I’ve thought a lot about what I wanted to say to everyone on the day of one of the most important elections in BC history.
I could tell you that you must vote for the NDP, or at least should. I could try and convince you all the reasons why voting for anyone else is wrong, and why voting for the NDP is right, but I will do neither.
Instead, I’m going to tell you what I told my daughter when she asked me about why I am voting for Carol James and the NDP.
” Because she understands what it is like to be a mother trying to do her best for her kids and going to bed hungry sometimes.”
” Because despite being the public service for years, she has not forgotten from where she’s come and where she’s going.”
” Because ( unlike Gordon Campbell) she gets that simply ” having a job ” is not nearly the same as making it.”
” Because she knows students, youth and single adults everywhere in this province are going to have to choose between food and rent – even with a job and having visited the food bank- and she plans to help those people.”
“Because I want my children, and my children’s children to have the same luxury of accessing and enjoying the great BC outdoors that I did.”
” Because she knows that we are British Columbians, not Americans, and therefore we shouldn’t be handing over our best resources to them on a silver platter.I believe that Carol will do everything she can to ensure local sustainability. ”
” Because she values the ordinary British Columbian and understands that it is them and their fathers that this province was built on, NOT the corporate back-room policy deal makers who are friends with men who have fat wallets. “
” Because I honestly believe that she will do what she can to stop the rape( and yes I call it rape) of our beautiful coastlines, our old-growth forests, our native salmon, our rivers and mountains and inlets and islands and everything else that makes this Beautiful Wild BC.”
” Because most of all, more than anyone else, I feel that she is our only viable option to save what is left of our province and the people who made it what it is , and who we are. “
Whew.
You see, I’ve never been so involved, so interested and engaged in any election previous to this one. Over the course of the last year, something changed inside of me. I really can’t put a finger on what it was, but I write so often about the incredulous things Gordon Campbell does and says that it may have merely been the lump sum of the total mess that did it. I write about poverty, and shootings and murder and people going without medical care that some rich bastard gets by paying a special fee. I’ve written about the lies and corruption that has become seemingly so inherent to his administration of power. It’s shameful. It’s an outrage, and it must stop.
I just can’t stand it anymore. And in my heart ,I know with all certainty that left alone to his own devices,Gordon Campbell will desecrate this province and leave it a shell of what it once was. And not to ” Keep BC Strong”, but to fatten his own coffers and those of the men who surround him…
No, I’m not going to tell you who to vote for, I’m just going to tell you to make sure you actually vote , because one vote really does count in a tight election.
However, I will point you in the direction of some of the things that swayed my choice along the way.
Read or watch if you will – or not – but know this:
It’s time to decide what you believe, and have the courage to stand up and be counted.
I am.
I’m voting for the Province of British Columbia – with Carol James and the NDP.
( The NDP candidate in my riding(Surrey-Newton) is Harry Bains. I am supporting Harry Bains for several reasons, one of which is that he has been a strong and vocal supporter of local residents issues in the leg. He is easily accessible to everyone and is a familiar face who can be counted on to assist residents in whatever manner available to him. )
The Video Interview Gordon Campbell Never Wants You to See ( because it explains far too much about his relationship with the media)
“Old Liberals Never Die” – ( they just get jobs with private power developers )https://lailayuile.wordpress.com/2009/04/29/common-ground-highlights-key-bc-liberal-insiders-hired-by-private-power-developers/
How British Columbians are involuntarily handing over our information and province to Americans : https://lailayuile.wordpress.com/2009/05/06/bc-citizens-assessment-of-what-the-campbell-government-has-done-to-british-columbia-so-far/
The report that the Liberals STILL won’t talk about until after the election – Why are those” environmentally friendly” run of the river projects breaking all the rules? https://lailayuile.wordpress.com/2009/05/06/what-the-liberals-dont-want-you-to-find-out-until-after-election-day-documents-obtained-by-cbc-news-show-run-of-the-river-projects-are-breaking-environmental-regulations/
And why is it that we get tolls while Gordons friendly developers on the Sea to Sky get to drive for free? https://lailayuile.wordpress.com/2008/10/17/sea-to-sky-highway-will-cost-over-600-million-so-why-do-they-get-to-drive-for-free/
And what are the Liberals doing about crime? https://lailayuile.wordpress.com/2009/03/03/rcmp-investigate-reports-of-shots-fired-in-newton-again/
Are those free crack pipes and methadone helping or Enabling the addicts who get them – on your tax dollar? https://lailayuile.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/harm-reduction-or-enablement-free-crack-pipes-for-addicts-on-your-tax-dollar/
And from Alison over at http://creekside1.blogspot.com/, this list of Gordon Campbells accomplishments while in office – the only one I’ve seen that is short, sweet and to the point.
- Massive salary increases to himself, Cabinet, and political appointees- twice
- Failed to hold regular legislature sessions – twice
- TILMA
- Sold off BC Rail after campaigning on promise not to.
- Sold off Terasen Gas, formerly BC Gas
- Privatized power generation in run-of-rivers
- Passed Bill 30 to prevent local veto of run-of-rivers
- Removed government accountability for BC Ferries
- Privatized hospital cleaning and food services
- Privatized BC Health accounting
- Privatized some healthcare jobs
- Increase in fish farm licences
- Exported raw logs, closing mills
- Removed land from the Agricultural Land Reserve
- Tax cuts for the rich
- Gave part of BC Hydro over to Accenture
- Vancouver Convention Centre cost over-runs
- Sea-to-Sky Highway cost over-runs
- Bizarre Olympics budgeting
- Gutted Ministry of Environment
- Permits for resorts in public parks
- Deregulated private forest lands
- Reduced number of park rangers
- Increased post secondary fees
- Reduced number of long term care beds for seniors
- Renoviction legislation
- Promoted Port Mann Bridge as P-3 – failed
- Lobby legislation not enforced
- Lifted moratorium on trophy hunting of grizzly bears
- Highest rate of child poverty in Canada 5 years running
Last, but not least, this was passed onto me by a colleague. It is for everyone in BC.
“Rafe here again … tomorrow we decide what this province will look like for our children, grandchildren and generations as yet unborn. We decide whether BC determines its own future or gives that right to international companies who would take away what we have and turn it into dividends for their shareholders.
Tomorrow we decide if we’re a public power province or one that ships its environment, its power, its money, indeed its way of life into the hands of large international companies like General Electric.
I suppose at my age I should stay on the sidelines and watch BC throw away its legacy but I just can’t do that. I’ve been all around this marvelous province of ours over the last 14 months and I’ve had the privilege of meeting and speaking with many of you. This is not a time to vote as we have always voted or let our judgments be clouded by issues long past. It is a time, I submit to you, when all of us decide just what our legacy will be – a province with a glorious wilderness, the envy of the world, and all that entails or one that sells its rivers and its hugely successful power system out to others – a sell out I must point out that doesn’t even give us the money but sends it all away.
I’m proud of the people I’ve fought shoulder to shoulder with. If we lose the war, sadly deficient though the consolation may be, we can all say we did our damndest and we can all hold our heads high when we answer to the future.
Thank you all for letting me speak with you, testing your patience I’m sure, and hearing me out. No one can ask for more than that.
Sincerely,
Rafe Mair”
Westcoast Views with Laila Yuile 