Fight HST organizers fuming after first recall campaign rejected

If I were advising George Abbott, I would tell him to phone Craig James personally - and let him know if he becomes premier the first thing he will do is move the Referendum up and the second will be to fire him.

Imagine, pulling this stunt on the day you announce your leadership.

Well they have thrown down the gauntlet haven't they. Once this mess is finally over in the 2013 election it's time for a house cleaning. A total overhaul of the beaurocracy is needed. Toss out all pro-business bureauocrats and get people with the Province in mind as a first priority. I have no sympathy for beaurocrats that have impeded democracy. Clear them all out, fire everyone in the PAB and top ministry officials.

This ruling on word counts is clearly an attempt to disqualify a valid recall campaign. Craig James exceeded his legislated authority when he refused to submit the successful HST petition to the Legislature, and now he is showing that he is truly partisan by making up new rules (acronyms count as multiple words) in order to obstruct citizens engaged in the democratic process. His actions are an embarrassment to the public service and an insult to the reputation of independence of Elections BC. Resign NOW!

Clearly this "issue" this morning was drummed up by Zalm and his merry band of swashbuckling recallers. Could the legislation be any clearer on the use of acronyms??

They don't have a marketing budget so they hit the mornig news with these phony issues to get everyone a bit more motivated. Pathetic.

In my experience bureaucratic behaviour falls in a range. At one end is what I consider "good" bureaucrats. Their actions are guided by an awareness that they are paid by taxpayers to serve the public If someone isn't clear about rules that are ambiguous, they are helpful, explain to the applicant how the rules are interpreted, and keep things moving efficiently.

At the other end is the "bad" bureaucrats. Their behaviour is obstructionist. They have an exaggerated opinion of themselves and the roles they play in society. If you don't cross every "I" and dot every "T" according to their unstated or ambiguous rules, they will use their authority to impede you with complete intransigence to the inconvenience and cost. They're like a flag-person on a deserted back road that will make an ambulance stop and wait, for no reason other than someone gave them the authority to make an ambulance stop and wait. Chances are their classmates in high school thought they were dorks and unless they grow up they will be dorks all their lives.

Whether I agree with recall or not, it seems to me that the opportunity was there to facilitate rather than obstruct by courteously pointing out to the applicant that acronyms will be interpreted as more than one word. I can't find where the Act says one way or the other. But acting expediently deprives a bureaucrat the opportunity to puff himself up and raise his department's profile. It also can indicate that the bureaucrat is partisan when he is not supposed to be.

I believe the central word in Craig James Title is "Acting", as in start acting like an adminstrator of the people, your obviously not working for us, so just whose chicken boy are you?

Sharon Best, thanks for that link. I encourage everyone to look at it and see how Elections BC has really coughed up a hairball by waiting until AFTER the recall petition was received to publicize their interpretation of what constitutes a word. I have a word for them: SNAFU!

Why are we not closing down Our Vancouver Airport until the next vote has been completed?!

If I may. Veteran political commentator for Global, Keith Baldrey made some good comments including: why didn't the proponent simply write a one line sentence (one line to make the point that it is WELL under the 200 words or less) - rather than skate the letter of the law. Second, Baldrey said that Craig James actually did Vander Zalm a favour - if Ida Chong had been successfully Recalled - she could have Appealed the Recall based on the letter of the legislation. Even though Ms. Best does well to counter Gil Luckham's comments, one can readily see how Mr. Baldrey's point is well taken.

However this is politics and I don't believe that Mssrs. Vander Zalm - Delaney - Tieleman et al - and specifically the proponent for the Recall initiative in Oak Bay are receiving the credit they deserve for good political play. First, Craig James politicized the office after his decision to ignore the (successful) Petition Initiative and go to the courts - giving his actions more the appearance of political favourtism - to the Petition application of big business in support of the HST - which BC Supreme Court Justice Baumann eventually kicked out in short order. Politically, Zalm - Delaney et al big winners, BC Liberal government and Craig James big and moderate losers.

By walking the word threshold count - which to the average person means nothing against the rationale for why Recall is going forward - historical hatred in BC for the HST-----Bill Vander Zalm (as Wyatt Earp) et al force Craig James to this position - which is either defended or reviled, the latter more likely to have traction for the reasons already mentioned.

The delay in commencing the Recall process against Ida Chong provides Zalm et al with an opportunity to move through the process and chronologically compel a later decision by Elections BC beyond the February 26, 2011 leadership election of George Abbott - I mean- the BC Liberal leadership contenders----------Ida Chong will have 2 Cabinet portfolios - the second just recently bestowed upon her by departing Premier Campbell. If I'm Abbott or anyone else - I'm not going to be too happy - particularly if Chong gets crushed----any momentum the new leader may garner starts flying out the window.

If its close and Chong wins -- there will be alot of doubters out there - given how Elections BC's credibility is at half tank - and perceived by some--along with other Independent agencies of government = not to be quite so Independent. As the mistrust of government, the bureaucracy and Independent agencies increases - so does the desire for a greater element of populism in the electoral stage - which makes the controlling establishment institutions increasingly nervous.

If Zalm et al start late - and it appears they are being tripped up/wrongly/rightly or in between ---- and then if they are swift and successful against Chong -- following their historical win on the Petition --------- the assumption will follow that they will continue to win and Campbell's resignation isn't enough. This will be disaster for the BC Liberals as they approach February 26, 2011 will the opportunity for comeback available -- with New Democrats working out their problems.

A successful Recall could reignite solidarity in the NDP caucus - unless the BC Liberal leadership candidates unplug the Zalm influence by moving up the HST fast--lessening the demand for further Recalls (possibly).

Glenn, Keith Baldry is a mouthpiece for the LIberalS. His wife works for the PAB I believe and I'm sure that colours his opinion. I guess he wants to keep her working.

If you look up what constitutes a word in the Oxford Dictionary, you'll note that they were under the 200 word limit. This is, no doubt about it, a delaying tactic that will fail.