Political Junkie

Two months ago the crash of the BC Liberal’s new on-line gambling site highlighted the massive expansion in gaming that’s taken place since the Liberal’s took power, underlining the crass lie of their 2001 election promise.  The broken on-line site takes BC into new gambling territory, becoming the first government in North America to launch its own on-line gambling operation.  

On-line gambling isn’t the only area where the BC Liberal government is pushing the gambling envelope.  Earlier this year the government announced that Edgewater Casino -operated by the Las Vegas gambling company Paragon Gaming – will be relocated in the new BC Place redevelopment, across the street from its current location in the Plaza of Nations.  

The Conservatives, by many accounts, should be laughing straight to the electoral bank.

In a world where the citizenry vote with their wallets, Canada’s economic standing is unparalleled amongst mass-consumption liberal democracies. Many are still basking in the warm, fuzzy-feeling glow of the Olympics with an off-key rendition of O Canada ringing in their ears.

Why then, does the newest Harris-Decima poll put the Tories at a meager five points over the Liberals with a 2.5% error- a virtual dead heat?

Sure, Prime Minister Harper has had some rough patches in the two years since the last election, where he failed to capitalize on a fractured Liberal Party under the leadership of the hapless Stéphane Dion. The Afghan detainee affair, a swath of Senate appointments, and two Parliamentary prorogations prompted longtime Liberal MP Hedy Fry to declare Harper’s government “a minority that doesn’t act like one.” Fair criticism, to be sure, but certainly not the reason why the Tories are clinging to the lead after two years of effective economic governance.

The following is a July 8 post from Ian Reid's blog East of the Sun which is about two guys, on the road to whatever.

Last night I made my way down, down into the bowels of UBC Robson Square to a public forum on the new VAG (Vancouver Art Gallery).

Arriving early, I grabbed an excellent cookie and watched the crowd assemble. Board Chair David Aisenstat of Keg fame, sat in front of me. I recognized a few more board members but couldn’t name them – just like a Malcolm Parry column. And that’s part of VAG’s problem – too much Malcolm Parry, too little everyone else.

The NPA (Vancouver Civic Non-Partisan Association) is meeting tonight, Tuesday June 29, to consider a name change to "Vancouver First". The meeting is at 6:00pm at the Museum of Vancouver in Vanier Park.

NPA Councillor Suzanne Anton writes, "I am recommending that the name remain the same, the NPA."

She goes on to say: