1986 replies to this topic

[Sparky]

I think it’s Socialism.

[Matt R.]

How did the homelessness explode in the last 5 years?

Did people ferry over there and discover there weren’t enough houses for them to live in?

Yes.

And also the proliferation of Airbnb of course.

[Sparky]

So when they arrive and find that there is no place for them to live… they just give up and live in their car?

[Mike K.]

The NDP used a reasoning akin to "some communities with high rates of non-permanent housing may be negatively affected by a speculation tax," i.e. places where a huge portion of people do, in fact, have vacation homes. Places like Qualicum, the government decided, and the Gulf Islands.

 

Also, the NDP recently quietly admitted that our real-estate woes never were related to foreign ownership, but a lack of supply. The boogeyman that was foreign ownership was easy politics, though. In reality the spec tax has done more harm than good for society at-large, where people with generations-long vacation holdings that spent good money when visiting our cities (and absorbed little in the way of municipal services they pay for year-round) were forced to sell their holdings, or had to divert significant funds from elsewhere to pay into the taxation abyss. Ultimately, the spec tax made no difference, at all, to rental vacancy rates and attainable homeownership.

[Matt R.]

So when they arrive and find that there is no place for them to live… they just give up and live in their car?

Yup.

[max.bravo]

The NDP used a reasoning akin to "some communities with high rates of non-permanent housing may be negatively affected by a speculation tax," i.e. places where a huge portion of people do, in fact, have vacation homes. Places like Qualicum, the government decided, and the Gulf Islands.

Also, the NDP recently quietly admitted that our real-estate woes never were related to foreign ownership, but a lack of supply. The boogeyman that was foreign ownership was easy politics, though. In reality the spec tax has done more harm than good for society at-large, where people with generations-long vacation holdings that spent good money when visiting our cities (and absorbed little in the way of municipal services they pay for year-round) were forced to sell their holdings, or had to divert significant funds from elsewhere to pay into the taxation abyss. Ultimately, the spec tax made no difference, at all, to rental vacancy rates and attainable homeownership.

Not to mention the larger effects of policies that limit personal freedom and property rights, and promote communism. This is why people like Joe Rogan start declaring Canada communist. If he thinks Trudeau is a dictator he should look at BC politics.

This kinda stuff hurts our reputation internationally.

[Nparker]

...The boogeyman that was foreign ownership was easy politics...Ultimately, the spec tax made no difference, at all, to rental vacancy rates...

Do you think any member of the NDP would ever admit this?

[max.bravo]

Do you think any member of the NDP would ever admit this?

They’d have to admit vaccines don’t prevent transmission first

[Mike K.]

Yes, they admitted it by saying foreign ownership wasn’t an issue.

[Nparker]

Yes, they admitted it by saying foreign ownership wasn’t an issue.

But they haven't admitted what the speculation tax has accomplished.

[Nparker]

[Grace Lore's office has]...been closed for Covid for 2.5 years. You're paying the rent for her downtown office, while her staff works from home.

This is unacceptable. There is no justifiable reason not to have a constituency office open to the public now.

[JimV]

My housekeeper is working from home too.  She emailed me a list of what to do.

[Victoria Watcher]

Premier says he may copy Central Saanich couple who took out newspaper ad looking for doctor

Janet Mort said she’s not happy she and her husband had to resort to public actions to get health care and she’s offended by Premier John Horgan’s response.

https://www.timescol...-doctor-5656829

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 04 August 2022 - 01:19 AM.

[dasmo]

“Maybe I’ll take out an ad in the paper, I don’t know,”

[Nparker]

Sure Mr. Horgan, by all means, make light of BC residents who are desperate for some sort of medical care.

[todd]

I thought it was funny.

[phx]

I thought it was funny.

There’s not much to do but laugh at the absurdity.

[Mike K.]

Crazy thing is, is four years ago we didn’t believe health care in BC could get any worse.

[Nparker]

And let's not fool ourselves into believing that healthcare in BC has hit rock bottom yet either.

[todd]

Mexico is looking like a bit better choice to live every day.