From newswire at news.bc.ndp.ca Fri May 5 20:33:02 2006 From: newswire at news.bc.ndp.ca (BC NDP Newswire) Date: Fri, 5 May 2006 19:33:02 -0800 Subject: [LabComm] NDP launches petition to stop further emergency room cuts Message-ID: NDP launches petition to stop further emergency room cuts PLUS: Liberals stack Land Commission with patronage appointments Gordon Campbell and the BC Liberals don't seem to be listening to concerns about health care, so doctors and community leaders are teaming up with Carole James and the NDP to demand that the Campbell Liberals admit there is a growing crisis in our hospital emergency rooms. All this week, NDP MLAs, including Jenny Kwan, David Cubberley, Mike Farnworth, Katrine Conroy, and Michael Sather, have hammered Gordon Campbell and the Liberals with the facts about the growing health care crisis: Despite this, the Campbell Liberals refuse to listen to the concerns of doctors and ordinary people and to date has refused to admit that their bed cuts have created a crisis in our health care. Instead, the Campbell Liberals announced on Monday that they would cut ER services at Vancouver's Mount Saint Joseph Hospital by 23%. Doctors, who warn that this will make the ER at Mount Saint Joseph unsafe and make the ER crisis at other Vancouver hospitals even worse, joined NDP MLAs Jenny Kwan, David Cubberley and David Chudnovsky on Thursday to demanding Gordon Campbell reverse his decision on the cuts. On Friday, doctors from Mount Saint Joseph joined volunteers and MLAs as the NDP launched a petition drive aimed at giving ordinary people a chance to challenge Campbell to rescind the planned cuts. If you'd like to sign the petition, click here to get involved.

Gordon Campbell appoints insiders to ALC; Liberals back down after questions from NDP

There seems to be a direct link between appointment to the Agricultural Land Commission and ties to the BC Liberal Party. Throughout the week, Carole James and the NDP have questioned a series of Liberal patronage appointments to the ALC -- an important body that determines if scarce agricultural land can be turned over to developers. The Campbell Liberals announced their most recent appointments on April 23. Since then, NDP MLAs Bruce Ralston, Maurine Karagianis, Rob Fleming and Mike Farnwworth have discovered that the Liberals seem to using the ALC to reward friends and insiders with patronage appointments: Recent appointees include: Furthermore, many these appointments were approved by BC Liberal Party friend Kathryn Dawson -- a former aide to Stockwell Day who was personally recruited by Gordon Campbell to become the director of operations for the BC Liberal caucus. It appears to be a case of a Liberal insider appointing other Liberal insiders. Following questions from the NDP, the BC Liberals backed down and rescinded the appointment of Bill Jones. Carole James and the NDP, along with the major media, are continuing to seek answers about the patronage appointment and how they might affect the future of land usage in our province.

