The TV news coverage on Monday November 15, 2010 (or what passes for news reporting these days) of Vander Zalm’s announcement of who was the first target of Vander Zalm’s attempt to force his agenda on the majority of BC citizens, highlighted why I would never vote for a party of which Carole James is the leader and why, as big an ‘evil’ as the BC Liberals are, they are still the lesser ‘evil’ as compared to the NDP.

In case it has escaped Ms James, the NDP and Vander Zalm we live in British Columbia Canada not Afghanistan or another country ruled by threats, intimidation or thugs.

Vander Zalm’s action in seeking to misuse the recall legislation to force Liberal compliance with his demands are no different than that of any petty little warlord. Like any warlord Mr. Vander Zalm has a list of demands that must be met by his deadline – OR ELSE.

Or else Vander Zalm misuses the recall legislation that was intended as a tool for the constituents of a MLA to be able to recall their MLA.

Recall legislation was never intended to be a weapon used by the unscrupulous to force the government to follow their agenda and ignore the opinions and/or wishes of the majority as Vander Zalm is attempting to do.

To abuse the recall legislation in this way is to deal a blow to democracy in British Columbia. That Vander Zalm is more concerned about himself and getting payback on Mr. Campbell and the Liberals for their part in the death of the Social Credit comes as no surprise in light of his record while Premier. It was why his title was ‘disgraced former premier’ Vander Zalm in the press – until he became a way to sell advertising by attracting viewers/readers and thus advertising dollars.

There is no reason one would expect something other than self serving behavior from Vander Zalm or the media.

But from someone who wants to be premier and the leader of the Province of BC? From a party that wants to form the government of BC?

On issues of this importance to the democracy and governance of the province of BC you would expect a leader and a party that wants to govern to put the interests of the citizens of BC ahead of their own interests.

That is what real leadership is about.

When Vander Zalm first issued his extortion demands Ms James and the NDP were silent. When Vander Zalm announced the first victim in his extortion manoeuvres Ms James was nowhere to be seen and Mike Farnworth of the NDP was stating that the NDP were not part of the recall.

A leader and a party that were the type of leader and government this province needs to overcome the challenges BC, Canada and the world face would have been standing up and telling Vander Zalm to go home, that misusing the recall legislation to impose Vander Zalm’s agenda and ignore the will of the as yet unheard from majority of BC citizens was unacceptable.

Instead James and the NDP were silent; demonstrating they are so desperate for power that the best interests of BC and its citizens come after winning power on the priorities list of Carole James and the BC NDP.

Which is why Carole James and the NDP are undeserving, are unworthy, of being entrusted with the leadership and governance of the Province of BC.

And no doubt reflective of why a recent poll showed the Liberals under ‘anyone but Campbell’ in a dead heat with James and the NDP if an election were held now.

While on the subject of Ms James and the NDP thirst for power at any cost…

Somehow I have come to inhabit a spot on the BC NDP fund raising e-mail list. I suspect that this is a result of the questions I have sent to Carole James by e-mail concerning statements or positions taken/made by the BC NDP.

It would appear in light of the nature of the content of those e-mails, that the level of attention Carole James and the BC NDP pay to questions and/or comments directed to them by citizens of BC is – none.

Whatever the faults of the Liberals, and they have many, they have at least done me the courtesy of not inundating my inbox with fund raising e-mails and at least at times reading my e-mails.

I can state with certainty that the Liberals have read my e-mails based on the replies I have received, even when I was challenging the Liberal’s actions or policies. This is more than can be said of Carole James and the NDP from whom I have received no response – outside of automated acknowledgements, and repeated requests for money.

One would have thought that it might it might occur to someone in the NDP that sending requests for donations to homelessinabbotsford.com was not at all likely to gain one any funds. Unfortunately this lack of a connection to financial reality for citizens of BC is reflected in all too many statements and policies of Ms James and the NDP.

Anyhow, I came to receive two emails from Carole James and the NDP.

The first was an invitation to tune in to a NDP meeting where “On Saturday morning, I’ll be addressing a meeting of the BC NDP Provincial Council, giving an update on the state of our province, …”

The second e-mail made the question of watching the address moot, opening as it did with the statement “The NDP Caucus is ready and willing to begin a fall sitting of the Legislature so that the HST referendum can take place right away.”

If Carole James had any understanding of the financial reality that many British Columbians face and are dealing with or any appreciation for the reality of BC’s financial and budgetary state she would not be rushing lemming like to rip $1.6 BILLION out of the BC budget.

Ms James and the NDP propose spending hundreds of millions dollars more on healthcare and education while at the same time they advocate ripping $1.6 billion [paid by the federal government to the BC government to implement the HST] from the provincial budget and returning it to the federal government.

The proposed action establishes beyond any doubt that speaking of Ms. James and/or NDP is antithetical to speaking of the concepts of fiscal reality and/or fiscal responsibility.

Still as worrisome as the conspicuous disconnection with fiscal responsibility and the clearly demonstrated lack of any understanding of the financial realities facing the province of BC is in light of the possibility of the NDP forming the next government, it is not what is truly disheartening in the possibility of James led NDP government.

It is Ms. James’s statement “You and I know what British Columbians think of this tax. Why doesn’t Gordon Campbell?” that makes the thought of a James led NDP government unpalatable.

That statement reveals that when it comes to the matter of the HST James and the NDP are making decisions and urging government action, not on the basis of what is the best course of action for the province of BC (and its taxpayers) but on the basis of what they perceive will help them win the next election.

Even as disconnected from the ordinary citizens of BC as Gordon Campbell and his Liberals are, they took note the anger of the people of BC on the matter of the HST.

Unfortunately for Mr. Campbell he was also aware of the dire financial consequences of repealing the HST (removal of $1.6 billion from BC’s provincial coffers) and thus had no choice but to stay the course on the HST.

Even to the point of resigning as leader of the Liberal party.

Whatever his other faults, Mr. Campbell demonstrated sufficient grasp of financial reality and care for the province of BC to resign rather commit the financial suicide Ms. James has declared the NDP anxious to embrace in stating “The NDP Caucus is ready and willing to begin a fall sitting of the Legislature ….

A further demonstration of why Carole James and the NDP are undeserving of being entrusted with the leadership and governance of the Province of BC.