You said it. But don't worry, you are not alone. Most Free enterprisers like yourself do not understand it (or choose to ignore it). That is the problem with the world today. The sooner you folks figure it out, the better our chances of surviving your ignorance.
Not all entrepreneurs are captivated by the shiny toy. Some, like myself, aren't governed entirely by pig trough greed and heartless plundering of others to achieve personal wealth.
Alberta? Utopia? I can't stop laughing at that comment.
as opposed to the political biases we have been reading over the last number of posts.
Um, take a look at who authored the "Independent study" and tell me there was no political bias AF- try again, as the liberals are one more time splattered with the contents. Too political? Now that's funny!
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/bc-politics/firms-with-bc-liberal-ties-awarded-secret-contracts-in-pro-hst-campaign/article2109375/Internal government guidelines would normally have required those contracts to be awarded via a competitive process because they’re valued at $25,000 or more. But the guidelines allow that process to be circumvented – and contracts awarded without public notice – if it would “compromise government confidentiality.”
Finance Ministry communications director Matt Gordon said that justification was used because the “information, strategies and discussions” disclosed during such a competition would have been of a “privileged” nature. The government was also worried anti-HST forces could gum up a bidding process and delay the start of those contracts.
Campaign Research Ltd., which worked on cabinet minister George Abbott’s unsuccessful campaign for the Liberal leadership, got the biggest contract – receiving $167,800 for conducting the government’s telephone town-hall meetings on the HST.
The company didn’t respond Monday to a request for comment. Mr. Gordon said Campaign Research wasn’t given that work because of its Liberal connection, but rather because it provided the best value out of three quotes privately solicited by the government.
Another $52,746.75 went to Backbone Technology Inc. to develop the province’s HST information website. Backbone has worked for the Liberals since 2001, setting up a private intranet for the party executive, as well as the Liberal website.
Company president and chief executive officer Marc Charalambous acknowledged those Liberal links, and confirmed that party information director Hoong Neoh provides advice to Backbone on an informal, volunteer basis.
But Mr. Gordon said it was the company’s “good reputation” for delivering high-profile government projects on time – including websites for reviews on health care and postsecondary education – that got it the contract.
“I was called to look at doing this in a short timeline – which is typically the kinds of work we’ve done for the government. We’ve done quite a few projects over the last five or six years under such an environment,” added Mr. Charalambous.
The third contract went to Mr. Andrew, who says he was initially hired to provide “political analysis” to Tom Syer, the head of the HST information office. The contract was initially set at $17,700, but its value was later raised and it has paid out more than $33,000.
Mr. Syer, who served as a deputy chief of staff to former premier Gordon Campbell, later asked Mr. Andrew to help the independent panel. That included organizing its meetings and assisting its chair, Jim Dinning – Alberta’s former provincial treasurer – in preparing the agendas.
Mr. Andrew stressed he personally felt it was “very important” he not provide the panel with any kind of political analysis, given his connection to former finance minister Colin Hansen.
“I did not do so. Jim would not have allowed me to do so. Let me assure you that I was kicked out of the room whenever discussions on contentious issues were being had. It was purely logistical.”
Records obtained by The Globe and Mail also show the HST information office directly awarded additional contracts worth up to $163,810 on behalf of the independent panel.
Michael Goehring, vice-president of National Public Relations Inc., received a contract worth up to $4,000 to confidentially ensure the report was plainly written and contained no omissions, while former Vancouver Sun Victoria correspondent Miro Cernetig got one worth up to $37,500 to research, review and produce that document.
Kirk and Co. Consulting Ltd. – the communications firm headed by Judy Kirk, who served as the Liberal caucus’s executive director between 1994 and 1996 – was also given a contract worth up to $25,000 to provide the panel with media and public-relations advice.
Mr. Gordon said it was Ms. Kirk’s reputation not her political background that resulted in the award.
And still more stench.......
http://lailayuile.com/2011/07/28/surely-this-must-be-a-violation-of-the-elections-act/Dear Friends:As we enter the final days before voting ends on the HST referendum I wanted to take this opportunity to update you on the status of our effort on the ‘NO’ side to keep the HST. Our efforts to engage with British Columbians and get their input into how to improve the HST are paying dividends. Since announcing the reduction of the HST to 10 per cent and ensure families come out ahead, we have closed the margins significantly and we are within reach of a slim victory. In fact, some polling suggests we are in a statistical tie when you factor in the margin of error. With a race as close as this has become, I am asking that each and every one of you commit to a final push in your riding to try and identify every last possible vote and move us across the goal posts to deliver a victory for British Columbians.It’s undeniable that implementing the HST has caused us some political pain but the fact remains we can, and will, get past this difficult issue and get back to what we should be focused on – building support for the only truly free enterprise party in BC and providing British Columbians with strong, effective governance and leadership.
With a victory within our grasp, I am asking all of you to spend as much time as possible focused on getting the vote out in your community to ensure British Columbians are returning their ballots and marking them with a ‘NO’ to higher taxes and a 12 per cent PST plus GST.
Ballot packages must be received by Elections BC, a Service BC Centre, or an Elections BC Collection Centre before 4:30 pm, Friday, August 5, 2011.
British Columbians need this victory for a strong economic future. We are close and I’m convinced a final push by us all will be enough to secure the win and help get the province back on track.
Regards and good luck,
Hon. Kevin Falcon
Minister of Finance
Authorized By Jim Pipe, Financial Agent BC Liberal Party.
Author
Topic: The HST vote - making a decision (Read 125044 times)