100 + reasons the BC Liberals mustgo.
While the BC Liberals have always been very good at shouting their real and more often allegedwins, they are by far the mastersof spin whosmoothlydeflect their failures into thin air.
The extent towhich they will do this is quite phenomenal.
In the period oftime since Christy Clarkbecame premier,her skill as a political chameleon driven to garner votes has not gone un-noticed by the press, nor the voters of B.C.
Thankfully, British Columbians have long and solid memories of the Liberal era of government.Sadly, they continue to vote for them because the NDP have never been able to show why they deserve the vote more.
Ive never been a member of any political party and I never will be,but Ive investigated, researched and covered so many stories of the current governments misdeeds, that its been my opinion they need to go.
Regular readers know that I have held both the Liberals and the NDPs feet to the fire,and will continue to do so any new government can expect my full attention to their activities in governmentas well and possibly a new list if required.But facts are facts.
The BC Liberals have fostered an environment of deception and secrecy in the BC legislature, one where the less the people know about what is going on, the better it is for their party.
In 2010, I asked my readers to see how fast they could come up with 100 reasons NOT to vote for Gordon Campbell ( and the Liberals) again. Readers rose to the challenge, and the comment sections quickly filled with concrete examples of Liberal failures that have all occurred during that Golden Decade during whichthe BCLiberalsrevealed an agenda of slice and dice vs. corporate welfare.
Ironically, our current premier Christy Clark played a large role in many of the most drastic changes to the provinces most vulnerable citizens, while she was young MLA mentoring under Campbell. Its important to remember that while Christy Clark has tried to rebrand the BC Liberal brand as new and different from Gordon Campbell how different and new can they be when all the same names,faces and donors are still there?
Deals arent made in the legislature, but back rooms of restaurants and behind closed doors.
British Columbians must not be fooled by cheeky smiles,glib responses and a well-oiled,big money campaign. Let the facts speak for themselves.
What began as a fun challenge to readers, has become a comprehensive list of100 + reasons the BC Liberals must go.
Please, feel free to continue to add to the list in the comment section below, and I simply ask that you provide concrete examples with links, if you can, so we can provide an honest and factual record of what I call the decade of deceit.
You are welcome to tweet, facebook and/or print the list for distribution I only ask that you include reference back to this page.
Thank you,
Laila Yuile
146) During the Liberal leadership race, Clark campaigned on calling an early election to get a mandate from the people in fact she said two years was too long to goto wait for an electionwith new leadership and then promptly broke that promise once in the premiers office.http://www.ipolitics.ca/2010/12/15/b-c-liberal-leadership-hopefuls-call-for-early-vote-lower-voting-age/
145) Christy Clark thought it was funny to drive through a red light, on the urging of her son, with a reporter in the car. Her son stated You always do that. Clark denied that was true,but the entire incident called into examination her judgement. https://lailayuile.com/2013/04/27/i-guess-the-message-from-our-premier-is-its-ok-to-do-it-as-long-as-you-dont-get-caught/
144)In 2001, newly elected Campbell tore up legally signed and binding contracts between the govtand the HEU, creating a rush to privatization that continues to this day.
143)Campbell gave himself a whopping raise of $ 60,951 in 2007, which works out to a crazy 48.1% hike and gave all BC MLAs a pay raise of 29% while he was at it. http://thetyee.ca/Views/2009/04/29/PayRaises/
142)Drunk driving conviction in 2003 while on vacation in Hawaii http://dawn.thot.net/campbell_dui_media.html ( I feel strongly politicians who are convicted for any crime, should no longer to be able to hold office, based on the notion that they need to provide an example of a standard of integrity that is inherent to the position. )
141) Fabricating an energy crisis in BC to be solved by forcing the public utility BC Hydro to buy power at twice the market value from Liberal-stocked independent power producers and then reselling it at a loss to owners of air-conditioners in California .
140)Closed 24 of 68 courthouses so the Attorney General could meet budget targets , therefore putting excessive strain and overload on the remaining ones, and forcing people to travel further to deal with family and criminal matters.http://bccla.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120401-Justice-Denied-report1.pdf
139)above reduction inthe number of courthouses has now lengthened the trial wait times in some areas to years, which often results in the accused being released from all charges because of the right to a speedy trial. http://bccla.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120401-Justice-Denied-report1.pdf
138) Since 2001, 10 jails have been closed across the province, creating dangerously overloaded conditions in the remaining facilities,and increasing the likelihood many criminals will serve time in the community or receive suspended sentences because of that overcrowding.https://lailayuile.com/2012/02/07/never-underestimate-the-predictability-of-stupidity-or-how-the-bc-liberals-are-now-overspending-to-fix-the-corrections-crisis-they-created/
http://bccla.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/20120401-Justice-Denied-report1.pdf
137)Massive, MASSIVE cutbacks to legal aid services in this province, across the board, for the entire time the BC Liberals have been in power . More people than ever are unable to remedy family law and simple legal matters because of lack of funding and resulting closures to free clinics, help lines and offices. http://www.povnet.org/node/3629details in the reasons below.
