Pete's Viewpoint

Today, I’m happy and honoured to offer my unqualified endorsement to Lauren Semple for the Federal NDP nomination to the Nanaimo-Ladysmith ballot this fall. I have worked with Lauren in the community for 4 years now and I have only known her to be a tireless and fearless advocate on human rights and worker rights. In my background in the labour movement, Lauren and I share a similar vision of ‘what we demand for ourselves, we wish for all.’ As Lauren is the past President of Nanaimo Pride Society, this extends to all corners in our society as she championed the cause for equality; for women, for LGBTQ folks, justice for First Nations and many other marginalized peoples. Voters have stark choices to make in the 2019 election. Voting for Lauren Semple is a vote to defend our coast, champion fair taxes and adequate housing. With the same old corruption, the same old pandering to the 1%, the same old catering to Howe/Young Street while ignoring the main street and our neighborhoods, ...

As if planned this way, Conservative cry-babies react to the Trans-Mountain decision by appropriating the pipeline setback as "western alienation". Spare me for a moment while I try not to throw up. Albertans and pro-pipelines folks are no doubt upset by the Appeals Court to overturn Cabinet approval for the pipeline project, but not because the Ottawa Liberals suddenly turned anti-West.  To be sure, I have never seen such a pro-pipeline party as Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party; so much so that the Natural Resources Minister had to apologize for threatening to call in the military on pipeline protesters. Even Stephen Harper didn't go that far. What Trudeau is guilty of is betraying a central campaign promise. He said that his new government would reboot the approval process as the 'current model' was flawed. He was right. The process was flawed - it is still flawed. That is why the court acted as it did. The problem is that Trudeau didn...

It seems like only yesterday that Premier Rachel Notley was demanding that protesters camped out on Burnaby mountain disperse after having lost another court challenge in regards to #tmx prep work being carried out. The Alberta Premier was loud and clear about her insistence that folks respect the law of the land and do as the courts demand. Well , funny thing about that; no sooner the Federal Appeals Court rules against the proposed pipeline that the good Premier throws a Trump-style tantrum and demands federal intervention. Now, I don't mean to make light of this; the pipeline project being put on hold (possibly stopped altogether) is a serious setback for a province who's primary industry is linked to the fate of said proposal. It wasn't long ago that 3rd party leader, Rachel Notley was campaigning on the notion of more diversification of the Alberta economy. She made serious political mileage in bashing 44 years of PC rule that put almost all of its economic eggs i...