Sorry, only "half-right"

In today's Daily News, Betty Hinton says "I don't own a place in Ottawa. I've never owned a place in Ottawa."
So when she's working so hard for her constituents, does she stay in a hotel? Maybe she checks into a hostel?
Doesn't look that way ... Betty also says the rumor we reported was partly true because "I do have a house up for sale in Kamloops." The article says she's "looking to buy a larger home in Kamloops." That must be nice. All Kamloopsians would probably like a bigger place, and at least our Member of Parliament can afford one at a time when 23.5% of British Columbia's children are living in poverty (Statistics Canada), we don't have the airport expansion, adequate pine beetle help, and on and on. Betty should take her new-house money and donate it to all the people who have suffered from her three terms of misrepresentation.

Cited article unattributed
Published February 26, 2007
© Copyright the Daily News in Kamloops

Betty's Ottawa home up for sale?

Rumours have gotten to KTCVC through the local Conservative Electoral District Association (EDA) that Betty Hinton has recently listed her apartment in Ottawa for sale – it's almost like she knows she isn't getting re-elected.
But, Betty's Ottawa address is unlisted so people can't find her. So, KTCVC is putting out a call for information: do you know the address? Do you know where the listing is? Can you confirm this rumour? Email us at hintonout@hushmail.com
KTCVC wonders whether this means local Tories are planning to replace Betty with a different candidate ... the "silent majority" seems to be getting smaller.

Betty lying low???

After the recent storm of criticism against her, Betty Hinton appears to have gone underground. She's gone several days now without commenting on local or national affairs. Maybe it was the Maclean's article about her dishonesty that made her go silent. Then again, maybe she just doesn't have anything to say.

Betty admits mistake

After numerous newspaper articles responded to with accusation of misquoting, after attacks in the House of Commons responded to with denials of wrongdoing, after several posts by this blog, Betty Hinton has finally admitted she claimed to be "part of the cabinet". Kamloops This Week reported on its front page today that Hinton "admitted she made a 'mistake'." Apparently what she meant is she is "part of the cabinet circle". That's a bit like if we said, "We are an official publication of the Parliament of Canada," then were called on it, and corrected ourselves, saying "Sorry, we misspoke, what we meant is that we are related to the Parliament of Canada in that we comment on political issues." However, we give Betty full credit for owning up to her error. Correct us if we're wrong, but we suspect this is the first time she's done so.

Cited article by Markus Ermisch
Published February 16, 2007
© Copyright 2007 Kamloops This Week

Looks like she lied ...

According to the Daily News on February 15, CHNL radio aired a clip from an interview with Betty Hinton recorded by a Kamloops This Week journalist. In the clip, she "clearly stated, 'I'm part of cabinet.'" This comes after Betty was challenged in the House of Commons over her claim to be a cabinet member, which she is not. Questioned by MP Jean Crowder, "Hinton flatly denied she claimed to be a member of cabinet. "I don't believe I ever said I was part of cabinet," Hinton said, when reached by the Daily News. According to the article by reporter Mike Youds, "she said it is possible she was misquoted." Well, Betty, thank goodness Kamloops This Week records interviews. Otherwise you could have pretended you didn't lie about being a cabinet member.

Cited article by Mike Youds
Published February 15, 2007
© Copyright The Daily News in Kamloops

Betty's bragging brings out the truth ... again

As reported in Kamloops This Week (page 12) on February 11, Jack Layton's attempt to secure funding for the Kamloops airport expansion has met with scorn and contempt from Betty Hinton. She brags: "I am a member of the governing party. I'm part of the cabinet (by the way, that's not true; if Betty had just checked Wikipedia, she would know that parliamentary secretaries are not Cabinet members). I have absolutely unfettered access to the ministers ... Mr. Layton has no influence, regardless of what he may feel." So let's get in this into perspective. Betty uses all her supposed influence to try to get the funding ... and, whether she's really trying or not, she fails. Then someone else tries, and she scorns him. Reporter Markus Ermisch reports that, when read Michael Crawford's statement that Layton's letter might "finally get results for Kamloops," Hinton "laughed for five seconds and said, 'that's my answer.'" Maybe it's funny for you, Betty, when you have your Member of Parliament's travel allowance. The rest of us, though, could really use some of those affordable WestJet flights we hear so much about.

Cited article by Markus Ermisch
Published February 11, 2007
© Copyright Kamloops This Week 2007

Prominent local Tory jumps ship

A story in the Daily News on Friday announced that local dental surgeon Randy Patch, vice-president of the Kamloops Rotary club and a longtime Progressive Conservative, has left the Conservative Party of Canada and joined the Liberals. Patch, who ran for Parliament under the P.C. banner in 2000, explained is decision by saying “There is no ‘progressive’ left in the Conservative party whatsoever.”
Patch described his frustration in watching how "the Harper government cut child-care funding, did nothing to fight climate change, and made no ground on improving health care for Canadians."

Cited article unattributed
Published February 9, 2007
© Copyright The Daily News in Kamloops

"Who wasn't standing with them"

In a February 9 column entitled Voters will recall who wasn't standing with them, Kamloops This Week journalist Dale Bass described Tuesday's child care protests in Kamloops. She named a few of the people who were there in support: Mayor Terry Lake, city councillors Tina Lange, Jim Harker and Arjun Singh, school trustee Dick Dickens, and a representative for local MLA and provincial cabinet minister Kevin Krueger.
"We're talking about that most basic of human emotions," wrote Bass, "caring for our children." And when the federal election comes, she predicted, voters will "remember who wasn't there."

