Stopping the Socialist Trainwreck in British Columbia | John Rustad | EP 477

Coming up (0s)

• The number of people in British Columbia dying every day while waiting for surgery or diagnostic services is comparable to the number of people dying from the opioid crisis. (10s)
• This information is not being discussed publicly. (11s)
• The number of deaths in British Columbia of people on waiting lists for surgery and diagnostic services is comparable to the number of deaths from drug overdoses. (25s)

Intro (31s)

• British Columbia is a Canadian province with abundant natural resources, strategically located on the coast for global resource transportation. (54s)
• The province has a history of a strong Left-Right political divide, with the New Democratic Party, a left-leaning party, having governed for several years. (1m23s)
• The upcoming election in British Columbia is significant, similar to the Canadian federal election, as there is hope for a political shift in the province. (2m44s)

Why British Columbia is such an important province (3m7s)

• British Columbia, located on the west coast of Canada, serves as a major port and gateway for the country, facilitating the movement of goods, particularly from Asia, to the United States. (3m32s)
• The province is abundant in natural resources, including oil, gas, minerals, and forestry, and also boasts a thriving technology sector. (3m49s)
• British Columbia's political landscape is characterized by dramatic shifts between radically left and conservative governments. (4m14s)

Resource management and how the political left has abandoned the poor (4m35s)

• Germany now pollutes more per kilowatt of energy produced under “green regimes” than it did under “pure capitalism”. (5m16s)
• 2.4 billion people have been lifted out of poverty because of affordable energy. (6m16s)
• There are one billion people in the world that do not have electricity. (6m28s)

Nitrogen-based fertilizer is responsible for 40 percent of the world’s food supply (10m49s)

• Forty percent of the global food supply relies on nitrogen-based fertilizer. (11m29s)
• Thirty-four percent of the food consumed in British Columbia is produced within the province. (11m59s)
• Governments worldwide are considering reducing food production. (12m18s)

The clear correlation between affordable energy and prosperity (12m55s)

• There is a correlation between affordable energy, quality of life, and the ability for people to plan for the future. (13m31s)
• Rising energy prices, partially caused by carbon taxes, are negatively impacting the quality of life in British Columbia. (15m18s)
• High costs of living, including energy, are causing many people, especially young people, to consider leaving British Columbia. (15m28s)

Wind and solar (18m52s)

• Windmills are considered aesthetically unappealing and detrimental to the natural landscapes where they are placed. (18m59s)
• Solar panels have a limited lifespan, are vulnerable to damage from hailstorms, require significant energy to manufacture, and often rely on unethical labor practices. (19m28s)
• Both wind and solar power become increasingly expensive as availability decreases, necessitating backup systems and leading to increased reliance on fossil fuels, as seen in Germany. (19m51s)

Higher density energy (20m43s)

• Wind and solar power are not baseload energy sources and cannot be relied upon as the primary source of energy. (20m47s)
• Nuclear power, specifically uranium, is far more energy-dense than other sources like wood, coal, oil, and natural gas, requiring less material to generate the same amount of energy. (21m29s)
• British Columbia relies heavily on hydroelectric power, but it is insufficient to meet the increasing energy demands, particularly with the push for heat pumps over natural gas heating. (24m29s)

The net good of increased carbon, why the leftists won’t accept nuclear (25m4s)

• NASA reported findings show the planet has become 20% greener since the year 2000, with crops becoming 13-15% more productive due to increased carbon dioxide. (25m33s)
• Increased carbon dioxide has led to the shrinking of deserts, which is a net positive for the environment. (26m4s)
• Driving up the cost of goods through carbon taxes and other policies makes it difficult to compete on a global scale, leading to a loss of market share and a decrease in GDP growth. (28m47s)

Canada is being influenced by foreign powers (29m12s)

• Canada's GDP per capita is 60% of that of the United States, meaning the typical American is twice as wealthy as the typical Canadian. (29m12s)
• Canada's housing costs are generally twice as high as in the United States. (29m36s)
• Canada should focus on its role as a provider of raw materials to the world, including energy resources. (31m19s)
• Canada sells oil to the United States at a discount of $15-$20 per barrel, and the United States then profits by selling that oil to other countries. (31m42s)

