As the MLA's make up their minds on whether to run or not in 2013, they just don't get it...

BC Speaker of the House, William (Bill) Barisoff, has more than one priority to get straight before he takes the plunge in 2013.

We read an article in the Globe and Mail this morning, written by Ian Bailey, and we're still shaking our collective heads twelve hours later.

“I’m going to be making my announcement before the end of the month. This has been planned for some time. It has no bearing on what’s happened in the last three days or four days,” he said in an interview. “I must tell my executive first and the party what’s happening. I won’t give you any answer either way.”

The MLA for Penticton (BC) says that his task  to run again "has been planned for some time", he goes on to further say that “I must tell my executive first and the party what’s happening."


Tell us again William, how many are on YOUR Executive of the BC Liberal Riding of Penticton?   How many BC Liberals are there still in the Party who reside in the Riding of Penticton?  Oh, but wait, once you've won the election, in 2009, party politics are put aside and you represent all voters in your Riding.

Sure sounds like the MLA for Penticton has totally shunned his responsibilities of being accountable to the Voters of the Riding of Penticton, first.

He could just cut to the chase and make one announcement, instead of cherry picking his way through the waiting crowd back in Penticton.

OR

To quote our illustrious Premier from her Swearing-in on March 14, 2011, Christy Clark promised, and its damned difficult to select just one phrase, one sentence, from this one paragraph quote of many.

Dear Christy, we've been told by your GCPE people that you can't read real fast, so they suggested that we should write to you         real                          ~ S   L   O  W ~  

Remember    when    You     said:

" ......There will be lots more steps coming - steps that will engage citizens and decision-making as never before. We will listen and in exchange I will ask British Columbians to get involved - to make yourselves heard and to give us your best ideas. Our government will be open to the people of British Columbia. We will talk about our problems; we will set our priorities openly; and we will work with citizens to find solutions. And we will explain why we make the decisions that we do. You may not always agree with us and all the decisions that we make, but to the greatest degree possible, you won’t be surprised at the course that we take, and you will know for certain why we’ve chosen it........" -Page 2 of 2

We've got news for you Christy, we are surprised by your sudden sell off of the  Liquor Distribution Branch.

We are even more surprised by your government saying diddly squat on the topic of Enbridge while the Legislature House was in session, when you had a chance to stand up and explain your position on the Environment with all the cameras hanging onto every word of explanation... but Zip, nothing.



For more of the famous Speeches by the BC Liberals Premiers (2) 2011 to 2005

For the years of 2002 to 2004 (1) Premier

Enbridge's latest oil spill, today, will probably be a result of plump "Pigs" plugging pipe

 Snipped
.......At about 2:45 p.m. Friday, workers in Enbridge Pipeline’s Control Center detected a pressure drop in the pipeline. Control Center operators (in Edmonton, Alberta) shut down and immediately isolated the line, with a capacity of 317,600 barrels per day, and Enbridge emergency crews were promptly deployed to the site, according to a news release from Enbridge.
Officials moved one person from his home for his safety and comfort, said Lorraine Little, Enbridge spokeswoman........ - Winsconsin Rapid Tribune
 Snipped

 As if Enbridge has had enough problems with oil spills, what next, yes, what next..... one would have to say that maybe its the competition to Enbridge who is just waiting in the wings to take over.  But, can they do a better job than Enbridge....

 Google Search Criteria    are Enbridge oil pipelines double walled

Didn't know why we couldn't access this file earlier today, came up with "404 Error: File Not Found" , but.... along the bottom of the first result was    "ALL 2 Versions".....   one of two didn't fly, note Error message above, but..... the second of two versions worked just fine....     What the BBC was not aware of, was the oil spill, as we researched.

Design and contruction of 42-in liquid pipeline batch pig facilities

R Kratsch - 2008 - gs-press.com.au

... Combined with the Canadian portion of the pipeline system operated by Enbridge Pipelines Inc., the system ... the launcher for launching the pig and for increased draining of the crude oil out of ... Pig signals are positioned upstream of the receiver and on the receiver barrel and to ... - All 2 versions

Link to "All 2 versions" results in this......

Design and contruction of 42-in liquid pipeline batch pig facilities

R Kratsch - gs-press.com.au

ENBRIDGE'S CURRENT major expansion called “Southern Access” is a 42-in liquid crude oil pipeline running 321 miles from Superior, WI to Delavan, WI in 2008 and continuing another133 miles to Flanagan, IL in 2009. As part of the goal to achieve and maintain a high ...