136)85% of Legal Aid offices in BC closed,
135)reduction in 75% of staff
134)cut family law by 60%
133)Closure of LawLine, a free legal assistance number for low income people to access help and advice.
132)Closure of 5 regional Legal Aid offices in Surrey, Victoria, Kelowna, Kamloops and Prince George.
131)legislating the Paramedics working conditions. http://www.fpse.ca/news/fpse-news/free-collective-bargaining-takes-another-hit-campbell-government-legislates-paramedic
130)Campbell supports and champions the Enbridge project, and refuses to commit to protect the BC coastline from a spill like the Exxon Valdez You can read the debate here : http://www.leg.bc.ca/hansard/39th2nd/h00323p.htm#3548
129)The B.C. Liberals issued permits to a company that wanted to burn creosote soaked railway ties in the city of Kamloops without any consultation. The project was only stopped when countless community members and more than 100 Interior doctors opposed the project. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/02/15/bc-kamloops-g ( from BC NDP site)
128)Massive cuts to the Parks Budget over the years has resulted in a lack of protection for endangered ecosystems, a lack of park rangers, and unsafe and unsanitary conditions in provincial campgrounds across the province. Many free campgrounds and picnic areashave been de-commissioned over the years http://www.bcauditor.com/pubs/2010/report3/conservation-ecological-integrity-bc-parks-protected
127)committed to NOT introduce internet gaming in 2007, then created and introduced the new BCLC online gambling site this year, again increasing and furthering the incidence of gambling addiction and family strife, since there is no way to police it.
126)raised gambling limits to $ 9,999.00 a mere $1 below the reportablelevel to FINTRAC, the agency that monitors and polices money laundering lol. http://billtieleman.blogspot.com/2010/07/explain-bc-liberals-addiction-to.html
125)raised MSP premiums, while service and wait times increased and get ready for another MSP premium increase January 1st, 2013. http://www.vancouversun.com/health/premiums+rise+second+straight+year/7987242/story.html
124)Campbell lowered tax rates the wealthy benefit the most from those rate cuts, while instituting user fees for some public services that were formerly paid out of tax revenue. This resulted in proportionally higher tax increases for the working poor struggling the hardest to make ends meet. http://www.straight.com/article-349819/vancouver/ndp-leader-carole-james-should-acknowledge-impact-personal-tax-cuts-rich
123) Charging user fees at publiclyfunded hospitals in Vancouver , even to people with insurance, for anyone requiring short term residential care to recover from a medical treatment coming soon to a hospital near you http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Health/20101022/bc-user-fees-101022/
122)closed 176 schools between 2001 and 2009 . ONE FREAKING HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SIX SCHOOLS!!!! http://bctf.ca/SchoolClosures.aspx
121)cut funding to the Success by 6 program, an initiative which gave young children a head start through more than 400 projects in 240 communities in British Columbia, including early childhood literacy programs, music and social programs for preschoolers, mentorship programs for single mothers, and pregnancy support . http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/03/24/bc-success-by-six-cancelled.html
120)Cuts to seniors services and care http://www.hsabc.org/news/seniors-victims-long-term-care-and-home-support-cuts
119)Cuts to PACs across BC ( Parents Advisory Councils) resulting in parents struggling to make ends meet having to pay more for school related activities http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2009/09/09/bc-parent-advisory-council-funding-cut.html
118)Cuts to Annual Facility Grants http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2009/08/28/trustees-protest-the-cancellation-of-annual-facility-grant/
117)government continually breaks its own class size limit legislation http://bctf.ca/NewsReleases.aspx?id=20508
116)cuts to funding and programs for special needs children in schools as a result of budget cuts.http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/06/25/bc-vancouver-special-needs.html
115)highest tuition fees ever on record , for university and colleges in BC http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2010/16/c2521.html
114)Liberalsshow theirtrue feelings about education and the future of our province, and cut $16 million dollars in student loan funds, with no warning, leaving students unable to attend classes, and wreaking havoc on families already financially strapped http://www.straight.com/article-246824/ashley-fehr-gordon-campbell-governments-cuts-devastate-postsecondary-students
113) In addition to the above loan cuts, the BC liberals also cut non-repayable grants to student, also with no warning as detailed in the above link. Some university students found out the hard way when they called Student Aid BC to find out where their grant was, after enrolling and days prior to classes commencing.