A uniting ethos and the Canadian national identity (32m23s)

• The belief that Canada lacks a unifying national identity is described as preposterous and destructive. (32m42s)
• A hypothetical scenario is presented: if Canada were to be built from scratch today, what would be required to unite the provinces and territories, emphasizing the importance of trade and a clear understanding of powers and authorities. (32m55s)
• Canada is lauded as the best country in the world with abundant opportunities and potential, despite facing challenges due to mismanagement at various levels of government. (33m31s)

Socialists have run British Columbia for seven years (34m4s)

• The New Democratic Party has held power in British Columbia for seven years. (35m42s)
• Some of the consequences of this rule include a decline in quality of life, the loss of two-thirds of the forest sector, a decrease in investment, and a mass exodus from the province. (35m47s)
• Other consequences include a significant drug and addiction problem, and policies that are considered to be an assault on private property rights. (36m7s)

The natural resource curse (37m5s)

• Economies rich in natural resources are not necessarily wealthy. (37m22s)
• The most environmentally friendly product that British Columbia can produce is forest products. (39m32s)
• Indigenous land title claims may require compensation from the government, potentially bankrupting the province and increasing racial tensions. (44m57s)

What called John Rustad to politics (45m19s)

• He and his wife considered moving to Calgary in the 1990s due to dissatisfaction with BC politics under the NDP government. (46m19s)
• He started his own company, Western Geographic Information Systems, which provided data analysis services for the forest sector, including forest development plans and timber supply analysis. (46m43s)
• He became involved in politics in the early 2000s after deciding to stay in Prince George and work to change the political landscape rather than relocate. (47m11s)

Removed from caucus for a retweet, doubling his efforts (47m47s)

• An individual was removed from a political party caucus for retweeting a post that questioned the role of CO2 in climate change and discussed the Great Barrier Reef. (51m35s)
• This removal stemmed from the party leader's stance on climate change and their desire to be at the forefront of combating it, prioritizing this over differing viewpoints within the party. (50m57s)
• Following this removal, the individual joined the Conservative party, a smaller party at the time, and assumed a leadership role with the goal of revitalizing the party. (53m21s)

Strong marriage reinforces you through hardship (53m49s)

• A woman's recovery from cervical cancer helped strengthen her marriage. (56m45s)
• The woman encouraged her husband to enter politics because she saw a need in society. (57m37s)
• The most rewarding aspect of a career in politics is the ability to make decisions that improve people's lives. (59m58s)

Being of service to others, how the green movement is built on false virtue (1h1m13s)

• People who find gratification in serving others possess a deep paternal instinct and maturity. (1h2m24s)
• The pursuit of a utopian society often involves self-serving moralizing rather than genuine concern for the greater good. (1h3m44s)
• The willingness to sacrifice the well-being of the present poor for the sake of hypothetical future generations is considered borderline evil. (1h4m26s)

Preston Manning, how to gain support and rebuild a party (1h5m18s)

• Building a political party from scratch is difficult, but it can be done by bringing people together and creating a movement. (1h6m18s)
• The most effective way to build support is to connect with people on a personal level, listen to their concerns, and offer them a vision for change. (1h9m10s)
• People are looking for change because they are unhappy with the current state of society, including the economy, crime, and education. (1h9m30s)

Principles and a clear approach beat skepticism (1h10m7s)

• Principles are paramount, meaning aligning communication with core beliefs and values. (1h10m55s)
• Maintaining consistent principles builds trust and authenticity by demonstrating a steadfast commitment to values. (1h11m39s)
• Openly discussing issues and presenting a clear approach can sway skeptics and foster support. (1h11m24s)

Protecting women’s sports and children (1h11m57s)

• Biological men should not be allowed to compete against women and girls in sports in British Columbia. (1h12m44s)
• The speaker believes that children should not undergo sterilization procedures as they are not old enough to make those decisions. (1h15m14s)
• The speaker believes that the government should protect children, potentially up to the age of 18. (1h15m23s)

