Someday voters will decide

2020/10/27

Covid 19 has been such a news hog that many stories about people, places and events have drifted by with little or no notice.

For instance, how many Canadians knew British Columbia voters went to the polls on October 24th and elected a new provincial government? As it turned out voters elected the old provincial government and why they did is notable.

Justin McElroy, Municipal Affairs reporter for CBC Vancouver has written an interesting, enlightening report on why he thinks the current Premier John Horgan led his people back in for another term.

McElroy gives ten reasons.

His first-John Horgan. Obviously popular, polls say he’s the most popular premier in the country. He elaborates on Horgan and the others with excellent commentary but my eyes are on reason number NINE. McElroy’s list gives as the number NINE reason for the NDP victory-campaign finance reform. To my mind number NINE should be much closer in the top because BC’s campaign reform laws need to be talked about, written about and seriously considered in all provinces.

The laws passed by the Horgan government simply banned corporate and union political donations. That meant this election was fought minus outside campaign dollars, which meant the Liberals’ normal multi-million dollar advantage was a non starter. We all know the Liberal party would be brought down to the same level as the other parties if it wasn’t for the millions bagmen collect for the party. Corporate and union dollars collected solely to grease the election wheels and palms after victory.

The reform of BC election campaign financing laws is long overdue in the rest of the country and most importantly at the federal level. Opposition to this idea of no corporate and union monetary electoral support of course will be declared a non-starter. You can hear it now from Joe Slick and Guido Portano–“not going to happen.”

It should happen. Our elections are distorted by our election laws. There is no need for million dollar war chests other than to curry favour with those who have contributed the most. How do we think SNC Lavallin came so close to upsetting the legal apple cart? You know it almost happened because some very powerful political types both elected and appointed were beneficiaries past, current and future of promised largesse from the political pot that elects the pols. That attitude can only come from the money palace that distorts our democratic birthright. Another name that pops from the lobby of beneficence, Bombardier. Then there are the enormous financial arms of the unions. They contribute unevenly to all three major political parties. Why? What do they get from their elected vassals, supporting legislation? The right to charge union dues with impunity? Now so powerfully unified that no political craftsman would think of running for office without union support. And how about the banks? They add thousands to the election process. And what about the newest player – money from the Chinese with connections to the CCP. To become educated on how much and from whom our electoral process is distorted check out Postmedia’s “follow the money.” Do that and you will get a finely tuned picture of who gives and why!

There’s no doubt all the money collected by the Liberals, Conservatives and New Democrats distorts the electoral process.

And their war chests are distorted by another legal roadblock to honest elections–voluntary political and union contributions collected by Revenue Canada for a tax deduction. This is nonsense and should not be part of our political landscape. For that matter neither should charitable donations be tax deductable, but that’s another blog.

Suffice it to say for years millions of Canadians have been disenfranchised by our election financing laws. We need to reclaim control.

And another thing, we could start by requiring people running for office to actually live in the constituency they plan to represent. Parachuting candidates into ridings or party endorsement of a candidate who does not and has not lived in his chosen political springboard for at least a year would automatically disqualify the would-be candidate.

But priority one is campaign financing! It needs needs our immediate attention!

According to Postmedia there is no tracking of donations nationally. There are no consistent rules or penalties that cover political financing across the country. Spending limits, out of province and foreign gifts, money from unions and corporations, donations from numbered companies: in some places anything goes, in others regulations are rarely enforced.

But we suppose this is not surprising because Canada is listed as number three money laundering country in the world. I bet you didn’t know that about your country.

O CANADA

Filed under Uncategorized Tagged with ,

Prime Minister, would you call the banks again?

2020/10/27

It was March 26. Canada and scores of other countries were plunged into the jaws of a pandemic. Canadian infections were reported at 3,845 up 436 in 24 hours but it was the predictions of what to expect in the next few weeks that frightened most of us because of their uncertainty.

The Prime Minister was holding numerous meetings and holding forth publicly about the rapidly moving pandemic. His daily briefings were designed to keep the nation informed and reassured. A quick World-o-Meter check easily neutralized suggestions by some medical experts that Canada would some how duck the haymaker COVID 19 had unloaded in places like New York, 35,000 infections and Italy, 92, 472 – up almost 6 thousand in 24 hours. The Prime Minister’s daily seemed to be more reassuring. He was talking about immediate Federal relief and bringing needed medical supplies (PPE) solicited from China and Australia.

He also revealed the Big Banks were going to help with corporate interest rates and yes, his office had been in touch with the BBs asking the financial giants to ease the crunch of credit cards, most of which charge between 20% and 30% a month. “Would they please reduce the interest rate burden,” he asked. The request came at exactly the time most households across the country were making plans for numerous on-line purchases, most of which required credit cards. Obviously, a windfall situation for the Bankers. Unanticipated credit card charges as thousands ordered in groceries, pet supplies,wine and beer, and so much bathroom tissue some stores ran out and others restricted purchases, all of these necessities of life paid for on credit. And how did the bankers react? As George Bailey in Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life? Or as that horrible skinflint Mr. Potter? Guess!

Would have loved to been a bug in the telephone calls the Prime Minister received from incredulous bankers who I imagine declared with substantial venom, that a request asking for relief on credit card debt for hoi polloi was not on anybody’s table. Period. And Prime Minister don’t bring it up again. And guess what, he never did!

You can look it up. For their part the banks reluctantly gazed at their millions of card holders and came up with a plan. If they discussed the generous position of car insurance companies we don’t know. The insurance companies as you know without asking for proof that drivers were driving less because of the lockdowns in March and April sent along a rebate cheque representing part of your insurance premium.

The Bank’s plan was designed to get maximum publicity out of an interest rate reduction gambit. On the face of it it looked a little like a George Bailey plan but a second glance clearly reflected the image of OLD MAN POTTER.

The big 5 said they would be reducing interest rates on credit cards but there’s a catch. Card interest would be reduced by half and there could be a deferral of payments for up to six months. Doubtful you could have been granted both. The big catch of course, unlike the car insurance people, you, the card carrying sap, would have to apply for relief . And let’s face it, Covid 19 or not, calling your credit card “buddies” asking for deferment or rate reduction because of hardship real or imagined is not good optics. It might be real to you but more imagined by your lender.

As we have come to know them the Banker gives nothing away. You will humble yourself to get that interest rate relief or deferment but all the prime minister was asking the banks to do is knock off the exorbitant credit rates while the lending rates to the banks dropped to near zero.

Simple request but the banks see it as complicated because reducing interest rates frustrates the head office bean counters and screws up the bottom line. But I don’t think the bankers approved every request for lower interest and/or payment deferral. Why do I think this? Because in some cases card holders have been asking their lenders to raise their spending limit in order to buy the necessities of life. A request to raise the debt limit means re-negotiating and there could be some Bankers Covid 19 or not, would feel that is not what the Banking fraternity pledged. Raising the credit limit, lowering the interest rate and granting a payment deferral alters the stakes. It can complicate matters and you probably have first hand experience with bankers. They don’t welcome complications.

Funny how that works even in a pandemic!

The Prime Minister made his pitch to the banks on March 26. And the interest reductions and payment deferments made it to Media April 4 but with the catch.

You prove to us you need the relief.

These days we are moving into the Second WAVE with gusto but the interest reductions and payment deferrals are long gone. Now what?!?

Hello, Prime Minister, hello,hello.hello. Was that a dial tone I heard or was it a click, or both?

Filed under Uncategorized Tagged with , ,