112)BC has one of the highest BC Student loan rate in the country.
111)BC post secondary students collectively pay more in fees than government collects in corporate income tax, showing whereLiberal priorities really are.
110)cuts to surgeries in BC http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/01/21/bc-oylmpics-cancelled-surgeries-dix.html
109)cuts to diagnostic and rehabilitation services http://www.hsabc.org/search/cuts%20to%20diagnostic%20and%20rehabilitation%20services
108)cuts to community outreach services http://www.nupge.ca/content/3456/bc-cuts-southern-vancouver-island-social-services
107)HORRIFIC cuts to domestic violence programs and violence against women outreach and counselling programs http://www.endingviolence.org/files/uploads/inst_women_programs_going_in_wrong_direction.pdf
106)cuts to many vital medical and health related items previously funded for those on income assistance http://willcocks.blogspot.ca/2009/07/latest-secret-cuts-hurt-those-who-most.html
105)closed CHIMO Achievement Centre, a therapeutic day program for adults with disabilities http://billtieleman.blogspot.com/2010/01/fraser-health-authority-to-kill-amazing.html
104)cuts to income assistance programs http://www.bcfed.com/node/294
103) althoughthe Liberalsincreased the number of Casinos and access to other forms of gambling, continued cuts have been made to the amount of gaming grants given out to social service agencies, programs, playground and schools only a small portion were ever restored. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/03/08/bc-community-gaming-grants.html
102)Special needs assessment for children eliminated in the Fraser Health Authority, meaning families must travel to Sunnyhillat Childrens hospital for diagnostic services and care http://www.betterbc.ca/2010/05/cuts-update/
101)Autism: BCs Early Intensive Behaviour Intervention programs werecut http://www.straight.com/article-302303/vancouver/bc-coalition-protest-gordon-campbells-cuts-saturday-vancouver
100)Therewere onlyenough regulated child care spaces for 15% of children under 12 inBC http://www.ccsd.ca/factsheets/family/
99)elimination of conservation officers mean less enforcement and protection over larger areas, putting people and wildlife at risk http://www.nupge.ca/content/3512/bc-parks-hurt-budget-cuts-and-poor-enforcement
98)Cuts to environment ministry saw the Environmental Stewardship divisionwhich includes protection of BCs 2,000 species at risk, fish and wildlife habitat, and air and watersliced by almost $4 million http://www.bcauditor.com/pubs/2010/report3/conservation-ecological-integrity-bc-parks-and-protected
97) unregulated fish farms on the coast of bc and their impact on wild salmon stocks, as well as the increase in fish farm licencesthe Libs handed out during their tenure. http://thetyee.ca/Views/2005/10/02/WildSalmonWipedOut/
96)the systematic rape of many rivers in BC through Independent Power Projects https://lailayuile.wordpress.com/2009/05/01/province-of-bc-criss-crossed-by-independent-power-projects/
95) whilethe Liberalscontinually pressed and pushed these projects as safe, clean energy, the truth is that they can, and have extremely horrific impacts on the environment around them, as detailed in this post 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/
94) The announcement by Campbell to flood hectares of prime land for yet another dam to generate power the province will sell elsewhere and Christy Clark continues the push for Site C, admitting its needed for her LNG dreams https://lailayuile.wordpress.com/2010/04/20/the-worst-is-yet-to-come-rafe-mair/
http://energeticcity.ca/article/news/2012/02/09/site-c-essential-lng-development-clark
93) Crown land giveawaysand contracts apparently based onpolitical donations https://lailayuile.wordpress.com/2009/04/21/brookfield-asset-management-gordon-campbell-and-british-columbias-best-assets/
92)clearing ALR land for development, over and over http://www.straight.com/pressure-builds-agricultural-land-reserve
http://www.bcndp.ca/newsroom/new-democrats-challenge-liberals-stand-agricultural-land-reserve
https://lailayuile.com/tag/falcons-follies/
91) TheLiberals admitted that during the lastelection they suppressed information showing the number of people in BC forced to apply for welfare had increased by 10,000.The information was releasedshortly after the election http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2009/05/22/bc-welfare-cases-up.html
90)Gordon Campbell claimed he was not aware of how bad the financial outlook of the province was prior to the election, despite the world financial crash that was well underway. ( sound familiar?)