Cited column by Dale Bass
Published February 9, 2007
© Copyright Kamloops This Week

Hinton insults child care providers, parents

In Kamloops This Week today, MP Betty Hinton said the protest/walkout by child care providers in Kamloops over the Conservative replacement to the Liberals' national program is "not necessary" and "premature." Her rationale, according to the newspaper:

Hinton argued that her government is creating new child-care spaces via an infusion of $250 million.

Yes, she says they "are creating" spaces. The problem is, her party promised to create 25,000 new child care spaces across Canada within twelve months. That one-year mark has come and gone with not a single new space created. So, Betty, it's not premature. And not only is it necessary, it's not enough, because you're still not listening.

Cited article unattributed
Published February 7, 2007
© Copyright 2007 Kamloops This Week

Turner slams Conservatives

CBC reported today that popular former Conservative M.P. Garth Turner, an independent since last fall, has joined the Liberals. A former Progressive Conservative, he cited P.M. Stephen Harper's "mindless disciplinarianism" and said that "The progressive part of the Conservative party is gone." Of course, Betty Hinton played a role in making that happen – she was elected here originally for the Canadian Alliance, the short-lived party whose leader Stockwell Day is now a laughingstock from Penticton to Ottawa. Turner also expressed hope that P.M. Stephen Harper will "show some integrity" by calling by-elections in the ridings represented by now-Conservative floor-crossers like David Emerson and Wajid Khan, as well as unelected office-holders like public works minister Michael Fortier, saying he himself "would gladly run in a fourth byelection." Let us hope that our M.P. is at least ethical enough to be ashamed to be in the same party as these people.

Please view this video by Garth Turner about his decision.

Cited article unattributed
Published February 6, 2007
Copyright © Canadian Broadcasting Corporation 2007

Today's the day

Today is the day when child care centres large and small across Kamloops will withdraw services for the day. Whether it's the right thing to do or not, people are going to have to take notice of the fact that daycare providers are desperate for change. Not the kind of change that Betty Hinton and Stephen Harper have given them -- calling it "giving parents a choice" when $100 per month (taxable) gives struggling families no choice at all.

Hinton accuses KTCVC on CBC Radio

On CBC Radio One's All Points West Thursday afternoon, MP Betty Hinton accused this blog of "misquoting" her. If that indeed occurred, it is the responsibility of the media outlets on whose reports our commentary has been based. At no time have we falsely attributed a quote to Betty Hinton or altered a quote in a way that changes its meaning. If anyone can find evidence to the contrary, we urge them to contact us by email immediately.
Also on the radio program, Kamloops city councillor Arjun Singh said he understands why bloggers would want to remain anonymous to avoid retribution, but only in countries like "Saudi Arabia or China." We see Mr. Singh's point of view; however, we submit that the same applies to people who work with co-workers (or for employers) who are prominent Conservatives. As long as we continue to refrain from making false or libelous statements, we reserve our right to remain anonymous.

Krueger to Hinton: "Wake up"

On February 1, the Daily News published an interview with Kamloops-North-Thompson MLA Kevin Krueger – who is quick to call himself a friend and supporter of Betty Hinton – in which he predicted her defeat in the next election. "I think Betty is going to lose her seat over this ridiculous quibbling," he said, referring to Hinton's stand on the pine beetle infestation. Krueger also criticized our federal representative for suggesting that B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell should ask the Prime Minister to call a national emergency. "I think this veiled threat where Betty Hinton says [Harper] might not like the result is just a nasty thing to say."

Cited article by Michele Young
Published February 1, 2007
© Copyright The Daily News in Kamloops

"Not a national disaster."

In the February 1 print edition of the Daily News (page A7), MP Betty Hinton gives us some reassuring news on the mountain pine beetle infestation. "Is it a national disaster? No." Why? Because it is "mainly confined to B.C." Well, no doubt many people who read that were relieved. But if they were to visit the pine beetle website maintained by the Alberta Ministry of Sustainable Resource Development (run by the Hon. Ted Morton, who helped found Hinton's political party), they would discover that "an unprecedented massive flight of mountain pine beetles" into our neighbour province has led to somewhere between 800,000-1.5 million infested trees in northwestern Alberta. The beetles have made it across the Rockies, the last natural barrier stopping them before they head out on a long, gradual rampage that will not end until the Atlantic. To refer to this as "not a national disaster" because it's not quite yet halfway across the country is an example of very short-sighted thinking.

Cited article by Michele Young
Published February 1, 2007
©Copyright The Daily News in Kamloops

Council to try again

Another Daily News article reported that Kamloops City Council will propose a resolution to the Okanagan Mainline Municipal Association calling on the Conservative federal government to finally declare the pine beetle epidemic a disaster. Reportedly, Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Kevin Krueger has brought the issue to the provincial forests minister and solictor general: the consensus is the province's hands are tied until Stephen Harper finally calls this a natural disaster. It's too bad that our municipal government has to go around our MP to get the funding our region so desperately needs.

Cited article by Cam Fortems
Published February 1, 2007
©Copyright The Daily News in Kamloops

$145,000 per year

An independent panel has been set up to consider a pay raise for B.C.'s MLAs, according to the Daily News. A proposal that was dropped in 2005 would have put MLAs' pay at 60% of what federal MPs like Betty Hinton make: $145,000 per year! Plus living and travel expenses.
Kamloops MLA Claude Richmond reminded readers: "A backbench MP makes more than the premier ... something is way out of whack."

Cited article by Cam Fortems
Published February 1, 2007
©Copyright The Daily News in Kamloops