Carole James meets community leaders in Fort St John, Revelstoke

This week, NDP Leader Carole James was in British Columbia's Northeast and the Southern Interior meeting with municipal representatives. On Thursday, James spent the day in Fort St. John, where she delivered a keynote address to the North Central Municipal Association . On Friday, James departed for the Okanagan, where she addressed the Okanagan Mainline Municipal Association in Revelstoke. James also spoke to the Revelstoke Chamber of Commerce and visited the Stepping Stones child care centre, where she heard concerns about Gordon Campbell's failure to advocate for day care funding from the new Conservative government of Stephen Harper. -30- To unsubscribe or change your settings go to: http://www.e-2ve6y.signup2.bc.ndp.ca/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From newswire at news.bc.ndp.ca Thu May 11 19:22:03 2006 From: newswire at news.bc.ndp.ca (BC NDP NEWSWIRE) Date: Thu, 11 May 2006 18:22:03 -0800 Subject: [LabComm] Have you signed the petition yet? Message-ID: Have you signed the petition yet? Last weekend, I heard from hundreds and hundreds of people who are deeply concerned about the emergency room crisis caused by Gordon Campbell's cuts. My colleague David Chudnovky, MLA for Vancouver-Kensington, and I were collecting signatures to oppose Gordon Campbell's plans to cut the number of ER doctors at Mount Saint Joseph Hospital. People just couldn't believe that Campbell is planning to cut ER services for this busy Vancouver hospital by 23% at the end of this month -- especially after closing one-in-five hospital beds around the province and refusing to listen to doctors who warned that our hospital emergency rooms would become dangerously overcrowded. We need as many signatures as possible by next Monday to stop these cuts. You can download and sign the petition here. Since then, Carole James and the NDP team have learned much more about how Campbell's bed cuts have endangered patient care all around the province:
  • Doctors in Vernon are warning that Vernon Jubilee Hospital has been operating dangerously over its safe capacity. Since 2002, the Liberals have cut 24% of hospital beds in this region, and in recent months doctors have been telling the Campbell Liberals "more days than not we have gridlock", "patient care is at risk" and "sick people are often sicker by the time we get to them." But the Liberals must not be listening -- they've offered no relief, and they won't even acknowledge the problem.
  • In the Kootenays, where the Campbell Liberals cut an astonishing 42% of hospital beds, the Nelson health watch committee of the regional district has warned that the situation has become dangerous. Response from the Liberals? Nothing.
  • On Tuesday, Kelowna General Hospital declared a "code purple" -- that means the hospital is absolutely full and can't take any more patients. Unfortunately, this is not a rare event. According to the hospital administrator, Kelowna General has been far over maximum capacity every day for the last month. Since 2002, the Campbell Liberals have closed beds in Vernon, Osoyoos, Summerland, Princeton and Penticton.
And earlier this week, a study released by the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health revealed that BC emergency rooms are the most crowded in the country. By a very long shot. The study found that 94% of ER directors in BC found overcrowding in their emergency departments at least once a week -- compared to a national average of 35%! And despite all this, Gordon Campbell thinks it's a good idea to cut the number of ER doctors at Mount Saint Joseph Hospital by 23%! No wonder more than a thousand people signed our petition on the weekend alone. It's very important that we send Gordon Campbell a message, loud and clear, that he's got put an end to the growing ER crisis. That starts with canceling the cuts at Mount Saint Joseph before they take effect in just three weeks. We need to table our petition before the end of this Legislative session in just a few days, and that doesn't leave us a lot of time. If you haven't already signed the petition, please click here to download it. And if you'd like to come out and sign it in person, David Chudnovsky and I -- joined by Vancouver-Hastings MLA Shane Simpson -- will be collecting signatures at these locations on the weekend: Saturday, May 13:
  • David Chudnovsky will be at Victoria and 41st Avenue from 11:00 to 1:00.
  • Shane Simpson will be in front of the T and T Supermarket at East 1st Avenue and Renfrew Street from 2:00 to 4:00.
  • And I'll be at the Chinese Cultural Centre at 50 East Pender Street from 10:00 to 2:00.
Over a thousand people have already signed -- I hope you will too. Every name we collect helps tell Gordon Campbell "enough is enough". Sincerely, Jenny Kwan
MLA, Vancouver-Mount Pleasant To unsubscribe or change your settings go to: http://www.e-2ve6y.signup2.bc.ndp.ca/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From newswire at news.bc.ndp.ca Fri May 12 21:07:04 2006 From: newswire at news.bc.ndp.ca (BC NDP NEWSWIRE) Date: Fri, 12 May 2006 20:07:04 -0800 Subject: [LabComm] Week in Review -- NDP uncovers Olympic overspending Message-ID: Week in Review -- NDP uncovers Olympic overspending A new sport is being considered for the 2010 Winter Olympics, and the Campbell Liberals are showing themselves to be the early favourites. The sport? Avoiding Accountability. Premier Gordon Campbell and Colin Hansen, the Minister responsible for the Olympics, spent much of Question Period this week telling NDP Olympics Critic Harry Bains the 2010 Games won't cost British Columbians more than $600 million. Costs associated with programs such as 2010 Legacies Now and Own the Podium are not included in that $600 million figure. "The Premier continues to insist that the Olympic price tag is $600 million," said NDP Leader Carole James. "That figure doesn't include Legacies Now, it doesn't include Own the Podium, it doesn't include the money spent promoting the games in Torino, and it doesn't include the money for the Olympic Secretariat. "We know the price tag for those three programs alone is close to $150 million," James added. "How much more is out there that we don't yet know about?" An obviously uncomfortable Hansen tried to equate asking questions about accountability with support for the Games themselves, apparently forgetting the bidding process was begun by the former New Democrat government. The Premier, meanwhile, launched into a statement about the benefits these Olympics-related programs will bring. "All of that is beside the point," said James. "British Columbians want the Games to be successful, but they also want to know how much we'll be pay for them. "If the Premier is so very proud of these programs, he should have the strength of conviction to be up front about their cost." Equally worrying, James said, is the continued thread of secrecy that surrounds this government. The Liberals won't give the Auditor General's office the resources it needs to oversee Olympic spending, and they have refused to specifically ask for the Auditor General's oversight on spending for the 2010 Games. "It's obvious this government doesn't want full disclosure about Olympic funding," James said. "British Columbians should be very wary of a government that goes to this much trouble to keep something secret."

