The latest news from our BC Government is that they are enacting Legislation that will give us snowbirds an extra month away from BC every year. We used to be allowed six months away per year before we lost our medical coverage and they are adding another month to bring it up to seven months. This brings us in line with some other Provinces and Territories but still below others. It will still be nice not to have to hurry home or delay leaving in order to stay in that six month window. This is only common sense and is way overdue. Those of you who winter entirely in the USA will not benefit as the USA still limits visits to 180 days per 12 month period. You will have to duck down into Mexico (or somewhere else) for a month in order to take full advantage of this.
So with one hand our “Liberal” Government gives us this little token, which really costs them nothing because when we are out of the country we are using very few of our medical benefits, and are making drastic funding cuts affecting BC’ers with the other hand.
While The Other Taketh
Funding for BC adults suffering with fetal alcohol syndrome and autism is being slashed by 33% this year and by over 50% over the next two years, even while the numbers of patients with these problems is rising. They are making the desperate gamble that by throwing us seniors a crumb, we will rush back home by May and vote for them in gratitude for the gift, ignoring these and other cuts they have and are making. Well, it is not going to happen. We are tired of the Liberals, who are down in the polls, and will be out as soon as the polls close on May 14. We know that the incoming NDP is also in favor of this extra month as well so we will be getting it in any case.
Ha! I see the “BC Liberals” have changed their name to “Today’s BC Liberals”, as if this means they have changed anything from what they were “Yesterday”!
Well, so long BC “Liberals”, thanks for the extra month and don’t let the door smack you in the ass on your way out!
That will give you a month where you can tour Alberta's shrines to capitalism and even wander farther east should you so desire, but you are right it doesn't make much difference to us US bound snowbirds, although it may help tourism in Canada a little.
ReplyDeleteI actually am an Albertan, John. We should drop by on our way to Lacomb so Norma can drool aver your horses!
DeleteI too am sick of what the Liberals did with the handling of the HST and also the way Campbell treated alot of us. But Ms. Clarke was a welcome and refreshing change, given time she would be able to bring the party back to the centre. Adrian Dix will be a disaster as have the NDP governments before him. They will destroy our economy with new taxes and new social programs. The teachers will get whatever they want even though they are already very well paid for their 9 month a year jobs. The rest of us just get to suck it up. The HST as unwanted as it was, was amuch better and easier taxation model than going back to the old system. It seems that whomever is in charge, we the taxpayers suffer...
ReplyDeleteSorry Karl but Ms. Clark has been an unmitigated disaster. She shouls have had an easy time showing she is better that Gordon Campbell but she has failed to. Adrian, on the other hand, is ready to step in.
Delete"B.C.’s Christy Clark is the second-least popular premier in Canada, while the B.C. NDP’s Adrian Dix tied as the most popular Opposition leader in the country."
-CBC News
Croft, my views of Mr. Dix are based on what he did last time he was in government and had no problems breaking the law ( for then Premier Glen Clark) by backdating a memo. He then gets fired...and gets a $75,000 compensation? I wonder what he will do now when he gets put under pressure this time. You have to remember he didn't volunteer his transgression but came clean after he was caught. As I said before the NDP will again make BC a havenot province. I think they will win, we should review this discussion in a few years and see where we as a province are. Iam a union member and work in civic government but have also run my own business so have a good perspective on this. Our province cannot succeed without a strong private business economy.
Delete'It seems that whomever is in charge, we the taxpayers suffer...'
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to argue with that little nugget of insight. Whatever party runs things it seems that the majority gets it in the ear somehow.
As far as extra time in the US, the Canadian Snowbird Association is trying to get the US gov't to allow additional time in the US as well, but it looks like that will only be to Canadians who travel to a specific location in the States. i.e. If you have a park-model or home in the US you will be eligible, but if you are in a transient RV, no such luck. The way things go through congress this should only take a decade or so before it's sorted out.
Hmmm interesting figures re May!
ReplyDeleteCroft....as I goofed before....please let me know when the 7 month medical has been PASSED in stone.
Can't wait to vote in May and get of her and the lot! Since we will be out of the country for May I already have Elections BC sending us our mail in ballots! I've been following but haven't been commenting but anything to do with voting in our province in May brings out the "tiger" in me!
ReplyDeleteKelly
Oh yeah and I'm even more fired up about her "new liberals" spending tax dollars on getting "the ethnic vote", when the day before we found out it would take my husband 1 year to see a specialist and another year for the first surgery and another year for the second to replace both his shoulders.
ReplyDeleteSo sad.
Rant over....
Kelly
They certainly are not shy spending our tax dollars on negative ads. Maybe they should ask Mitt Romney how that negative ad thing worked out for him. Waiting for surgery when it is not deemed to be an emergency can be hell! My brother lived in Alberta and needed two knees. They kept moving him down the list until he died not to do with knees).
DeleteI think it's funny how anybody who wants to spend more than half the year OUTSIDE of Canada even cares what goes on there.
ReplyDeleteOnly when the snow comes Kevin. It will be harder to leave when we have a friendly Government.
DeleteAh, just another fairweather Canadian... :-)
DeleteI don't know squat about Canadian politics, but I thought that you were a liberal, Croft. Are there 2 liberal parties? Guess I'm too used to the US 2 party system with nothing in between, only the two extremes. The US needs a strong 3rd party to keep any one party from being in control.
ReplyDeleteIn Canada the "Liberals" are just as far right as the "Conservatives". I am a Democratic Socialist and belong to the New Democratic Party.
DeleteLabels are amusing. In the States if you call someone a "Liberal", it is akin to calling them a commie. Few Americans would have the nerve to call themselves a "Socialist" even if deep down they are, but many Canadians identify as such. There is not the same stigma attached..
DeleteMr. Dix is a criminal and a poor choice for leader of the NDP. I too am a union member but have also run my own business. The biggest problem in BC is the polarization of politics. At one time Liberal was a suggestion of middle ground. Makes me think that the ols Socreds under Wacky Bennett should be renewed. I would be interested to see in 4 yeatrs as to whether the NDP drags us back into being a have-not province as they have historically done
ReplyDeleteWell, there you go. We agree to disagree. I am personal friends with Dave Barrett, Mike Harcourt, Glen Clark, Adrian Dix, Dan Miller....... and I disagree with you. All the Socreds were was a coalition of the right to try to keep progressive thinkers down. It didn't work then and it would not work now.
DeleteCroft, I come from a long line of Canadian socialists, my Grand father was a member of the CCF... Harry Rankin gave his eulogy. My godfather was the President of the Longshoremans union.... i
ReplyDeleteKelly
Who was your grandfather Kelly? I might have known him or of him?
Delete