Who Needs an Education anyways?

The BC Liberals Don't Think Your Kids Do

The Liberals cuts to education send a clear message to the
citizens of BC. They don’t care if our children get the edu-
cation they deserve, that the taxpayers pay for. They
don’t care that they have under-funded the school system
so much that parents have to cough up money out of their
own pockets for basic educational needs, things like books,
supplies and etc. They don’t care enough to provide proper
funding to inner-city schools, where children’s ability to
learn is already compromised by cuts to income assistance,
poverty and daily survival. How about the threats to cut
breakfast and lunch programs? How about the lost support
services and teacher's assistants? How about larger class
sizes, where children can't possibly get the attention they
need.

"OECD member countries spend an average of $7,480 per
school student. B.C. spends 13 per cent less than that, or
$6,529 per student according to Ministry of Education
statistics.”

“More than 14,000 students have been displaced from their
neighbourhood schools since the B.C. Liberals came to office
and froze the funding for public education. There are 2,500
fewer teachers and 113 schools have closed since 2001.
Many of the schools closed are in rural communities.”

The cuts, chaos and destruction of the public school system
has clearly impacted all schools in being able to provide a
quality education to our children and youth. The mean-spirited,
penny wise, pound foolish Liberals clearly can’t see the future
implications of their decisions. With a substandard education
from our public school system, how easy will it be for young
people to get into university. Oops, don’t worry about that,
university tuition has been allowed to skyrocket under the
Liberals, therefore, our kids will have to work at crappy
part-time, retail and service sector jobs for $6, because
they don’t have the GPA’s, nor money to afford the price of
university in BC. The Liberals eliminated $80 million dollars
in grants, sat by and watched their university buddies raise
tuition levels as much as 300% for some programs. Clearly
the BC Liberals believe that post-secondary education in BC
should only be open to the highest income families and
international students whose parents can afford the price of
tuition.

What does this say to the rest of us? What jobs does Gordon
Campbell envision for BC’s young people? When one looks at
the employment options for youth in BC, we can see that the
Liberal government and their friends in the business community
are in need of cheap labour. And they plan to keep it that way,
however they have to do it.

So, parents, get used to paying more money for tuition and
taking care of your kids for longer periods of time, because the
Gordon Campbell Liberal government doesn't think your kids
deserve the educational and employment opportunities that
you received. This should be of great concern to all of us, with
the baby boomers leaving all manner of jobs in the next 10
years, ask yourself who will be there to fill them? Who will
be there to take care of the Elders when they are in need?
************************************************
References

BC Teachers Federation. Cuts Hurt Kids:
Neighbourhood school closures and teachers cut.

Coalition for Public Education. Opening Doors for Every
Student. Get the Facts: Statistics.

Judith Ince, (September 24, 2004). Saul Says B.C. Education
Cuts Bleed Democracy: In some of Vancouver's poorest schools,
author John Ralston Saul's message received nods of agreement.
The Tyee: A Feisty One.

Militant Moms on the Move (MMOMs). Militant Moms Manifesto.

Militant Moms on the Move (MMOMs). Campbell’s Quick &
Painful Recipe for Liberal Disaster Pie.

Parents Against Cuts in Education.
Some Examples of Funding Cuts to Education.

Vancouver Elementary School Teachers' Association.
$45 million Cut from Vancouver School Board.
Better Schools.

Greed, Corruption and Incompetent Management - Part

Globe & Mail columnist Jeffrey Simpson wrote:

"Rereading the Liberals' campaign document –
A New Era for British Columbia -- is time spent in
the world of political illusion. Perhaps the Liberals
were only kidding themselves. Perhaps they
deliberately tried to kid British Columbia. Either
way, the document rested on false premises that
are now apparent."

If the BC Liberals were in charge of a corporation, which they
essentially are, there isn’t a doubt on my mind they would be
fired for incompetence, corruption and gross financial mis-
management. The only way they will be found accountable
for their terrible leadership is being punted out of office
on May 17^th, 2005, before they destroy what is left of our
beautiful Province. As a stakeholder in B.C., I truly believe
we can’t afford to have them at the helm anymore.

