Carole Taylor's Journal

On this edition of Journal, I would like to invite you to play a game. It’s called British Columbia Politics.First of all, we had two dominant political parties: the NDP, under David Eby; and the other party, the Conservatives, were under John Rustad’s leadership – until they weren’t. Thinking he wasn’t right-wing enough, Rustad was forced out, resulting in a leadership race which Kerry-Lynne Findlay barely won last spring.So, once again: two leaders: Eby and, this time, Findlay – vying for the hearts and minds of British Columbians. Except – and it turns out to be a BIG “except” – it turns out that Findlay focused her negative energies and arrows on her own party, turfing out long-time staffers, alienating sitting MLAs, and ignoring rather than welcoming anyone who didn’t pass a purity test.Lo and behold, Conservative caucus members started quitting the Kerry-Lynne party. 13 left during her short tenure and 9 of these “independent” MLAs formed a new party with Peter Milobar as leader. But then, Findlay resigned, and the newly named “interim” Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson welcomed these independents back into the fold.Only in BC.So that leaves David Eby with a big smile on his face, watching the utter disarray of the Conservatives. What better time to call an election? It’s legal, but is it ethical?Perhaps he hopes people won’t remember his dismal record in government in the midst of all this chaos – or maybe they will.To help us understand this highly volatile situation is Stewart Prest, political scientist at UBC and frequent commentator on BC politics.---Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Journal: What do we do about Metro Vancouver? It is, after all, a major level of governance – responsible for water, sewers, housing, and more in the regional district. It’s important that it functions well and has the trust of the communities it serves.But there have been problems like the wastewater project, whose budget skyrocketed from $700 million to $3.6 billion – all on the taxpayer’s tab.How exactly did that happen? Can Metro Vancouver be trusted to handle future infrastructure any better?Last year, a Deloitte report stated that Metro Vancouver had basically outgrown its governance structure and must be changed – the Board was too big, expenses too much.Adding to the confusion and distrust, the Chief Administration Officer, who directly informs and advises the Board, has recently been “ousted” or “resigned,” depending on which headline you believe. This follows the departure of the Chief Financial Officer late last year.And now Metro Vancouver has become a target in some of our municipal elections. Kash Heed, running for mayor of Richmond, and Daniel Fontaine, running for mayor of New Westminster, have co-written an accountability charter supporting major reforms at the Board.Obviously, a steady hand is needed. Mike Hurley, the successful mayor of Burnaby, is also Chair of the Metro Vancouver Board. I’m sure he was less than pleased to hear Premier Eby say last year, “The gong show that continues at Metro Van needs to come to an end.”So, how does Mayor Hurley, who calls himself a change agent, see the current situation?---Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Journal, I would like you to meet a man I have known for a long time: Max Cameron. As a Professor of Political Science and Public Policy at UBC, he co-founded the Institute for Future Legislators.We would often find ourselves on the same panel, not always with the same views, discussing democracy – its failings and its possibilities.What better time for Max to take a clear eyed look at our current political dysfunction: a US President and some of his cabinet ministers openly ridiculing Canada with their pointed comments, such as suggesting the only way Canada could conduct “war” with the United States would be to take two of our defunct tourist submarines out of the Edmonton mall and sic them on the States.Furthermore, they keep calling Canada the 51st state and our Prime Minister “Governor.”While showing remarkable – if not perfect – restraint, Canada has its own internal problems, with two of our provinces talking openly about leaving Canada, and ALL of our provinces maintaining interprovincial trade barriers, despite promises to take down those walls.Canada also gets very low marks for the abrasive partisanship that rears its ugly head during elections, especially on social media.And so, Max Cameron has just written a new book on democracy: “Divided we Fall: How We Can Resist Polarizing Pressures and Strengthen Our Identity as Citizens.”---Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Journal: a look at super-agers. The official definition is someone in their 80s and 90s, with the cognitive ability of someone 20 or 30 years younger.Most of us could come up with the basics of how to live longer besides your genes, of course: exercise, eat well, sleep at least eight hours a night, and so on.Easier said than done.What exactly do we mean by exercise? Does it have to be strenuous? Does it have to be everyday? If you didn’t exercise when you were young, is it too late to start?And with food: Does this mean no more French fries or jamoca-almond fudge ice cream ever again? Does it mean we have to be rigidly pure vegetables, fruit and fish – and, oh yes – whole grains and beans? Good luck with that!Yet, I found it interesting that when I looked up super-agers, the first half dozen articles were about supplements – supplements that would bring improved clarity, stamina, and cellular energy with just one “patch.”Another promises to combat cellular aging for good. I guess if it were as easy as taking one pill a day, we could all be super-agers.So, instead of the internet, I decided to go to one of my favourite super-agers, Dr. Doug Clement, for advice. Now in his 90s, Doug was an Olympic athlete (as was his vivacious wife Diane) in the 1950s. Along the way, Doug graduated from med school and went on to introduce the practice of sports medicine to all of Canada. In recognition, he was awarded Canada’s highest honour, the Order of Canada, 34 years ago.Doug is lively, interesting, and opinionated – characteristics of a great super-ager.---Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Journal, we take a closer look at the federal political landscape through a pollster’s eyes. The people of Canada elected a minority Liberal government and now – poof – we have a majority government. Are people happy with that?I have always found in my research that polls give us a snapshot of where we are at and what people are thinking at a given moment in time. Obviously, they are not perfect, but if you use them looking for trends or changes, they can be useful.So, some questions: With a “new” majority Liberal government in Ottawa, what has changed in the business of governing Canada, if anything?I assume there will be no patience for more words and speeches. People will now expect some action. Does this bare majority seem rock solid?How do people feel about budget overruns, or do they care? Now that an imminent election seems off the table, does Mr. Poilievre’s position seem diminished?Is his leadership of the Conservative party secure?What are the top-of-mind issues for Canadians?Who are the influencers behind the scenes – those voices leaders choose to listen to?How is the Trump card playing now?And here is a loaded question: what do Canadians think of floor-crossers and their ability to create a majority government when none existed after the election?I always have a lot of questions, so for some guidance on these issues, I have asked Mario Canseco of Research Co. to join me and provide some factual context. Again, this is just a moment in time, but a really interesting moment in time.---Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.