I have watched with some interest the US republican debates, and it is entertaining to say the least watching these candidates take personal shots at each other. Dr. Ron Paul makes the most sense when he says “instead of attacking the personal finances of each other, why don’t we tackle the issues most important to the American public.” I think Barack Obama’s chances of winning the next election increase with each debate.
I also pay close attention to our own political ways here in B.C. and in Canada. I watched in the last federal election the relentless smear ads against Michael Ignatieff and just how focused the Conservatives were on discrediting him personally. It seems that Harper started a trend toward the American style of childish personal political attacks, rather than dealing with the issues that plague the Canadian people and now here in B.C., the Liberal party can’t think of any better way to spend money than to try to discredit Adrian Dix through expensive TV ads.
Guess what, even here they don’t have their facts straight. Just a couple of untrue facts: B.C. had a better ranking in every year from 1990 to 2009 than it did in 2010 as far as job growth and has actually declined under the current Liberal leader.
The idea that Dix will increase taxes, here’s a little fact the Liberals forgot to mention; Dix said he would return corporate taxes to their 2008 levels; the same change that Premier Clark once promised to make if voters agreed to keep the HST.
While the Libs say they have cut personal income tax, they have raised other regressive taxes and fees such as school property tax, sales tax (HST), fuel tax, carbon tax and then look at fee increases to transit and ferries, just to name a few and how much is paid now for licenses (hunting ,fishing etc).
Adrian Dix has been very clear on the direction of the NDP. Now the last time I checked those TV ads were very expensive (probably around $1,000,000), which I believe would be better spent on any number of issues in BC, for instance in health care, affordable housing, seniors care, education or creating real jobs.
Contrary to the Liberal leader boasting that they have created thousands of jobs and that they are continuing to put money into health care and education, I say that nothing has changed.
Part-time low paying jobs and once again asking government workers and teachers to take no increases are just not the answer. Building a strong economy by making sure that we have a health care system that not only works, but, a system that thrives, so that we can proudly keep anesthesiologists and surgeons here in B.C. and make sure that there is money to give government workers and teachers what they deserve when they bargain and bargain fairly.
Rebuild the forest industry that the Liberals dismantled by closing a great number of mills in B.C. and devastated towns and communities, all at the expense of workers and their families (thousands of good paying jobs were lost at the expense of profit). Building affordable housing for seniors and homeless people that is so badly needed and actually creating full-time good paying jobs.
Addressing these important issues instead of wasting money attacking the NDP leader makes a lot more sense to me. Politics is politics, but is time to get serious about the many issues facing average British Columbians today.
Doug Jones
President USW 480