At least they’ve been equal opportunity oppressors. Their
stupid, greedy and punitive agendas and policies have
comprehensively eroded the health, well-being and quality
of life for a significant portion of citizens of B.C. across different
walks of life. Funny they don’t mention that in their expensive
television ads about the Best Place on Earth.

So let’s recount some of the incompetence and terrible leadership
that the citizens of B.C. have dealt with from the brain trusts in
the BC Liberal government.In no particular order:

#1 – “In BC, some debts are better than others. In March of 2004,
the total B.C. debt stood at $37.3 billion. In 2001 when the
Liberals took office, it totalled $33.6 billion.”
(Have You Had Enough Yet, 2004).

#2. They promised transparency, openness and accountability.
Little things like centralizing communications from the Premier’s
office, keeping secret “persona non grata” lists and denying
Freedom of Information requests and all the other ways they
have shut down the information flow from their house to ours
smacks of secrecy to me. Two more words, Doug Walls.

#3. How about the tainted “sale” (which is actually a 990 year
“lease” of BC Rail???). The deal comes complete with scandal
involving alleged money laundering, and bribes to BC Liberal staff
appointees and the interesting timing of the resignations of two
key Ministers, Gary Collins and Christy Clark.

#4. In April, 2003, the BC Liberals started the break up of BC
Hydro, privatizing all new dam construction and giving one third
of Hydro's operations, a $1.45 billion dollar deal, to Accenture,
an off-shore company that has cost Ontario billions of dollars
in cost over-runs for their re-design of the welfare system.

#5. The vast expansion of public-private partnerships through-
out the Province. The Abbotsford Hospital is already in cost over-
runs and do you think the private interests will really be on the
hook for that? Yah right, I’m sure Liberal buddies have gotten
some of those contracts. Wonder how much you would find the
private interests had contributed to the Liberals campaign?

#6. The Liberals privatized Medical Services Plan (MSP) and
Pharmacare through a $324 million contract it awarded to
Maximus, an American-based subsidiary, which has been
embroiled in scandals of misappropriations of public funds in
Wisconsin, “accusations of mismanagement, overspending or
improperly receiving information while seeking a contract”
(Deveau, 2004).

#7. The BC Liberals also chose Themis Ltd., a Maximus
subsidiary, to administer the BC Family Maintenance Program.
Themis, being best known for their work in collections can
now proudly claim the harassment, de-humanizing and offensive
tactics of a collections agency are being used to shaking down
impoverished women (and dead beat parents). Forced DNA
testing is also on the menu. The BC Liberals excel at something
at least, even if it is poor bashing, oppression and stressing out
single mothers.

#8. How on earth do the Liberals think they can brag about
job growth (the only jobs growing are low pay, part-time
and service sector)? They spin BC as being open for business
when they don’t even allow their own shipbuilding industry to
bid on contracts for new ferries? What does that say for their
trust of industry and their lack of care and concern about how
many B.C. families would have been supported by those jobs?

What kind of message does this send to the international
community about how our own Premier and government
see BC companies and industry? I say it’s a slap in the face of
all BC citizens AND is yet one more example of poor leadership
and punitive measures against families, labour, industry and
the rest of our Province.

#9. I would think that a party that clearly caters to the business
community would respect little things like CONTRACTS.
Not the BC Liberals though. How could anyone, from community
members, workers, businesses, at home and internationally,
trust this government to be fair and honourable? They tore up
the cornerstones of a business relationship: contracts, freely
negotiated and legally binding collective agreements, and
honouring commitments.

#10. How many golden handshakes and pensions have been
given to Ministers, high-level managers, bureaucrats,
caucus members and friends of the Liberals? How many
of those same people are now double-dipping as consultants
in cushy untendered positions?

