Veniez: "For some reason, our political leadership thinks that we're idiots sometimes."

"I'm looking at it because I've got pretty significant experience in manufacturing in the pulp and paper sector - the lumber sector in particular in Howe Sound and Powell River are going through very tough times," he responded, referencing his work as Repap Enterprises Inc.'s senior vice-president and of New Skeena Forest Products Inc.'s chief executive officer.

"I've got a strong interest - just on a personal level, in some of my volunteer activities - with aboriginal issues and First Nations across B.C. Although it's not a big part of the population in West Vancouver, it's a big issue as far as West Van, Vancouver proper and B.C. is concerned."

"It's got a really nice mix of heartland communities and urban. The population mix, frankly, are folks where I'm from. I'm from the East Island of Montreal - literally the other side of the tracks. Folks who are union members, working class. So you have that. And I've become one of the gentrified West Van-types. So, quite frankly, I gravitate nicely on both sides of that so-called divide - and it is a divide, there's no question about it," he continued.

As for what he hopes to do, should he run for public office, Mr. Veniez said, "I'm turned on my having an opportunity to have a platform to communicate pretty aggressively about what we stand for and to inspire some hope - at least play some small part in reminding people just how lucky we are - and being straight with people."

"It's one of the things that has really been a catalyst for me. For some reason, our political leadership thinks that we're idiots sometimes. My old man is my model in this respect. He never aims, obviously, to cause any harm. But he's always straight. It's always from the heart. And it's always based on a pretty cogent and lucid analysis of whatever it is he's looking at. I've always been strongly of the view that if you're straight with people - whether it's good news or bad news - they'll respect you for it and they'll line up with you. And that's something that's missing."

"In health care, for example, we're just not straight with Canadians about what we have to do to repair that system so that it works. The Indian Act is something else that I care about," he said, describing the legislation as a "constitutional, legislative set of handcuffs" for aboriginal peoples. But he had the most to say about market and economic growth issues.

"We're throwing money at these bogus projects under the stimulus program and we're putting in jeopardy our fiscal framework while there's absolutely a huge amount that we could be doing to engage in regulatory stimulus," stated Mr. Veniez.

"There's an awful lot of stuff that is out there that is either federal jurisdiction or provincial jurisdiction that is wasteful or inefficient that is wasteful and inefficient and acts as an impediment to investment. I'm not talking about what the did in the U.S. - deregulating the hell out of something that needs sharp regulation."

"But, for example, overlapping jurisdictions on environmental assessments - it's costly, it's time consuming, it's a disincentive for investment to come. Stuff like the Forest Act. Again, it's provincial jurisdiction. But there's such huge roadblocks to investment in the sector."

"We've got to reshape a number of things to help us grow on an economically sustainable basis. They're within our grasp. But, for some reason, we don't have either the political courage to deal with those issues or they're not sexy enough. It's more sexy to cut a ribbon and give a cheque."

"What I don't get is when I see a picture of a politician handing out a cheque, he's handing us back our money and he's taking credit for it which, for me, is a bit perverse. And I don't know if I'd ever make it in this game thinking this way and speaking this way. But that's the kind of MP I'll be if I ever become one."