BC Speculation Tax
Provincial NDP has imposed everyone living in a designated area (which is most of the province population wise) fill out of a form annually to show their home is not empty for speculation. While this is well intentioned, I believe it is horribly implemented and should be scrapped. Many in expensive homes bought them years ago when prices were much lower and this could hit many seniors who for don’t fill out the forms in time. A better solution as BC Liberal leader Andrew Wilkinson proposed is to tax flipping properties as that is the real problem.
BC Speaker scandal
Haven’t followed this too closely, but this along with possible NDP loss in Nanaimo could lead to another provincial election this year. While I would like to see the BC NDP defeated, I actually would prefer they last to 2021. I think when a party loses, they need to be in opposition long enough that the baggage from the past regime begins to become a distant memory. Case and point is Quebec where the Quebec Liberals came back in 2014 after only 18 months in opposition only to suffer a massive defeat in 2018. My worry is if the BC Liberals returned to power this year, that is exactly what would happen in 2023, so better to wait.
Doug Ford’s Comments on Carbon Tax
Doug Ford claimed the carbon tax will trigger a recession which is completely false as BC shows. I understand politicians sometimes twist the truth to win votes, but I believe politicians should look at real world evidence where possible instead of going on their gut instincts. This is another case where Ford is playing loose with the facts. If he opposes the carbon tax fine, but do so on actual evidence not made up ones.
Crisis in Venezuela
I support the position of Canada, UK, and US as well as many other countries that Maduro is not the legitimate leader and he should step aside in favour of the head of the national assembly until fresh elections can be held. The country is collapsing and he is just trying to hang on for his own means.
Brexit Quagmire
With Brexit, we don’t seem to know what will happen but it looks like a possible No deal. I believe the best solution is not to have another referendum as the public is deeply divided and you will never heal this but rather both sides accept they are not going to get what they want and find some compromise that lets the UK leave, but is a soft Brexit not a hard Brexit. Yes leaving was probably not the best idea, but a decision has been made and unless public opinion shifts massively in favour of staying, having another referendum will just further divide the country. Either staying in the customs union or like Norway remaining a part of the single market seem like reasonable solutions although the latter would mean continuing the allow the free mobility of labour, which I am not sure would be acceptable to leavers at the moment.
US government shutdown
As we’ve seen with Trump, whenever cornered he just digs in further. Clearly he cares more about building his stupid wall that he does about what is best for the US. It seems he refuses to accept voters rebuked him in midterms.
Burnaby South By-election
After Liberal candidate Karen Wang was caught making a racist remark, she was dumped as Liberal candidate. This was the right thing. In her place we have Richard Lee. I am no fan of Justin Trudeau and won’t be voting Liberal this fall, however I do endorse Richard Lee for Burnaby South. I have known him since 2001 back from my days as a BC Young Liberal (note this the BC Liberals who are more conservative than liberal) and campaigned for him in 2005 where he was re-elected in Burnaby North which up until then had been a traditional NDP riding. As such my endorsement is not of the Liberal Party but Richard Lee. No matter the outcome, Liberals will still have a majority so I think it is worth voting for the best candidate and I believe Richard Lee is that one. I do hope though he pushes the party to take a more fiscally conservative stance as he was a member for 16 years in a fiscally conservative government.
afiscalconservativepointofview 