BC Liberal Americanization of Formerly Public Assets and Services:
Gordon Campbell’s Terrible Handling of BC’s Economy
By: SharingIsGood
Since coming to power, Gordon Campbell has allowed BC assets and services to become owned and controlled by exceedingly wealthy and powerful US individuals and corporations. If these powerful entities thought it prudent to buy assets and provide services for British Columbians, why did the BC government sell them? BC citizen tax dollars, user fees and utility bill payments have been contracted to go to the richest of Americans, and Campbell’s government is the one that has signed the contracts giving our money to them. We have been sold out!
BC Rail
Looking through CN Railway's financial statements a couple of months ago, I found that as a result of the purchase of BC Rail, CN has already made huge profits. Within the reports it was stated that a good deal of CN's improved financial position and profits came through the acquisition of BC Rail. It seems to me, even if the people of BC had wanted to sell the railway (which they didn't), Campbell chose the very worst time to sell.
With record use of BC Rail lines and equipment for transporting BC resources, CN has made great sums of money! Further, CN sold off BC Rail equipment, reduced service and reduced BC Rail staff. CN was also given huge tax breaks by Campbell for purchasing the railway. The Liberals stated they wanted to get the BC Rail debt off the books. Astute businessmen, CN found the BC Railway debt-to-assets ratio not to be anywhere near excessive. So here we have it: reduced payroll for a reduced (BC Rail) staff, reduced taxes from that payroll, and a tax break to CN. Campbell's terrible business skills were, again, working against BC citizens.
Note: Bill Gates invested heavily in CN concurrent with the sale of BC Rail. He became its largest shareholder in 2006. I, for one, don't believe Gates (the richest man in the world) would buy into a losing proposition.
Bill Gates, with his 32% share of CN Railway, now owns 32% of what used to be BC Rail?
Notice that CN had an average annual earnings growth of 37.6% over the five year period: 2004 through 2008.
http://www.teamstersrail.ca/TCRC_News_March_6_2009.htm
http://www.teamstersrail.ca/TCRC_News_March_6_2009.htm
CN Financial statements available through this link:
http://www.corporateinformation.com/Company-Snapshot.aspx?cusip=C12437280
http://www.corporateinformation.com/Company-Snapshot.aspx?cusip=C12437280
BC Hydro
Plutonic Power holds the bulk of the new IPP “Run of River” power generation applications and development. Through a financing agreement, General Electric holds 49% stake in the company and is will receive 60% of the profits from the generation of electricity by Plutonic Power. Warren Buffet, the 2nd richest man in the world owns Berkshire Hathaway which in turn holds gobs of GE; and, while GE has been investing in Plutonic Power, Berkshire Hathaway has been buying more heavily into GE. I don’t believe that Warren Buffet would allow his company to invest billions in anything but a sure thing. In the end, billions and billions will come out of BC citizens’ pockets and into Warren Buffet’s.
Though the environmental degradation is thought by many to be the worst factor in opening these private projects for a pittance of a fee, if one cares neither about the Salmon nor the forests, then one should (at the very least) care about money and maintaining control of our rivers. The Liberals claim that the rivers are only being controlled by the rich Americans for 45 years (at which time their contracts are up). In reality, under NAFTA, it will be next to impossible to take the rivers back. Our great-grandchildren will most likely continue lining the pockets of the Warren Buffet/General Electric empire.
BC Gas:
Under Campbell BC Gas was made into Terasen Gas which was then sold to the Texas-based Kinder Morgan which then became part of the Carlysle Group.
The Carlyse Group is the World’s LARGEST private equity firm. The Campbell government sold off your gas company to a private corporation owned controlled by some of the world’s most rich and powerful people. Though there are many current and past famous people within this group; some are quite notable; some are thought to be notorious.
George H W Bush was senior advisor to the Carlysle group from Apr. 1998 to Oct. 2003. Donald Rumsfeld (Former US Secretary of Defence) was Chairman Emeritus from 1998 - 2005. James Baker III: Carlysle Senior Counselor 1993-2005. Etc.
BC Medical Insurance Corporation - Maximus:
Under the Liberals, Texas-based Maximus took over the record keeping of BC Medical records. This includes any psychological, psychiatric or addictions treatment performed by any BC health care professional. The cost of this service is higher than had it been kept in house. The cost has jumped 60% since the company took over our records in 2004. Maximus’ profits are up too. More notable than the loss of jobs and capital to the US corporation, however, is the threat to BC citizens’ right to privacy. Under the USA Patriot Act, all records transported (even digitally) across the border to the US are subject to warrantless searches by arms of the US government which includes the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and the CIA. Canadian Citizens have no rights in the USA. Maximus does consulting with government bodies in the US. They provide services for the US government. This puts this US-based consulting company in charge of your BC-based documents. Could this be a conflict of interest? Is Big Brother is watching you?
Notable is a $30.2 million (US) Medcaid Fraud settlement paid by Maximus.
