Maybe I’m a grump, but November is too early for Christmas stuff, like decorating halls and lamp posts. I agree with the consumers who complained about Christmas music in the stores already. Starting after Remembrance Day is bad enough, never mind Hallowe’en, why not wait until December?
The city has the wreaths up downtown already. I guess it’s handier to put them up before it gets too cold but too much of any good thing is still too much.
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According to some reports, Prime Minister Harper’s trip to India didn’t turn out as well as he’d expected. I wonder if having his own armoured limousine flown over for his convenience impressed the Indian government.
Did the RCMP think there were no safe vehicles in India or were they concerned over India’s security system? They must have had a good reason for spending over $21,000 an hour to get the PM’s own vehicles there. Maybe Mr. Harper could make fewer trips abroad.
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Premier Clark has reinstated the government’s Tourism BC, which was dumped by Gordon Campbell, with a Crown corporation, Destination BC. Let’s hope whoever is in charge of it will be fiscally responsible. Some Crown corps are out of control. After a government audit found problems at ICBC, the insurance company cut 250 staff, including top management.
That is expected to save $29 million next year, but severance pay could come to $26 million (at least) so insurance rates aren’t likely to drop for awhile.
Question. If the company can provide the same service with so many people gone, why were they there in the first place? ICBC isn’t the only Crown with money issues. A whopping $11 billion debt didn’t stop BC Hydro executives from getting bonuses of up to $100,000. Whoever runs BC Ferries isn’t doing such a wonderful job either, with high executive salaries and few passengers. Is nobody minding the store?
Diana French is a former Tribune editor, freelance columnist for the Tribune, retired teacher, historian, and book author.
