PolitiCoast

Two more MLAs and a candidate cross from BC United to BC Conservatives. And we look at some of their positions as BCU seeks relevancy and BC Conservatives chase the reactionary vote. Federally, a new redacted report says various politicians have wittingly colluded with foreign governments. And the Auditor General criticizes the frequency of McKinsey contracts. Links B.C. United caucus chair Lorne...

United Conservative drama, a boring group of leaders, federal opposition jockeying and mandatory service is a bad idea. Links BC United posts their L's Anonymous Website Calls for BC United's Kevin Falcon to Resign - CTV News Resign Kevin.ca A New Leader Would Not Make BC United More Competitive - Research Co BC NDP maintains double-digit lead ahead of expected campaign; Rustad & Falcon lack appea...

Is the solution to the what ails Canada reforming the constitution? Stewart Prest joins to discuss. Plus a bit of the latest pre-election BC horserace.  Links NDP First, Conservatives Rise, United Plummets in British Columbia – Research Co. Blast radius: Satisfaction with provincial governments crashes after years of COVID-19, cost of living crisis - Angus Reid Institute There’s only one way to fi...

Will they? Won't they? Within 48 hours we went from the chance of BC United and BC Conservatives merging, to Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West taking over to it all crumbling apart. And this all took place against the final week of the BC Legislature's sittings before the fall's election. So we naturally have a number of MLAs retiring. We also learned this week that the CRA is seemingly more interest...

Note: Apologies for the delay on this week's episode. We completely blanked on uploading it over the weekend. David Eby distributes ICBC earnings in advance of the election. Only Victoria is set to meet its housing targets. Our province's IT is under cyber attack. And we have the interim report of the foreign interference inquiry. Links ICBC announces $110 rebate to drivers, basic rates remain unc...

Links 2024 First Quarter Interim Financial Reports Available | Elections BC   Bill banning transgender athletes from publicly-funded sports quashed in B.C. | Globalnews.ca B.C. moves to ban drug use in public spaces, taking more steps to keep people safe Federal addictions minister says B.C public decriminalization reversal under review | CBC News Addictions Minister says drug criminalization deci...

The sue all the companies bill gets paused. BC's poverty reduction minister bemoans the lacklustre Disability Benefit without critically analyzing her government's own ability to end poverty for disabled people. The province adds more cities to the housing naughty list. Federally, the NDP are stomping their feet. And Saskatchewan, Bombardier and Honda get special treatment from Trudeau. Links Join...

The Federal Budget is out. We break down what is in it and what it means for BC and Canada. Re-upload. Apologies, an incorrect version with an old episode's audio went out. Links Former B.C. minister Mike de Jong seeks federal Tory nomination | CBC News Budget 2024: Fairness for Every Generation  Matt Gurney: What happens when Trudeau can't blame the premiers, NIMBYs or disinfo? Why raising capita...

A kickback scandal, more bills, fundraising data, defence policy and the foreign interference inquiry. Links Vaughn Palmer: B.C. NDP forced to admit its opponents got it right on kickback allegations Investigation launched into CleanBC grant program kickback allegations | Vancouver Sun What you need to know about the B.C. clean energy grant controversy | CBC News Proposed changes to Vancouver Char...

Spring break is over and the BC Legislature returns with a raft of major bills: Housing, renter protections, a flipping tax, First Nations land ownership and Police Act reforms. Meanwhile, Justin Trudeau is doing a major pre-budget tour, possibly violating parliamentary privilege, to promote housing programs to mirror BC's recent changes. And NDP MPs jump ship. Links Christine Boyle wins Vancouver...

Trudeau wants rent to count toward credits scores, meanwhile Health Minster Dix is frustrated at his own ministry for the inability to keep ERs open full time.  Links 'I'm frustrated, too,' health minister Adrian Dix says of Prince Rupert ER closures BC denies Prince George's request to opt out of short term rental bans Some strata hotels, motels to be exempt from B.C.'s short-term legislation | C...

David Eby is winning the latest polls but we take a look down memory lane to another NDP leader who looked destined to win. Maybe he can maintain his lead by going after the federal Conservative leader who's spending his days screaming Axe the Tax like he's an even earlier BCNDP leader. Meanwhile, the federal Liberals & NDP mark two years since signing their supply and confidence agreement by chec...