Addressing a crowd - do more than prepare a speech (1h15m55s)

• Initial crowds were small, but word-of-mouth led to their expansion. (1h16m6s)
• A desire for societal change and a belief in the importance of the presented values motivated continued engagement, even with small audiences. (1h17m6s)
• When speaking, the focus is on discussing problems and solutions related to topics such as education, healthcare, and the economy, with the specific topics tailored to the location of the audience. (1h18m39s)

The healthcare catastrophe across Canada: “dying waiting is not free” (1h18m51s)

• The Canadian healthcare system, once a point of pride, is facing challenges, particularly in the last five years, with individuals experiencing difficulties accessing physicians and facing long wait times for specialized care. (1h18m51s)
• The current healthcare system, while funded through taxes, comes with the hidden cost of prolonged suffering and potential deterioration of health while waiting for treatment. (1h19m45s)
• In British Columbia, the number of individuals dying while awaiting diagnostic services or surgery is comparable to the number of deaths attributed to the opioid crisis, a concerning statistic that highlights the severity of the healthcare situation. (1h21m4s)

Make the information public - the lack of clarity causes the loss of public trust (1h21m31s)

• There is a belief that the volume of information and scandals, particularly in Canadian politics, makes it difficult for the public to keep up. (1h21m31s)
• A proposal is made to change the Freedom of Information request process by proactively making all permissible information public. (1h22m6s)
• The goal of this proposal is to increase transparency, restore public trust in government, and allow for evaluation of political parties based on facts rather than spin. (1h22m40s)

More than winning: transitioning to a new government (1h23m2s)

• The speaker believes they are capable of managing and governing, citing their understanding of government processes and experience. (1h24m29s)
• The speaker highlights the diverse skill sets within their party, including lawyers, doctors, business people, farmers, and local politicians, some with prior government experience. (1h24m48s)
• Acknowledging the challenge of transitioning from the previous party's seven-year rule, the speaker emphasizes the need for a prepared team to implement necessary changes swiftly and effectively. (1h25m24s)

K-12 education, teacher certification (and who controls it) (1h26m31s)

• Faculties of Education are full of educational psychologists, a discipline that has produced many lies, including whole word learning, the anti-phonics movement, the self-esteem movement, and multiple intelligences. (1h28m17s)
• Faculties of Education have a hammerlock on teacher certification, even though there is no evidence that their training regimens produce qualified teachers. (1h29m12s)
• The education system in British Columbia is teaching kids what to think, not how to think, and is indoctrinating them with materials that are not neutral in terms of how the information is being provided. (1h30m10s)

Conservatives have operated for too long under apologetic neutrality (1h32m3s)

• Conservatives and classic liberals have historically made the mistake of responding with apologetic neutrality. (1h32m24s)
• Students lack knowledge about historical events like Stalinist Russia, highlighting a failure to adequately educate on the realities of communism. (1h32m54s)
• A fear of being criticized by the "woke mob" and being labeled as socially conservative has led to a reliance on neutrality, but it is no longer the time for such an approach. (1h33m42s)

Bearing past burdens while pushing for structural changes (1h35m23s)

• There are concerns about the potential negative impact of a statement that criticizes the institutions upon which society relies. (1h35m23s)
• The education system is given as an example of an institution that may require significant changes, potentially including the removal of underperforming teachers despite union resistance. (1h36m3s)
• Addressing the economy is presented as a top priority, with a focus on facilitating economic growth and creating an environment that encourages people to remain in British Columbia. (1h38m30s)

Priorities: mines, pipelines, natural gas, permits (1h39m42s)

• There are 17 mines that are either permitted or about to be permitted in British Columbia, representing a $38 billion investment that will generate between 20,000 and 30,000 jobs. (1h40m37s)
• Permits for three natural gas pipelines to the coast will start expiring in November of this year, and an order in council will be passed to give a 10-year extension to those permits. (1h41m4s)
• It takes two years or longer to get a warehouse built in British Columbia, while it takes three months south of the border, so a “one project, one permit” system will be implemented. (1h41m46s)