Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go.
- Oscar Wilde
On May 12, it's time to get rid of Premier Gordon Campbell and the B.C. Liberal government - and the reasons are plentiful and obvious.
- Under Campbell, B.C. has had the highest rate of child poverty in Canada for five years straight.
- B.C. now leads the country in job losses and B.C.'s economy in 2008 shrank, while Canada's grew.
- The broken promise not to sell B.C. Rail turned into the biggest political scandal this province has seen in years as we learn new information constantly.
- Former B.C. Liberal election campaign co-chair Patrick Kinsella paid $297,000 by B.C. Rail for "business advice" with payments continuing even after CN Rail paid $1 billion for its main operations.
- Allegations of political dirty tricks coordinated out of the premier's office. B.C. Liberal-connected lobbyists turned star Crown witnesses against two ministerial aides - David Basi and Bob Virk - and despite allegations lobbyists bribed the accused, they face no charges.
- Radical fish farm expansion despite massive evidence from Alexandra Morton that sea lice breed in the farms and destroy wild salmon.
- Encouraging private power corporations to devastate rivers across B.C. while forcing B.C. Hydro to buy expensive electricity from them but not compete with cheaper projects.
- B.C. Liberals continue to push for dangerous offshore oil and gas exploration and provide hundreds of millions in tax breaks for big oil companies while claiming to be "green".
- The unfair Campbell carbon tax that especially hurts lower income and rural British Columbians while doing nothing to reduce consumption.
- Campbell's refusal to increase the minimum wage in eight years, leaving over 250,000 workers making less than poverty line incomes.
- Failure to improve health care despite spending billions or adequately fund education.
- Giving away taxpayer dollars to expensive P3s or private-public-partnerships from hospitals to bridges despite evidence the cost of privatization exceeds keeping it public.
- Cost overruns of $388 million on the out-of-control Vancouver Convention Centre.
- Their refusal to compensate small businesses on Cambie and Granville Streets for the devastation caused by Canada Line construction.
- The B.C. Liberals' phony 2009 budget which underestimates the deficit by at least $1 billion, meaning major service cuts if re-elected.
- B.C. Liberal candidates under investigation, losing their drivers' licenses for drinking or excessive speeding or just intolerant of sexual orientation.
After this election voters face either more of the same bad Gordon Campbell B.C. Liberal record or a welcome change under New Democratic Party leader Carole James.
The Green Party can't elect a single MLA, but could keep Campbell in power with vote splitting. The choice on May 12 is obvious.
You can read more of Bill Tieleman at www.thetyee.ca
Hear Bill Mondays at 10 a.m. on CKNW AM 980's Bill Good Show. Email: weststar@telus.net Website: billtieleman.blogspot.com/
