Did you know that B.C. can decriminalize marijuana? Indeed, any Canadian province could decriminalize marijuana possession at any time. Provinces have all kinds of legal options when it comes to dealing with possession of marijuana. We know what the RCMP's preferred option is: more arrests and more charges for marijuana possession. The RCMP have increased marijuana possession charges across Canada by about 30 per cent since Harper came to power. In B.C. the increase has been the greatest: there was a 211 per cent increase in pot possession charges between 2005 and 2011.

VICTORIA - Premier Christy Clark will run in a Kelowna-area safe seat after one of her cabinet ministers agreed to step aside to ensure she has a plac...

VICTORIA - Premier Christy Clark will introduce a cabinet Friday that includes a new natural gas ministry and a team of ministers focused on growing B...

VANCOUVER - B.C. Premier Christy Clark is starting to put a stamp on her new government by re-appointing some old faces.Clark says in a news release D...

VANCOUVER - The final count of ballots is now complete, and only one riding has changed hands in favour of the New Democratic Party since election nig...

I felt a huge lump in the pit of my stomach, mouth agape, as I looked in shock at the TV in the corner of the room. CTV News declared a Majority Liberal government. How did this happen? Angry and bitter, I wanted heads to roll.

"As leader of the BC NDP, I take full responsibility for this defeat...no ifs, ands or buts." That's what Adrian Dix told reporters at a news conference last Wednesday, following his party's surprise failure to win the recent provincial election. Nevertheless, there are many more people who should be shouldering that responsibility. But the press hasn't made it easy for the public or party members to finger who those people are.

I've had conversations with some in the media and I've yet to see someone quote me, so I'll say it here; we are insular and provincial in B.C. And unless we ignore the Alex Tsakumises of the world when they piously bleat about the Premier being unfit for office because she showed some goodwill and good nature by sharing a joke about MILFs with a radio host (who was fired for it btw), or ignore the media prattling on for weeks because of a dancing penis prank on a gay MLA (I've yet to meet gays who don't enjoy dick jokes) we are going to reap what we sow -- which is small numbers of people running for public office and even less numbers qualified to run for premier.

The B.C. provincial government has been throwing around some big numbers and promises with the planned expansion of natural gas operations, but one large number missing in the discussion is the millions of tonnes of heat-trapping methane gas they are not reporting in official government documents. And, with the planned expansion of natural gas extraction and exports, B.C.'s climate targets are set to rise by as much as 25 per cent, or the equivalent of adding three million cars to our province's roads.

British Columbians, both voters and politicians, who care about democracy need to start talking about electoral reform again. A minority of voters elected a B.C. Liberal majority government. Here's one way Legislature can one day be reflective of the people you see on the streets of every city, town and village across the province.

VANCOUVER - Passing a balanced budget, going on a trade mission to Asia, and establishing labour peace with teachers are among B.C. Premier Christy Cl...

Over 35 years, the NDP has seen its share of the popular vote decline and its actual vote stall, despite an electorate that has nearly doubled in size over the same period. Parties that don't grow their base lose and risk withering away. The message for the NDP in all these numbers is ominous and it's not just about Adrian Dix. It may have more to do with the brand.

VANCOUVER - British Columbia's NDP leader says he takes "full responsibility" for the party's devastating election loss, but Adrian Dix plans to conti...

Since 2009, the Liberals have shuffled ministers in and out of the Ministers of Citizens' Services and Open Government role so quickly that there's hardly been a chance to make any meaningful progress.

HEDLEY, B.C. - Adrian Dix was inside the Hitching Post Restaurant drinking from a mug stamped with twin six-shooters while outside on the old mining t...

OTTAWA -- British Columbia's stunning election upset has turned on its head one of the strongest arguments pollsters have always used against banning ...

Last September, while swimming against a tidal wave of negative public opinion, I predicted the BC Liberal Party led by Premier Christy Clark would win the May 2013 election. Understandably, most readers scoffed. I can assure you that I am no Nostradamus. Don't bother asking me which stock to pick or what the 649 Lottery numbers will be. Rather, I relish being a contrarian. It is my nature to question the prevailing view on a range of topics - politics in particular - and to hopefully stir intelligent debate.

VANCOUVER - The surprising electoral loss of British Columbia's New Democrats this week should not trigger a leadership race, the party's president sa...

I think both the NDP and the Greens owe it to the public to make a peace treaty and find a way to show everyone that we can work together for solutions that are good for people and the planet. This is an important lesson for us to learn before the upcoming federal election, while we still have time to find ways to work together. Big Oil won a battle this week but they haven't won the war.

The BC Liberals and particularly Premier Christy Clark deserve the praise they're receiving for their surprise electoral victory. After all, the Liberals reversed a double-digit deficit in the polls and ended up securing a majority government. This moment of jubilation for the Liberals and their supporters will be short-lived however, as the reality of governing in difficult times takes hold. The litmus test for the success of this government, which they themselves established, is the success of the economy and in particular, jobs.

Obviously, the face of B.C., quite literally, is changing. Immigrants account for 45 per cent of the population in Vancouver, 52 per cent in Surrey, 59 per cent in Burnaby and 70 per cent in Richmond. Immigrant populations are rising everywhere, even in the whitest regions of the province. And they aren't buying what the NDP is selling. Big government. Vast social programs. Union allegiance.

CALGARY - Oil pipelines to the West Coast may have a better chance of being built with the Liberals hanging on to power in British Columbia than had t...