Liberals forced to back off secrecy plan

Despite promising the most open and accountable government in Canada, the Campbell Liberals have a record of trying to keep the public from finding out what they're up to. Their latest plan would have seen major changes to the Freedom of Information Act that would have allowed them to hide the facts about their controversial privatization deals and prevented the public from seeing the conclusions of a public inquiry. The NDP team, joined by public-interest groups and the province's independent FOI advocate, raised concerns that the changes would make it even harder to get honest answers from the Campbell Liberals. Facing mounting pressure, the Liberals backed down earlier this week, scrapping their plans to change the FOI Act.

Lurching from crisis to crisis, Health Minister pretends there's no problem

The Liberal government continues to lurch from crisis to crisis in health care and NDP Health Critic David Cubberley says it's time for a plan to fix the crisis. The latest crisis was another Code Purple -- when the hospital can absolutely accept no more patients -- at Kelowna General Hospital. It followed the release of a report which said the overcrowding in British Columbia's emergency rooms is worse than any other jurisdiction in Canada -- and a shortage of acute care beds is to blame. "The Health Minister says the problem is complex and there isn't a simple solution," said Cubberley, the MLA for Saanich-South. "Let me put it simply for him: the Liberals broke their promise to add long-term care beds, which as left seniors waiting for long-term care spaces in acute-care beds," Cubberley said. "hen the Liberals cut one of five beds from an already lean acute-care system. So emergency rooms get backed up because there aren't enough beds for patients to be admitted to." Health Minister George Abbott said the Code Purple in Kelowna was a result of two serious automobile accidents. Cubberley said that is little comfort to British Columbians concerned with the ability of their health care system to respond to major incidents. "This is the largest hospital in the interior," Cubberley. "That it would be essentially incapacitated by two automobile accidents says the system is awfully close to the breaking point on any given day." Still, Cubberley says, we have a Health Minister who refuses to acknowledge the problem, preferring to call health care workers and others who point out problems "alarmists." "Emergency Room doctors have been telling this minister since 2003 that overcrowding is a serious and growing problem, and his response has consistently been dismissive," said Cubberley. "We need a plan that anticipates potential strains on the system, and we need a minister who has a strategy for health care that goes beyond putting on his rose-coloured glasses." This weekend, NDP MLAs Jenny Kwan, David Chudnovsky and Shane Simpson are collecting signatures on a petition asking Campbell to stop the cuts at Mount Saint Joseph Hospital. The petition will be tabled in the Legislature by Tuesday, May 16. Click here to download the petition and find our more about how Campbell's bed cuts have created an ER crisis in BC.

