If you were finance minister for your province,

[Big Blue Machine]

I don't think we need the militia to handle Riots. More money into the police force, but not the militia.

[Stoker]

I don't think we need the militia to handle Riots. More money into the police force, but not the militia.

Why's that? I'm sure they would have come in handy in Vancouver during the last APEC summit/Canucks playoff defeat/Guns and Roses concert

[playfullfellow]

Don't we sort of have two-tier school system?

Not enough of a two tier education system as far as I am concerned. The present system is for smart kids and for the other kids to slide through school with no labour or life skills. Why not get industry to sponsor programs like woodworking, carpentry, electrical etc. We have enough kids who can play pacman. Do you know how many young people out there can't even add numbers like 21 and 33 without a calculator? Our education system has too much of a feel good attitude without teaching our kids the very basic skills in life.

I would also like to see that every 3-5 years, a general consensus be taken to see what direction the people of the province want to head. What areas people feel the rpovince can improve on.

[Big Blue Machine]

Ok

[Big Blue Machine]

Anyone else for budget ideas?

[Reverend Blair]

I'd prefer one tier that incorporated the university-biased system we have now with trades and arts. I went out of my way to learn a bit of each, although I thought I was just having fun, not going out of my way, and it wasn't easy.

The result is that I can write a sentence (except for the one in the last paragraph ); understand layouts etc, draw a thumbnail sketch that gets my point across (no artistic talent there, sorry); and build a simple house.

We don't need a two-tiered system, we need a system that turns out people who can do many things.

[Big Blue Machine]

Everyone has different opinions on how things should be run.

[Reverend Blair]

I prefer that things should be walked. Haste makes dead bodies in the ditch, after all.

[Big Blue Machine]

What?

[caesar]

I would stop all patronage appointments; These are a big drain on taxpayer's money especially in a province like BC where we change from one governing party to the other every election. Crown Corporations should be run by people within the industry;someone who knows the company and what is required. Governments give these positions to friends of the party; the previous CEO or whatever the position is; is fired with a large severance package and pension. Outgoing politcal MP or MLAs leave government with big severance pay and pensions. I believe one appointee in Health management of some kind was paid off without ever taking office. BC Hydro seems to get a new CEO every year or so with the outgoing one leaving with a big chunk of taxpayer's money. These positions should be hired on merit for the job not his political leanings.

[Big Blue Machine]

Whats wrong with political patronage? There is a differece between patronage and conflict of interest.

[caesar]

What is wrong????? besides the continual changes; why should we not want long term qualified persons from within the industry to run these operations. Political patronage is not in our best business interests. Constant turnovers cost taxpayers money for unqualified people; listen to some of the severance packages these characters get for a couple years work. To be truly effective CEO would take a while to effectively know the ins and outs , customer base, etc particulars of a company. GEESH. Blue better do a little more research.

[playfullfellow]

We don't need a two-tiered system, we need a system that turns out people who can do many things.

In theory I agree with you Rev but how many people do you know that are multi talented now a days? Most people cant even walk and chew bubble gum at the same time. I have also been through some post graduate education, taken lots of evening classes and taken people management courses. Add to this reading tonnes of books on subjects I want to learn about. Being in construction, I get a lot of people approaching me for a job, especially kids who quit school and want to make money. Most of them can't even do basic math or know how to use a tape measurer and trying to teach them basic construction is very time consuming. I think about 1 in 10 works out. The school I went to, rural type school, had a very high emphasis on having a very good industrial ed program for the kids who didn't want to go the book route. Most of the kids from grad class have their own businesses, are foremen or have risen in the companies they work for.

Why not let the kids who want to work with their hands have a choice? Everything nowadays seems to be about letting our kids chose, why not let them have a choice in learning something that might actually help them land a job? As you stated Rev, you have run crews, watched guys sweat on the business end of a shovel, wouldn't it be nice to hire a young person from school who actually had an idea what a mitre saw was or a number 8 robertson screwdriver? It would sure make my life a lot easier and potentially allow me to pay someone a little higher wage to start with, less training time taken into account.

[Big Blue Machine]

the school system publicly funded of course

[playfullfellow]

the school system publicly funded of course

Yeah, but why couldn't we look into getting some business related sponsorship. You take our area, we are in very short supply of skilled labour in the construction industry. Why can't the local construction associations help fund a program that would ensure we get kids that have at least the basic skills when they are done in school? This way, local school districts can build programs that train kids for jobs that need the most people in a certain area. An incentive to keep our kids in a local area.

[Big Blue Machine]

That's a good idea.