Leaders dictate because TV news dictates

According to B.C. blogger Peter Ewart, the two large provincial parties have dictators for leaders because the parties are coming apart. His claim that James and Campbell are getting tyrannical because of the impossibility of their party's mingled support, has only a grain of truth.

It is commercial television news that has created the demand for one-line solutions that sound strong and conclusive and decisive.

Whereas, any reasonably well-informed person can only observe that the stronger,
the more conlusive and decisive any politician sounds, the further they are from understanding the crisis facing everyone.

Canada is avoiding the fossil-fuel crisis. Victorians are keen to spend $70m (official) to $140m (unofficial) on a car-bridge downtown. Canada is dreaming of wealth from the tar sands, without realising that the USA will gobble the oil up long before Canada or China does. All we'll have left is lakes of pollution, and a wrecked environment and climate.

As in all oil-rich countries, the masses of Canada are heading for impoverishment. It's so-o-o sad. Can nobody deliver us an ecologist in Victoria?

Yellow scarf dictatorship

The use of the yellow loyalty wrap at Carole James's acclamation in Victoria yesterday was pathetic. After the triumph, one union boss said (according to the T-Col): it's Carole or the ocean. So those who disagree with loser Carole's diktats should simply walk out and join another party. Well, there aren't any other parties, because of our unendorsed FPTP electoral system. Even the Green Party can't get a single seat.

We're stuck with a two-party system, both currently led by paranoid fuhrer types who will only tolerate flat-on-your-face kowtowing from their fellow MLAs and party organisers. I have no idea who represented the Cowichan constituency on my behalf in Victoria: nobody chose to tell me. It's a farce.

Our new MLA in our new riding, Mr Bill Routley, has sworn his undying loyalty to his new leader. She seated him in the first place, and now he is paying her back. His enormous salary, the biggest he has ever incurred in his life, his staffers, large constituency office, and the luxurious pension he is in line for all no doubt played their part too. If he can get a Cabinet post, he will be in clover. Where am I, an elector, in all this? Except for living in a so-called safe seat.

Yet again, at the next general election (its date stupidly fixed US-style), the electorate will be presented with Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

It's not surprising that the NDP barely exists any more except for its Union base.