The BC Legislature is on break for two weeks, so we look back at the bills the government has passed and introduced so far. Then in Ottawa, things aren't going great as we're losing count of how many civil servants are moonlighting as government contractors. Links Progress of Bills this session B.C. takes action to hold companies accountable for hurting people | BC Gov News Rob Shaw: BC ready to g...

Selina Robinson leaves the NDP, a nomination battle in Little Mountain and should local governments have more say in immigration? Links Ex-minister Selina Robinson quits B.C. NDP, citing antisemitism in caucus - Victoria Times Colonist Full text of Selina Robinson's resignation letter to B.C. NDP caucus | National Post Eby defends NDP against Robinson's antisemitism allegations BC United public se...

The Online Harms Bill, the PharmaCare Bill and more news from federal politics. Links Brian Mulroney, former prime minister who reshaped Canada, has died Government Bill (House of Commons) C-63 (44-1) - First Reading - Online Harms Act - Parliament of Canada Long-awaited online harms bill proposes higher sentences for spreading hate online | CBC News Online harms against minors and other victims m...

A mini-cabinet shakeup preceded another near substance-less Speech from the Throne. We also got Eby's pre-election budget but you wouldn't know that an election was coming up given how otherwise unremarkable it also was. But most controversially, the government shelved its planned amendments to the Land Act that were starting to attract significant criticism given the mishandling of the consultati...

BC Builds is officially announced and we're underwhelmed. But not as underwhelmed as we are at BC United's attempt at delivering its own housing plan. Plus Mike de Jong retires, ArriveCan is a mess and telling people you don't want to fund roads might be the right policy but it's definitely going to get people upset. Links BC Builds will deliver more lower-cost, middle-income rental homes faster H...

Selina Robinson is out as Minister of Post-Secondary Education. David Eby has strong words for Bell's layoffs (but maybe little action). And a Throne Speech and Budget are coming up. Federally, Pierre Poilievre seems eager to shore up his right flank. This is Vancolour's Mo Amir fills in for Scott this week. Links Find Mo: This is Vancolour | Twitter @vancolour | TikTok @vancolour Selina Robinson...

Stewart Prest joins Ian this week to discuss the challenges faced by BC United and the emergence of the BC Conservatives as the voice of the right in British Columbia. They analyze the fundraising numbers and polling data, highlighting the struggles of BC United and the BC Greens. The conversation also covers the cabinet shakeup and the challenges faced by ministers in the BC NDP government. The h...

Ian speaks with Alex Usher about the current state of post-secondary education in Canada, with a focus on international students and the recent announcement of a cap on international student permits. They cover the number of international students in Canada, the financial challenges faced by post-secondary institutions, the power of the Minister of Immigration, private institutions and diploma mil...

Ian speaks with independent journalist Dustin Godfrey about drug policy in BC, including the recent injunction against Bill 34. They explore the decriminalization pilot project and the subsequent introduction of Bill 34, which restricts public consumption of illegal substances. They also touch on the negative impacts of criminalization, the provincial government's approach to decriminalization, th...

We recap our 2023 predictions, make some for 2024 and catch lightning to power through what we missed Links 2023 predictions episode In Ukraine, a war of incremental gains as counteroffensive stalls Delivery of Canada's F-35 fighter jets could be delayed — extra costs possible Catching lightning BC Regulations, policy manuals issued to help deliver more homes for people faster | BC Gov News Advoca...

Following a productive session on housing, the BC Legislature has risen with the NDP rushing the final bills through with time allocation. We also have an update on the provinces finances and greenhouse gas emissions. Federally, Google agrees to pay the news but it's not enough to save the Liberals polling numbers. See you in January! Links 2023 Third Quarter Interim Financial Reports Available |...

One bill introduced and one delayed in the legislature. Outside, BC United and BC Conservatives battle over who would tear up the province's climate policies faster. Federally, Chrystia Freeland tries to save the Liberals skin with a fiscal update likely to appease no one. Links Katrina Chen announces her retirement Reaha Arora throws hat in the ring Legislative changes will bring fairness to app-...

New rules for gig workers and new standardized multiplex designs are coming, eventually. In the meantime, we dig into the response to the BCNDP's housing bills from BC United, BC Greens and the BC Conservatives. Plus some national news. Links Bowinn Ma announces her baby Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness to begin parental leave | BC Gov News Fairness coming for gig workers | B...