Maximus Settles Fraud Case for $30.5 Million
Suit Alleged False Medicaid Claims
By Alejandro Lazo
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 24, 2007; Page D04
Tuesday, July 24, 2007; Page D04
(snip) “In the legal case, Maximus neither admitted nor denied the government's allegations. The government alleged that Maximus had helped the District of Columbia's Child and Family Services Agency submit false claims to the Medicaid program.
The U.S. government had previously recovered $12.15 million from the Child and Family Services Agency, bringing the total collected to $42.65 million.” (snip)
This is the parent company of the company that handles our medical records.
BC Family Maintenance Enforcement Program – Maximus/Themis:
All Family Maintenance records are controlled by Themis which is a subsidiary of Maximus. Should Themis send any of these records to the parent company (for backup storage etc.) in the USA, these records are also subject to Patriot Act warrantless searches.
BC Public Schools Records:
Permanent records and records of individual student programming is conducted utilizing the BCESIS program. This includes the records of behaviour or emotional problems and the prescribed treatments for those problems.
BCESIS is owned by Oracle Canada, a subsidiary of the Oracle Corporation. Oracle can be found in the data centres of 100 of the Global Fortune 100 companies. Oracle is first answerable to its stockholders, and secondly answerable to any governments with which it does business. Oracle controlled by Redwood Shores which, in turn, is controlled by USA founder and CEO, Larry Ellison. Larry Ellison is the 3rd richest American and the 4th richest person in the world. Larry Ellison makes money on every student data file stored by the BC Ministry of Education.
http://www.oracle.com/corporate/story.html
ICBC:
The Oracle Corporation now stores and controls ICBC data – including driving infractions and arrest records. Larry Ellison makes money off of every record that ICBC has on you.
So there we have it, the very wealthiest and most powerful people in the world (Americans: Gates, Buffet, & Carlysle Group) thought it prudent to buy BC Rail, BC Gas, and BC Run of River Hydro production. On top of that, Ellison (the 3rd richest American) enjoys huge profits for managing the databases containing the education, health and ICBC records of every BC Citizen. BC citizens have been had in the worst way. Gordon Campbell has even refused to talk to us after he has had his way. I feel so unclean.
The author wishes no copyright for any of his writing above; please feel free to distribute his words as you wish.
Stumble It!
I considered a labour of my love for all things Campbell, LOL, ROFLMAO!!!!
Strong enough to sell off everything.
Ed Deak.
Maybe, Ed. If the NDP do get in, Campbell will sail off into the sunset, his teflon coating intact (much like Cretien), perhaps to the beckoning sounds of the hula dance, his directorships all intact, and leaving us to clean up the mess.
The whole thing is totally incomprehensible, but I was listening for 3 years after the war to the Austrians praising Hitler, so I'm not surprised.
Ed Deak.
CBC radio had a lawyer on who said the excuse of, they can't comment on the BC rail deal because it is before the courts, is total bullshit, as long as the case is before a judge and not a jury.
It is disgusting that anyone, let alone so many ,are still willing to vote for such an asshole.
Brent
I think where Canada has been able to fall down (other than through the fact that most Canadians get their worldview from TV programming) has been the encroachment of the individual's right seemingly having greater sway over the rights of society. Before the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, it was the established practise that an individual had basic rights and freedoms, just as long as the greater society was not going to be hurt by the exercizing of those rights. We have long had the creating of "people" through "incorporation". With the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, those nonbreathing entities seem to be treated as though they are entitled to a individual person's rights. Under NAFTA, "capital"- laden multinational corporations from the US are now able to acquire what has always been thought to be the public's assets. The created individuals, corporations, have more rights than society - people. When corporations and society battle, it is hard for society to win because the corporation has no face and society quite rightfully never provides kickbacks and directorships to politicians for doing what was is just for society.
When a profitable business fires well paid, full time workers and replaces them with minimum wage part timers, or overcapitalized automation, to increase the profits, and executive salaries, it is the stripping of people of their rights to make a decent living and outright theft, even if it is hidden under the lie of "property rights".
Property rights are not a licence for theft and criminal actions.
Another thing is the immediate citizenship rights of foreign corporations the minute they enter the country. If corporations are legally considered as "persons", they should go through the same waiting and trial period to pass for citizenship rights.
Foreign investors bring nothing to a country. Their plan, and intention is to take, and even rob, steal and in certain cases, commit mass murder , therefore are of no economic, or societal benefit to any country.
Foreign investment is a racket and fraud.
Ed Deak.
According to some religions killing in the "Defence of the Faith" is not a murder and not a sin and those who die while doing it are spirited immediately to the Seventh Heaven.
The pseudo religion of neoclassical economics is also based on such faith based dogmas that permit the destruction of the Earth and humanity, as long as somebody makes a profit.
Ed Deak
I have just made up some posters saying
"If we don't enhance the greed motive, we won't be able to get good people into politics." Gordon Campbell
"We think voters are stupid enough to base their votes on the price of beer." Gordon Van der Campbell
Brent