Design and Construction of 42” Liquids Pipeline Batch Pig Facilities

RW Kratsch - 2008 - link.aip.org

Enbridge's current major expansion called “Southern Access” is a 42 liquid crude oil pipeline running 321 miles from Superior, WI to Delavan, WI in 2008 and continuing another 133 miles to Flanagan, IL in 2009. As part of the goal to achieve and maintain a high ...

Design and construction of 42" ......

Enbridge's current major expansion called “Southern Access” is a 42 inch liquid crude oil pipeline running 321 miles from Superior, WI to Delavan, WI in 2008 and continuing another 133 miles to Flanagan, IL in 2009. As part of the goal to achieve and maintain a high quality pipeline system, an automated batch pig system was required to remotely launch the batch pigs, operated from the Control Center in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada...........SNIP

If Enbridge's Control Centre continues to be located in Edmonton, and Kitimat the final destination, most land EAST of the Canadian Rocky Mountains is FLAT, whereas the land WEST of the Canadian Rockies is NOT flat.  Its one thing for the Edmonton Control Centre to note a drop in OIL pressure, with a further "317,600 barrels of oil per day" chomping at the bit, for Eastward bound oil, but what of our position, that is British Columbia, whereby our terrain is far from Flat, and few highways.

Will Enbridge crews gain access to THEIR BC pipeline, if its broken, as easily as it is in the heavily populated, heavily riddled with highways of their eastern laid pipe lines?   eh......

And come to think of it, if its WINTER conditions, well yes, if one waits until daylight Black on White will make it easy to spot, oil spill that is, runs downhill, but just how are Enbridge's response crews suppose to get to the line............

Yes, yes, yes, looking at a map, A paper map, is flat, so too is our computer monitors, looks easy to cross, but have these Enbridge guys, these politicians, these .....advisers to the politicians and oil companies,..... have they ever left their offices, put on gumboots and hip waders to go looking for oil on the loose?

Translink vehicles may use the Lions Gate Bridge, but not "Trucks"

 Truck Route Maps and Regulations   UPDATED: December 2, 2013

Truck Route via City of Vancouver 2013

 Vancouver City Police could be raking in a ton of cash, for the Santa Claus Parade on bikes, in 2014.

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"Truck" means a motor vehicle designed or used primarily for the transportation of property.  Page 8 of 92  City of Vancouver  BY-LAW NO. 2849

NOTE: In the link which we have highlighted below in BOLD BLUE   "First Narrow Bridge" via Wikipedia they have written this:  "Trucks exceeding 13 tonnes (14.3 tons) are prohibited"    WHICH isn't true.  NO TRUCKS are permitted because........... read on Dear Readers.

UPDATE:  July 25, 2013

Prohibited vehicles, bicycles and tire chains

9 The following apply to and in respect of the First Narrows Bridge only:

(a) a person must not operate, on any part of the structure or its approaches, a vehicle having a gross weight in excess of 13 000 kg unless the vehicle is a bus as defined in the Motor Vehicle Act;

(b) a person must not operate a bicycle on the roadway of the structure or its approaches;

(c) a person must not operate, on any part of the structure or its approaches, a vehicle equipped with a tire chain or chains.

More and more times we're seeing "trucks" using the First Narrows Bridge, and probably the cause of this sudden influx/outflux is that the drivers, and/or swampers, have a GPS which is telling them that the shortest route between "A" and "B", "downtown Vancouver" and the "North Shore", or visa versus, is via Stanley Park's Causeway, which is true, it is shorter, but.....

There's one catch though, maybe even two catches....... TransLink buses probably outweigh "Trucks" threefold or more in some instances, but the City of Vancouver has determined that although "trucks" may have a lesser GVW than a Bus and the bridges are strong enough to carry both trucks and buses within the allowed GVW per vehicle, they also have right to write a Bylaw, which they did, to designate that the two bridges are NOT Truck Routes.   Passenger cars and cyclists need only apply.

Coast Mountain GVW:

Gross vehicle weight rating – the maximum recommended weight for a vehicle, including: the weight of the vehicle itself, fuel and other fluids, passengers, and all cargo. The manufacturer determines the GVWR. The Motor Vehicle Act Regulations of British Columbia prohibit vehicle operators from loading their vehicle in excess of its GVWR.   - Page 40

For youngsters, once upon a time our beloved Lions Gate Bridge was given a major face lift with the deck replacement, but before that face lift, the bridge had developed a severe "back" strain to its North supporting column..... because of the heavy loads of "trucks" taking the route as their regular route.

