Copyright dishonesty

The party we elected to represent us in the last election – that big blue machine of which Betty Hinton is a member – yesterday released three new TV spots (in Superbowl season, probably costing a couple hundred thousand each) that attack Liberal leader Stéphane Dion, using the oh-so-clever tactic of snatching clips from last year's Liberal leadership debates. Turns out today, according to the Toronto Star, those clips were probably used in violation of copyright law. The debates were covered by a "consortium of TV networks," administered by the Canadian Public Affairs Channel (CPAC), which controls the rights to the footage. And CPAC says it's "not aware of any request" to use the footage, plus "such video is traditionally never authorized for use by political parties." This is the party of ethics and accountability?

Cited article by Joan Bryden, Canadian Press
Published January 29, 2007
© Copyright Toronto Star

Local daycares to protest Tory policies

Child care facilities across Kamloops intend to shut down in protest on Tuesday, February 6th (anniversary of the current government's swearing-in), according to an article in the Kamloops Daily News. Conservatives like ex-Minister of Social Development Diane Finley (pictured) were very proud when they announced their answer to the Liberal national child care program: a taxable $100 per month for families with a child under 6. Now, "you can't find child care in this town," says Val Janz. Daycare operator Irene Wende reminisced about the universal funding for child care that existed under the Liberals. "As soon as Stephen Harper came in," she explains, "they cut it."
If non-union child care centres are desperate enough to close up shop, there's obviously a problem. Meanwhile, our elected representative in Ottawa, Betty Hinton, does – you guessed it – nothing.

Cited article by Cam Fortems
Published January 26, 2007
©Copyright The Daily News in Kamloops

Where's the beetle funding?

On Friday, the Kamloops Daily News reported that the region is predicted to lose about 1,000 jobs and 15% of its timber to the mountain pine beetle epidemic -- that translates into $93 million lost from the local economy. As climate change lets the bugs chew through our forests at a dizzying rate, Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo M.P. Betty Hinton continues to do absolutely nothing. The article cited local MLA Kevin Krueger as saying that "the federal government [must] come to the forefront of the pine beetle battle and call it a national disaster ... it's one man's decision, and that's the prime minister." Unfortunately, Stephen Harper doesn't live here, nor does he visit often. That's why we have a federal representative -- Betty Hinton. Who, given last week's City Hall debacle, doesn't seem to give a damn.

Cited article by Michele Young
Published January 26, 2007
©Copyright The Daily News in Kamloops

City had to go it alone for sports facilities

In his weekly newspaper column, Armchair Mayor, editor and former Kamloops mayor Mel Rothenburger reminded us that the Tournament Capital's recent $48 million project for upgraded sports facilities, including upgrades at McArthur Island Park and the construction of the Hillside Fieldhouse at TRU, got pathetically little help from the current government. "The Harper Conservatives," he writes, "have ... put other programs ahead of sports and fitness." Yeah, like the useless childcare tax benefit, the nonexistent pine beetle assistance and the airport funding we're still waiting for. Anyway, the result is that Betty Hinton's best efforts (if she ever even tried) got us only 8% of the funding for this hugely beneficial project. And even that $4 million was through what Rothenburger calls a "federal-provincial infrastructure grant" – which means the money didn't even come directly from the federal government. "The money committed by the former federal Liberal government" disappeared, Rothenburger explains, with the Tories' election win. Where's Betty been while Kamloops taxpayers present and future have been saddled with the remaining $37.6 million of the project?

Cited editorial by Mel Rothenburger
Published January 27, 2007
©Copyright The Daily News in Kamloops

Betty's rebuttal unconvincing

Kamloops This Week just published an "open letter" to NDP Leader Jack Layton (who recently passed through Kamloops) from our M.P. Betty Hinton cautioned Layton to "get [his] facts straight to avoid looking foolish and out of the loop politically." Betty does get her facts straight. Unfortunately, she still comes off looking foolish. She reminds Layton she is "not a backbencher"; no, Betty sits in the second row and only six seats from the prime minister of the House of Commons. That's just grand. Too bad she sat in the front row and only four seats from Harper during the previous parliament, when she was in Opposition. Seems Betty's been demoted. Our voice in Ottawa brags about how Jack Layton can never see her when she's "speaking with national media." That's odd! Has Betty ever been on national TV or radio? No. She also claims that even if she were a backbencher, she would still have "far more influence than that of any member of the fourth party" – a not-so-subtle dig at Layton's position as head of the House's weakest faction in terms of numbers. Of course, that's laughable. When Jack Layton – for all his flaws – makes a major speech, it's broadcast all over Canada. When Betty speaks, she's lucky to have a few dozen people and three or four journalists. Really, though, we should all appreciate and be grateful for Betty's letter; it's possibly the only thing she's said or written in six years that wasn't a regurgitation of talking points scripted by either the Canadian Alliance or the Conservative Party. It's positively refreshing.

Cited letter by Betty Hinton, M.P.
Published January 24, 2007
Copyright © 2007 Black Press Group Ltd.

"Trust me:" Betty spars with civic leaders

Betty Hinton's first meeting at City Hall in over a year was less than a smashing success, by all accounts. "I don't feel we're any further ahead than we were before the meeting," the Daily News quoted Mayor Terry Lake as saying; he also referred to her as "not helpful" and "condescending." There are strong reasons to accept Lake's account; asked about airport expansion funding, the best Hinton could do was "hopefully we'll see something." Hopefully, indeed – if Betty would just try standing up for her constituents.

Cited article by Michele Young
Published January 17, 2007
©Copyright The Daily News in Kamloops