In truth, no one ever told us that "it couldn't be done." Improbable as the idea of a regional, conservative newsmagazine may have seemed 10 years ago, the fact is British Columbians initially greeted the concept with either enthusiasm or disdain. Surprisingly, scepticism about the project was virtually non-existent. It seems that those who shared our view of the world were confident the magazine would succeed, while those who opposed us merely feared that it would. Either way, both sides figured we would make the thing work.

Moreover, scepticism was a word that Ted Byfield did not recognize. BC Report's founder was and is a man of unbridled optimism and almost limitless energy. He had already established Alberta Report on the other side of the Rockies, and was sure that a B.C. version of the magazine would work. Conveniently overlooked in typical Byfieldian fashion was the fact that his similar confidence in a pan-Western magazine had proved unfounded.

Ted was clearly correct on at least one important count about BC Report: the province badly needed a conservative-minded publication to counter the weight of B.C.'s predominately liberal press, then epitomized by the Vancouver Sun, which, a decade ago, was surely one of the most left-wing daily newspapers on the continent. But Ted was no media baron who, like Conrad Black with his National Post, was able to pour millions of dollars of start-up money into a new publishing project. The exact opposite was true for Ted and BC Report and that has made our existence a veritable roller-coaster ride, which, although often hair-raising, has happily been a long one.

For that we must thank not only our long-term subscribers and advertisers, but some other important people as well. Let us start with our trio of majority owners, Mr. Byfield, Don Graves and John Scrymgeour. The latter two names are rarely mentioned in this magazine, but BC Report would assuredly not exist without their support. If we could afford some champagne, we would be raising a glass to them now.

The several hundred subscribers who bought shares in B.C. Report Magazine Ltd. in the early 1990s match their patience. To date, they have seen no return on their investment; nevertheless, we receive remarkably few complaints about this. Rather, our minority shareholders tell us the editorial product they receive twice a month is a far more important dividend than a cheque in the mail every quarter. In an age noted for its rampant materialism, this attitude is remarkable and much appreciated. Such faith in the magazine is shared by the hundreds more readers who continue to donate money to keep the magazine on an even keel. For their selfless charity they receive our continuing thanks and our promise to keep producing the best magazine possible.

Any history of BC Report that concentrates solely on our financial travails would miss the point, however. More important is what we have accomplished editorially over the past 10 years. Our editors, writers and photographers have been neither the highest paid nor the most lauded, but year in and year out, they have produced an editorial product that is second to none in the country.

They have certainly had—and continue to have—rich raw material with which to work. B.C. is simply the most fascinating province in the country. Consider the following:

• The political scene, steeped as it is in the divisions caused by the unyielding grip of Marxist thought, is war-like. Will the NDP implode? How much more damage can Glen Clark inflict on the province? Can we trust Gordon Campbell?
  
  

• The economy is in the midst of a fundamental transition. How many more jobs will be lost in the resource sector? Can a "new economy" arise in a high-tax environment?
  
  

• Families are enduring evermore stresses and strains. Will youth crime worsen? What are the long-term effects of single parenthood and divorce?
  
  

• The medicare system is on the verge of self-inflicted collapse. How much longer can the government deny British Columbians the right to buy better quality healthcare? Should doctors be free to extra-bill?

We do not have all the answers (who does?), but we believe that we at least know the questions to ask. And that is because our commitment to seeking objective truth in an increasingly relativistic world is unwavering.

This commitment, and all that it entails, will continue to manifest itself in every story we will cover in the coming years. Furthermore, we will continue to respect the integrity of individual freedoms in the face of attacks from the proponents of group rights; we will support the right to life for the unborn, the sick and the aged in an era that increasingly embraces a culture of death; we will fight for democracy against the forces of authoritarianism that are permeating our society; and we will stand on the side of the rule of law and against the special-interest pleadings that have so corrupted our justice system.

And so we begin our second decade. We may not be the slickest publication around, but what we aim to achieve cannot be found in the fashion spreads, profiles of show business personalities and weight-loss tips that are so common to other magazines. We've got far more important matters to deal with. The fun has only just begun.

Along with Ted and Virginia Byfield, Terry O'Neill has worked at BC Report since its inception in 1989. He began as senior writer and was promoted a year later to associate editor and associate publisher. Soon after, he became editor in chief and associate publisher, positions he continues to hold today. BCR

see related story: Events of a decade

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