Liberal patronage appointments continue

Last week, MLA Bruce Ralston revealed that the Campbell Liberals are stacking the Agricultural Land Commission with patronage appointments, forcing the Liberals to rescind one of the appointments. This week, it seems the Liberals are still giving friends and insiders key positions on the body that controls the future of our agricultural land base and can turn developers into millionaire overnight. In spite of the recent controversies, the Campbell Liberals have confirmed that Ted Tisdale, a BC Liberals constituency association president, is being considered for an appointment. To unsubscribe or change your settings go to: http://www.e-2ve6y.signup2.bc.ndp.ca/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From newswire at news.bc.ndp.ca Thu May 18 16:29:03 2006 From: newswire at news.bc.ndp.ca (BC NDP NEWSWIRE) Date: Thu, 18 May 2006 15:29:03 -0800 Subject: [LabComm] Anniversary marks the end of a successful year for the New Democrat Official Opposition Message-ID: Anniversary marks the end of a successful year for the New Democrat Official Opposition Dear Friends: A challenging, exciting and productive year has passed since voters sent 33 New Democrats to Victoria, and a clear message to the Gordon Campbell Liberals. Since then, our caucus has held Gordon Campbell and the B.C. Liberals to account for five years of broken promises and an agenda that continues to hurt average people. We forced them to back away from policies which hurt children, seniors and the most vulnerable. And we exposed government decisions that benefited BC Liberal friends and insiders. We have much we can be proud of. A few examples:
  • We exposed 713 Children's Commission investigations shelved by the Liberal government and forced a review of child protection;
  • We highlighted the friends and insiders being named to the Agricultural Land Commission. Because of that exposure, one such friend had his appointment rescinded;
  • We forced the government to back off changes that would have made BC one of the most secretive governments in Canada;
  • We stopped cuts to emergency rooms and we've stood up for patients;
  • We exposed more than $100 million in hidden Olympic spending.
These are just a few of the successes we've had in the past year. They reflect our shared values: that government must act in the interests of all British Columbians. Of course, being in opposition means that we won't win every battle. The BC Liberals continue to use their majority to push their one-sided agenda leaving many people behind. But by listening to communities and working with people from all walks of life, we continue to fight the government's agenda and put forward practical solutions that make a difference to everyday families. We live in a wonderful province, in the best country in the world. We have an abundance of natural, technological and human resources. New Democrats will continue to work hard to ensure that all British Columbians, in all regions and from all walks of life, benefit from those resources. Carole James, Leader
New Democrat Official Opposition

