Better late than never

Some sober second thoughts in Victoria over the weekend, have put an end to those outrageous pay raises that MLA's voted themselves last Thursday. But in the true spirit of BC politics, some of the MLA's are not happy with having to hand back their recently captured loot!

NDP leader Carole James finally saw the light by Monday as the overwhelming sense of outrage managed to resonate at the NDP offices (they, the party of the little people remember). James called a rare NDP caucus meeting on Sunday, where the party read the tea leaves and realized that as a party, they probably were on the wrong side of a contentious issue. By the time everyone had vented on Sunday, James was ready to advise the Liberals that they were withdrawing their support for Bill 17.

Mike de Jong, the Liberal house leader who had to introduce the legislation to repeal the raises, pointed the finger at the sudden change of heart by James as almost a form of double dealing. Suggesting that she now has poisoned the well of democracy in Victoria by her quick turn around on the issue. Somehow the Liberals were still oblivious to the publics outrage and instead of accepting the fact that the people were not impressed, they turned the issue into a partisan situation.

Even more unseemly for the Liberals were the wild ramblings of Lorne Mayencourt the MLA for Vancouver-Burrard, or as David Schreck calls him Sideshow Lorne. Mayencourt became the only MLA to vote against the newly introduced Bill 19, which would rescind the pay boosts, Mayencourt made an emotional plea for his pay packet, quoted on CKNW that "the pay increase worked out to about 11 dollars a week or the cost of three lattes." We can see the protest signs already for Mr. Mayencourt, "Let them drink coffee".

But as Schreck correctly points out, as greedy as Mayencourt appeared, at least he had the courage to speak out for his beliefs (wrong as they may seem). NDP MLA Harry Lali, took a pass on the vote on Bill 19, suggesting that he was now against the pay increases, too bad he didn't find the time to actually vote against it then.

Lali's leader, Carole James is to be commended for at least coming to her senses and moving the government away from the misguided plan to reward our elected officials so unseemly. Though to be frank, it seems that the NDP only found their conscience when the public roar became to great to ignore. But at least she has admitted that they made a mistake, the Premier and his party seem to think that we the people are wrong in our opinions. There has been no sense of mis-step by the LIberals, they seem to still believe they made the right move by sneaking the pay raise in under the radar and in record time. Once again showing that they may be a tad out of step with the people they govern.

Thankfully this pack of greedy buggers will be away from us for awhile, the Legislature finishes off business on Thursday, with nary a session planned until the House returns in February. (Which should be a debate for another day, just what are we getting for the pay we give them already?)

For British Columbians this is surely a time to say; out of sight, out of mind and out of our pocket$!