Opinion

Do you think you can rely on the alerts sent to your phone?

"Here's my hope for all would-be politicians — leave the office better than you found it."

See if you can note the difference between the responses of the two candidates for mayor.

"We've been pondering how to cover this municipal election."

It has been fun and I appreciate those loyal readers who have laughed, cried and been angry about the many topics that entered my mind before finding their way onto my iPad and then into this column.

This is where cold hard facts give way to the hottest of takes, mostly mine…

"It’s still unusual in BC politics, unprecedented in my experience, different, new, worthy of public note but also a growing concern if you count fellow rogue MLAs Dallas Brodie and Tara Armstrong on this pole."

"There’s a common denominator in these many public and private conflicts, a personal tactic and method antithetical to the cooperation and good will required for good politics let alone good government. Voters need to know about and decide if this Trumpian strategy of frightening, silencing and punishing critics is for them."

Like rats fleeing a sinking ship, those who have tied themselves inextricably to Donald J. Trump are in trouble.

"The confusion over cause and effect continues, although in Canada we tend to treat it as a feature, not a bug."

"It’s embarrassing - at best - to run out of fuel…cars swerving and people yelling insults as they pass…as if you intended your stupidity."

"One reader persistently tells me "there is way too much political topics" here and they are looking for more 'simple good feeling stuff'."

"There are people, for example, who will not travel on the 13th day of any month…and even structure their decisions and lives around avoiding the number."

"I'm starting to get a disturbingly familiar feeling about Prime Minister Mark Carney."

"It’s like panning for gold…the nuggets are few and far between."

We're supposed to be streamlining developments like Ignition's plan for the Tranquille property in Kamloops.

"Nobel-Prize-winning economists and other experts agree that the cost of the war with Iran to Americans - even if it stops this year - will exceed $1 Trillion, that’s Trillion. And, more people will die, unnecessarily."

"The First Nations that sent their children to that school owe neither me nor you anything."

"A bad penny has a way of showing up, time and time again."

"If you’ve been reading this newsletter for any time, you know how badly I wanted to tell you this week that the campaign to recall Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream MLA Tara Armstrong was on."

"There is good reason to worry about America."

"It looks like they are abandoning any pretext of being a home for centrist-right voters."

"A week in 98-degree F with 98 percent humidity will make you wish you were knee-deep in snow. Better yet, go after President Trump leaves office…and you’ll have a better political climate, as well."