[LabComm] BC NDP Connection Newsletter

Tue Oct 17 22:15:07 PDT 2006

BC NDP Connection Newsletter

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<h1>B.C., not the Prime Minister, should be the Premier's first priority</h1>
<body>Premier Gordon Campbell is letting Prime Minister Stephen Harper engage in pre-election campaigning at the expense of what's best for British Columbia, Carole James says.

The NDP leader says Stephen Harper's visit to British Columbia this week highlights how little B.C. is gaining from the supposed improved personal relationship between the Premier and the Prime Minister.

"Prime Minister Harper's strategy on ports is apparently to re-announce funding committed more than a year ago," said James. "That's certainly not news, especially when all he did was tell British Columbians we won't see the money for close to a decade." 

The real news was Mr. Campbell standing by, politely applauding, as the Prime Minister used British Columbia as a backdrop to make an incomprehensible statement on climate change.

"While Mr. Campbell acted as cheerleader, Prime Minister Harper pledged to do nothing about climate change," said James.

James said the Premier's involvement in the Prime Minister's announcements tells British Columbia that he approves of Mr. Harper's priorities.

"We've seen Mr. Campbell's own inaction on climate change, so that should come as no surprise." James said. "What's disturbing is his inability to get a better deal for British Columbia.

"Mr. Campbell should be working on the priorities of B.C., not Mr. Harper's re-election priorities."</body>
<h1>Gag orders stifle health care conversation</h1>
<body>Is there an honest conversation on health care in British Columbia? It depends on who you talk to.

A pair of incidents this week should make British Columbians wonder whether the B.C. Liberals really want an open dialogue on the future of health care in this province.

A memo distributed to everyone who works for the Vancouver Island Health Authority â€“ doctors, nurses, technicians and support staff â€“ instructs them that they are not allowed to speak with media, MLAs or MPs without express permission from the CEO's office.

And an employee at Maximus, the company which responds to inquiries about the Medical Services Plan and Pharmacare, told the media this week that he was instructed not to refer callers to MLAs if he couldn't help them himself.

"The B.C. Liberals are clearly worried about having a truly frank discussion with British Columbians about their failures on health care in this province," said NDP Health Critic Adrian Dix. 

"They seem to want to guide this conversation on health care only in a direction that suits their political needs."

Dix said British Columbians rely on their elected officials to address issues when they feel let down by the system. 

"The Liberals are worried about being embarrassed by full scrutiny of what they've done to our health care system," Dix said. "They should be embarrassed, but they should be using the information they get from their front-line workers as the starting point to fixing the problems they caused.

"Trying to keep their problems hidden doesn't help anyone. It only helps their political cause."</body>

<h2>This Week</h2>
<h3>Carole James urges action on Child and Youth representative</h3>
<body>Too many months have gone by without action on the Child and Youth representative and Gordon Campbell should ensure Ted Hughes' recommendations are acted on without delay NDP Leader Carole James says.</body><a href="http://bcndpcaucus.ca/carole_james/audio/carole_james_urges_action_on_child_and_youth_representative">Leader's Radio Address</a>
<h3>Falcon turning a blind eye to reservations cash cow, Coons says</h3>
<body>Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon is turning a blind eye to B.C. Ferries' reservation cash cow, Gary Coons says.</body> <a href="http://bcndpcaucus.ca/news_room/falcon_turning_a_blind_eye_to_reservations_cash_cow_coons_says">Read More</a>
<h3>Minister Leaves School Boards to Face School Fee Crisis Alone</h3>
<body>Education Minister Shirley Bond's lack of leadership on school fees has left school boards to face the problem alone, NDP Education Critic David Cubberley says. </body><a href="http://bcndpcaucus.ca/news_room/minister_leaves_school_boards_to_face_school_fee_crisis_alone">Read more</a>
<h3>Lives put at risk by B.C. Liberal inaction on rural ambulance service</h3>
<body>The B.C. Liberals' failure to deal with a shortage of rural ambulance attendants has put the lives of Interior residents at risk, NDP MLA Charlie Wyse says. </body>Read More <a href="http://bcndpcaucus.ca/mla_news_release/lives_put_at_risk_by_b_c_liberal_inaction_on_rural_ambulance_service">Read more</a>
<h3>Watch Constituency Report!</h3>
<body>Constituency Report is your chance to hear your MLA talk about issues important to your community. Click <a href="http://bcndpcaucus.ca/constituency_report_0">Here</a> for a full schedule.</body>
<h3>CONTACT US </h3>
<body>New Democrat Official Opposition
Room 201, Parliament Buildings
Victoria, BC
V8V 1X4
<a href="http://bcndpcaucus.ca/index.php">bcndpcaucus.ca</a>

By phone: (250) 387-3655
By email: <a href="mailto:ndp at leg.bc.ca">ndp at leg.bc.ca</a></body>
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