[LabComm] Connection - August 11, 2006

[BC NDP Newswire]

Connection - August 11, 2006



<h2>In This Issue</h2>
<ul><li>Liberal policies to blame for huge gap between rich and poor</li><li>Hotels-in-parks plan show Liberals out of touch </li><li>This week...</li></ul>

<h2>Liberal policies to blame for huge gap between rich and poor</h2>
There's a reason half of all British Columbians say they aren't benefiting from the high commodity prices and low interest rates fuelling B.C.'s economy.

For a large and growing segment of the population, they're not benefiting.
Numbers from B.C. Stats this week showed British Columbia has the biggest gap between rich and poor in Canada, with the average poor family taking in just over 16 per cent of the average rich family.

"These figures clearly show that the policies of the B.C. Liberals are leaving people behind," said Jagrup Brar, New Democrat Employment and Income Assistance Critic.

"Gordon Campbell and his government won't do anything to address the problem because they don't care," said Brar. "As long as their friends are getting ahead, the Liberals think everything's fine."

The problem is compounded, Brar said, by the government's cuts to programs which help people and by the increase in user fees for some government services.

A document distributed by B.C. Stats -- a department of the Ministry of Labour and Citizens' Services was surprisingly blunt in its assessment.

"Despite Alberta's rich having the highest average income in Canada ... there is considerably less inequity in Alberta as the benefits of Alberta's strong economy have been spread more broadly," said the Aug. 4 Infoline Report.

"The government is acutely aware of the problem," said Brar. "Why are they continuing to allow so many British Columbians to be left behind?"


<h2>Hotels-in-parks plan show Liberals out of touch</h2>
The phrase "Super, Natural British Columbia" hasn't been in use for a few years, and Shane Simpson is starting to see why.

Environment Minister Barry Penner announced plans to allow for large, full-service hotels and resorts to set up shop in the otherwise natural settings of some of B.C.'s most pristine parks. The hotels could be as large as 100 rooms and include amenities such as tennis courts and swimming pools.

Simpson, the New Democrat Critic for the Environment, said it's a move that will alter the look and feel of the province's natural beauty.

"People come to British Columbia from all over the world to appreciate the natural wonders of our province," said Simpson, the MLA for Vancouver-Hastings. "It's bizarre that the Environment Minister would be so eager to spoil that beauty by encouraging hotels to pop up in this natural habitat."

Simpson said people who live in rural areas are opposed to moves to commercialize our parks, which is likely why Penner reneged on a prior commitment to consult with people on the ground before moving ahead.

"Our provincial parks don't belong to Gordon Campbell and Barry Penner," said Simpson. "They belong to all British Columbians and the B.C. Liberals have no moral authority to make this decision without a full consultation with all British Columbians."

Simpson said the move could be counter-productive.

"If people want to stay in five-star hotels, they exist anywhere," said Simpson. "But the natural beauty of British Columbia is unique. That unique beauty is what we should be offering up to the world, not swimming pools and tennis courts."

<h2>This Week...</h2>
<strong>New task force on addiction rehab homes an indictment of Premier's record</strong>

The B.C. Liberals' task force on unlicensed drug and alcohol recovery homes announced earlier today shows how badly the Premier's agenda has hurt vulnerable citizens, NDP Health Critic Adrian Dix says. <a href="http://nid-16209.newsdetail.bcndp.ca/">Read More</a>

<strong>Kevin Falcon once again puts CN before community safety and the environment</strong>

Following another major derailment in BC, Minister of Transportation Kevin Falcon continues to put CN's interests ahead of community safety and the environment, NDP MLA Shane Simpson says. <a href="http://nid-16210.newsdetail.bcndp.ca/">Read More</a>

<strong>NDP Asks Merit Commissioner to Investigate Contract Awarded to B.C. Liberal Insider</strong>

NDP Finance critic Bruce Ralston is asking B.C.'s Merit Commissioner to investigate a government contract awarded to a B.C. Liberal friend and insider. <a href="http://nid-16207.newsdetail.bcndp.ca/">Read More</a>

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