That was stopped once the engineers figured out what was going on, or it should have been stopped.

There's a story from ten or eleven years ago where a trucker arrived in downtown Vancouver a half hour ahead of time after coming over from Vancouver Island, where upon he climbed into his sleeper compartment for a nap.   When queried as to why he arrived so early when he shouldn't have arrived EARLY at all..... they discovered he had used the First Narrows Bridge......the Lions Gate, to cross over Burrard Inlet.   OOOOPS!    The Driver should have used the Second Narrows Bridge which would have taken a half hour longer.....and made him on time for his destination.

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For Trucks:

Total width no greater than 2.6m(8’6”).
Total height no greater than 3.81m(12’6”) on any street or 4.3m(14’1”)on any truck route.
Total length (inclusive of load and front and rear bumpers) no greater than:
• 12.5m(41’) for a single vehicle.
• 23m(75’3”) for a vehicle with 1 trailer.
• 25m(82’) for a vehicle with 2 trailers.
VEHICLES EXCEEDING ANY OF THESE DIMENSIONS MUST OBTAIN A PERMIT

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If the Vancouver City Hall wants to earn more cash, and create a safer driving experience for motorists, then there should be fines collected.   In the case of the First Narrows... Lions Gate Bridge, there are options by which over size, TRUCKs, could learn from their experience.... of receiving multiple fines.   Stanley Park Causeway, north bound, is not the end of the road for Truckers, they could take the off ramp just before heading for the bridge deck... and take a tour of Stanley Park...and eventually end up on the Second Narrows Bridge.  If they continue to cross the bridge, then a Two Hundred Dollar Ticket should be enough of a carrot to deter them in the future....   South Bound truck traffic, same story.   No officers required.  All that is required is a system similar to the Port Mann Bridge, and only three lanes need monitoring.

The Ticket, is in the Mail.

"The media is the surrogate of the public." - Associate Chief Justice Anne MacKenzie

Here at the BBC we know that the Public reads Court decisions, not all decisions, but we have a tendency to keep a close eye on the high profile ones, like the BC Rail Trial which just doesn't want to die.

After the dust settled with the appearance of a BC Liberal buy-out using $6 million of taxpayers monies to secure guilty pleas that killed the BC Rail Trial, the Press went to bat for the public, or did they?

Has the Press been that Mother/Father to the Public, or have they been more interested in what's in it for them and their corporate or political sponsors?

What are we ranting about here today?  Its this closing statement by Associate Chief Justice Judge MacKenzie on June 2, 2011 as to how she views the Public, perhaps how all Judges view the Public, as being cared for by the News Media.

Ruling on Application for Release of Materials                                          [29] The fact the Materials have already been released strongly supports Mr. Krog’s submission that there will be no harm to the administration of justice if they are also released to him. The media is the surrogate of the public. Mr. Krog is a member of the public with a responsible position or role to fulfill. I cannot assume he brings this application in bad faith, or intends to harm the administration of justice. For these reasons, I grant Mr. Krog’s application in the same terms as the February Media Order.

The media has never asked the Associate Chief Justice for the BC Rail Trial, and all things related, just what she meant by  "The media is the surrogate of the public." so they must be in agreement with her thoughts on how the Public is "cared for", lovingly, by  Mother Media and Mother Judges to boot.


Here's a background document for the basis of MacKenzie's "Surrogate Media" people.

 The media is the public’s surrogate, observing and reporting on matters of interest and concern to the public.We’ve all heard it said that justice must not just be done, it must be seen to be done.  -   The Canadian Justice System and the Media

For the Lay Person:

A Google search for surrogate definition

sur·ro·gate/ˈsərəgit/

Noun:

A substitute, esp. a person deputizing for another in a specific role or office. (in the Christian Church) A bishop's deputy who grants marriage licenses.

surrogate n. 1) a person acting on behalf of another or a substitute, including a woman who gives birth to a baby of a mother who is unable to carry the child. 2) a judge in some states (notably New York) responsible only for probates, estates, and adoptions.

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One other minor detail regarding MacKenzie's.... "The media is the surrogate of the public."    The Media turned a blind to .......

"...a Mountie decided to treat Bornmann as a witness after admitting to bribing a public official"