89)The public is kept in the dark as John Les, the provinces top cop, is under police investigation for almost a year http://willcocks.blogspot.com/2009/09/creeping-pace-of-john-les-investigation.html
88)The coincidental and repeated occurrence ofdevelopment and real estate companies who donate large $$ to the Liberal party of BC, getting lucrative landdeals and approvals across the province http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/BC-Politics/2009/05/08/Builders-real-estate-firms-gave-big-to-BC-Liberals/
87)The coincidental and repeated occurence of other corporations( mining,gas, oil and independent power producers) who donate large $$ to the Liberal party of BC getting lucrative contracts, deal and approvals across the province: https://lailayuile.wordpress.com/2010/05/07/the-kind-of-corruption-the-media-talk-about-the-kind-the-supreme-court-was-concerned-about-involves-the-putative-sale-of-votes-in-exchange-for-campaign-contributions-james-l-buckley/
https://lailayuile.wordpress.com/2010/05/09/fraser-transportation-group-chosen-as-preferred-bidder-for-south-fraser-perimeter-road/
“Moral hazard is when they take your money and then are not responsible for what they do with it.”~ Gordon Gekko
86) In February 2008, the public learned that Campbells TransLink board voted themselves a 500 percent pay raise. Only a few weeks later, the premiers BC Ferries directors received an increase of up to 60 percent on April 1, 2008 the same day ferry fares were increased for British Columbians. Compare this with the fact that in 2008, more than 50,000 British Columbians worked for minimum wage or less http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/02/08/bc-translink.html
85) The very large and expensive mess that is known as BC ferries http://thetyee.ca/News/2009/11/07/BloatedFerries/
84)The very large and expensive mess that was known as the BC Transmission corporation http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2010/05/03/LiberalsOweApology/
83) The very large and again, expensive mess known as BC Hydro , which is on the path to financial ruin http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2010/08/23/BCHydroPathToRuin/ and another opinion http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_thompson_nicola/clearwatertimes/opinion/101681738.html
82) 2010 olympic debt legacy http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/bc-government-releases-details-of-olympics-costs/article1634211/
81)Despite those tough economic times Campbell decided to appoint a larger, expanded cabinet, costing us all more ( for quite a bitless, in my opinion) http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/BC-Politics/2009/06/10/CampbellCabinet/
80)The over-inflated, expensive and relatively useless Public Affairs Bureau( otherwise known as internet trolls who monitor,watch and read everything written anywhere about Campbell and his Liberal co-horts) http://bctrialofbasi-virk.blogspot.com/2009/04/about-that-public-affairs-bureau-this.html
79) Die Entscheidungvon Campbell, deutsche Scheifhrschiffezu kaufen , or for those of you who do not speak German, Campbells decision to buy crappy german ferries http://thetyee.ca/News/2008/12/15/NoisyFerry/
78). Choosing to contract out the storage, handling and administration of our personal medical records to an American company,which leaves personal information potentially open to dubious uses with American law enforcement https://lailayuile.wordpress.com/2009/05/06/bc-citizens-assessment-of-what-the-campbell-government-has-done-to-british-columbia-so-far/
77)Campbell failed to hold regular legislature sessions- twice http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/09/10/bc-fall-legislative-session-cancelled.html
76) Christy Clark has spent so little time in the legislature,she needs a map to find her way around the building when she does show up. Only 19 days in session in one calendar year! http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/13/the-absentee-b-c-legislature/
75)Campbellsdecision to sign TILMA the Trade, Investment, and Labour Mobility Agreement http://thetyee.ca/Views/2009/05/07/TILMA/
74)Sold off BC Gas, now known as Terasen
73)Passed Bill 20, which prevents local municipal veto of Run of the River projects http://www.pej.org/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=4659&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
72) Exporting raw logs to China and elsewhere ( a direct contradiction to a campaign promise he made prior to first being elected back in 20o1) all while closing BC mills who could process wood here. http://www.peoplesvoice.ca/articleprint21/02)_BCS_FOREST_JOBS_CRISIS.html http://store.wildernesscommittee.org/campaigns/communities/campaigns/communities/readers/raw_logs/
71)Vancouver convention centre completely ridiculous cost overruns , which technically might make it the largest screw-up in the history of BC that is, until the final and true bill for the new Port Mann bridge comes in http://www.bcndp.ca/newsroom/campbells-convention-centre-overruns-largest-boondoggle-bc-history
70)Sea to sky highway over-runs with no toll to cover costs . Campbell told press repeatedly at photo ops that the cost of the highway would be $800 million, yet the final cost was nearly$2 billion + http://www.bcndp.ca/newsroom/campbell-liberals-p3s-not-time-not-budget
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100 + reasons the BC Liberals must go. Laila Yuile on ...