A brief look at some of the Opposition's successes

On Protecting Children:
  • Exposed 713 Children's Commission investigations shelved by the Liberal government;
  • Forced the creation of the Hughes review of child protection, which resulted in the restoration of an independent officer charged with looking after children and youth;
  • Won more resources to address delays in child protection investigations;
  • Exposed that first term budget cuts DID hurt child protection and services to children and families -- leading to more money for MCFD generally
  • Ensured more money for the Coroner's service;
  • Reversed the government's decision to house a lone female juvenile offender with the male offenders at the Burnaby Open Custody centre;
  • Reversed Stan Hagen's decision to reject funding for the CMHA's Kamloops Youth Clubhouse -- a facility for youth with mental health issues;
  • Ensured there was real public consultation for childcare;
  • Reversed Shirley Bond's decision to deny special needs students' graduation certificates;
  • Won funding ($76,000) for Victoria's Out of the Rain project.
On regional economic development:
  • Stopped the sale of Ridley Terminals to a single Ontario interest to the detriment of BC exporters;
  • Exposed the potential threat to British Columbia's sovereignty in the new Softwood Lumber Agreement;
  • Forced CN to withdraw its threatening letters to owners of private rail crossings and to back down on their demands for exorbitant payments.
On public safety:
  • Raised the profile of the women missing along the Highway of Tears;
  • Won $150,000 in funding for Ahouset First Nation suicide prevention programs;
  • Ensured protection for volunteer firefighters when it comes to detrimental health affects of fire fighting;
  • Introduced legislation to restrict access to the ingredients of Crystal Meth.
On environmental protection:
  • Won the inclusion, for the first time, of climate change provisions in the Ministry of Forests and Range 2006/07 service plan;
  • Raised the profile of the spraying of harmful chemicals on the E&N Railway.
On health care
  • Stopped the Cuts to the ER at Mount St. Joseph's Hospital;
  • Fought and won more long term care beds in the Kootenay's (12 in Castlegar and 1 in Trail) and the Cariboo (re-opened 10 Beds in Deni House that they shut down in 2003) to provide care for seniors;
  • Earned more resources for overcrowded emergency wards after days of pressure from Carole James, Jenny Kwan and David Cubberley;
  • Forced government to put aside legislation surrounding Advanced Care Directives;
  • Introduced legislation to ban private payments for medically necessary services;
  • Introduced legislation to ban the sale of tobacco in pharmacies.
On accountability
  • Led emergency debate on the Kelowna Accord to highlight the premier's failure to protect it from Harper's cutbacks;
  • Introduced legislation to protect consumers from unscrupulous payday loan operators;
  • Introduced legislation to bring back a human rights commission to BC ;
  • Exposed friends and insiders on the Agricultural Land Commission;
  • Exposed the failure of the Liberal government in making elections more democratic;
  • Uncovered over a $100 million in extra Olympic-related costs on top of the $600 million already committed;
  • Successfully fought proposed changes to BC freedom of information and public inquiries laws
    • To unsubscribe or change your settings go to: http://www.e-2ve6y.signup2.bc.ndp.ca/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From newswire at news.bc.ndp.ca Fri May 26 19:07:02 2006 From: newswire at news.bc.ndp.ca (BC NDP NEWSWIRE) Date: Fri, 26 May 2006 18:07:02 -0800 Subject: [LabComm] You made a real difference Message-ID: You made a real difference Dear friend, I want to send this quick note to thank everyone who helped stop the cuts to Vancouver's Mount Saint Joseph Hospital. Whether you were one of the thousands of people who signed the NDP petition, wrote a letter to the local newspaper, or sent an e-mail to Gordon Campbell -- you made a real difference. A few weeks ago, following a number of reports about dangerous overcrowding in the emergency rooms of hospitals throughout BC, Gordon Campbell announced plans to cut ER services at Vancouver's Mount Saint Joseph by 23% on June 1. I couldn't quite believe it when I heard it. Since 2001, this government has closed 5 hospitals, 54 long-term care facilities and 1300 acute care beds around this province. Doctors had been warning for years that these cuts were creating a crisis in ERs. Now people were dying in hallways while they waited for emergency care. How could Gordon Campbell think that cutting ER services at a vital Vancouver hospital could possibly help? Since then, doctors, community leaders and ordinary people around the province joined the NDP team in fighting to stop the cuts. Over 3500 people responded to our urgent call and signed the NDP petition, and many others sent messages to Gordon Campbell expressing their concerns. Finally, Gordon Campbell backed down. Mount Saint Joseph Hospital will be spared the cuts on June 1. That's great news for the people who depend on the hospital for timely and quality emergency care. It's also great news for anyone who might need to visit a hospital in the Lower Mainland, because these cuts would have made overcrowding in other hospitals even worse. But we need to keep the pressure on Gordon Campbell. The Liberals haven't given up on their plans to cut ER services at Mount Saint Joseph -- they've only decided to postpone them for seven months. We have to make sure that Gordon Campbell doesn't think that people have stopped caring about this important issue. We have to make sure he continues to hear that people in this province are not willing to accept ER cuts when our hospitals are dangerously overcrowded. That means more public campaigns to alert the media, engage community leaders and give ordinary people a chance to be heard -- just like we've done over the last few weeks. I'm very pleased that Mount Saint Joseph Hospital has been spared these cuts -- for now. But hospitals around the province continue to face increasing patient loads. It's time for Gordon Campbell to admit it was a mistake to break his promise to build 5000 new long-term care beds, and it was a mistake to cut 1300 hospital beds across the province. The NDP team is going to keep the pressure on Gordon Campbell. With your help, we can succeed. Thank you, Jenny Kwan
    NDP MLA for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant     To unsubscribe or change your settings go to: http://www.e-2ve6y.signup2.bc.ndp.ca/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: