC and the citizens.

Gloria said...

The best thing BC can do, is separate from Ottawa and Alberta.

Harper, Premier Redford and Enbridge are all trying to force, the dirty, lethal chemical laced Bitumen onto BC and into our sea. After all of the pipeline bursts, they have quite the gall.

The people of BC, did not ask Premier Redford for her precious money. Christy Clark did. We don't want her either. We don't want Premier Redford's money, nor her Bitumen. She is welcome to keep all of that, to herself.

Many other country's are also fed up, with Harper's bullying and his hissy fits, when he doesn't get his own way.

Everything of value in BC has been thieved and sold, by the Campbell/Clark BC Liberals. Nor, do we forget Harper's part, in the destruction of BC. All we have left is, the beauty of BC, our abundant woodland wildlife and our beautiful marine creatures. That we will fight to the last ditch to keep.

Anyong said...

"Of course, Harper controls the provinces. Any province opposing him??? Well, they don't call Harper spiteful Stevie for nothing. Just ask the people of BC. Spiteful Stevie and spiteful Campbell, did a lot of dirt to BC and the citizens." Much more to the point, just ask Newfoundlanders about spiteful. However, would BCers be interested in learning how Newfoudland has been sold down the drain by the Liberals and Conservatives much more so than BC due to the fact Newfoundlanders have been considered stupid which the rest of the country went along with until it suits the rest of provinces. Just another case of hammar hand by the feds especially regarding the fishery. There are many Newfoundlander who have talked about leaving confederation as well.