#11. In 2004, Nick Geer, former President and CEO, left
ICBC. Supposedly a mutual thing. Uh huh. Why on earth
would we want this guy in charge of our public car insurance?
He only turned ICBC around and had it in the black. He also
thought the citizens of B.C. should be protected by low rates
for car insurance, good service and coverage. He was also
skeptical about a little thing called privatization. Man, we
wouldn’t want to get used to that kind of fore thought in
our government officials, it gets in the way of the money to
be made by the Liberals buddies, the private insurance companies.
Hmm, wonder how much it cost them to get rid of Geer?

#12. The justice system is part of the foundation in society,
and hopefully it is based on the values of truth, justice, respect and
dignity for all. The BC Liberals have gone so far as to undermine
justice in this Province. They’ve done this by cutting funding for
legal aid, by creating barriers to accessing support and advocacy.
They’ve cut courthouses around the Province, laid off workers,
and cut victim support services. The collective actions and
financially driven motives of the Liberals should be viewed as
an attack on the democracy of our Province.

I also want to know why Associate Chief Justice Patrick Dohm
only allowed a heavily censored disclosure of the court documents
behind the investigation into the legislature raid and charges
against Aneal and Dave Basi? Or why Associate Chief Justice
Dohm chose May 30^th to decide on unsealing some of the
documents used to apply for search warrants in the Basi matter?
As a taxpayer in B.C., I’d like to know what Ministers, government
officials, and employees are connected to this scandalous and
corrupt situation. Surely it is in the public interest to know more
about this prior to heading to the polls?

For these and many others reasons, I say the BC Liberals
have to go. If this is what they’ve done in a 4 year
mandate they will have a blank cheque for another 4.
Who will be left to challenge them? The mainstream,
local media doesn't seem too concerned about their
leadership of this Province and instead seem to be
part of the Liberal spin machine.

What safeguards will be left to protect the citizens of
BC from more Liberal corruption, greed and
incompetence? What opportunities will exist for the
citizens of BC? What is the future for our children
under the BC Liberals?

On May 17th, 2005, vote the BC Liberals out.
The future of BC depends on it.

****************************************************
References

CBC News Online, (2004, September 14). B.C. Raids.

CBC News, (May 13 2004). ICBC boss leaving.

CBC News, (Mar 3 2003). ICBC in the black.
VANCOUVER – The government-owned Insurance Corporation
of B.C. says it made a profit of $45 million last year, a big improve-
ment over 2001 when ICBC lost $251 million.

Canadian Press, (2005, April 1). Judge refuses to unseal
documents in B.C. government corruption case.

Canoe News Network, (April 1, 2005 ). Judge won't unseal docs
in B.C. corruption case.

CBC News, (Apr 21 2005). Top court will rule on B.C. law
that tore up contracts.

Scott Deveau (December 3, 2004). B.C. Contractor Maximus
Mishandled Public Funds in U.S. The Tyee On-line: A feisty one.

Scott Deveau (2005, Mar. 16). Mug Shot Too Hot for Political Ads:
Parties running against B.C. Liberals fear use of drunk driving photo
would backfire. The Tyee On-line: A feisty one.

Adrian Dix, (March 3, 2004). Ideological Liberal approach fails
B.C. economy.Victoria Times-Colonist/Rabble.ca

Russ Francis, (April 28, 2005). Foiling Freedom of Information:
Gordon Campbell promised the FOI process would be easier,
cheaper and solidly funded. The opposite has happened. The Tyee.ca.

Mark Hume, (2005, January 29). Former B.C. Liberal officials
charged with fraud, taking bribes. Globe and Mail, A5.

Ian King (December 21, 2003). Scrum Filter: Unspinning the
Year's News: In 2003, B.C.'s press yawned at the Premier's
crime... The Tyee: A Feisty One.

Barbara McLintock, (2005, Mar. 14). Geoff Plant and the B.C.
Liberals’ Exodus: The motives are personal, ideological –
and cold, hard political realism.

Barbara McLintock, (December 24, 2004). Ho Hum, Criminal
Charges for Liberal Aides: These indictments allege corruption
of major government deals. So why the big yawn? The Tyee: A Feisty One.

McMartin, Will, (April 20, 2005). Campbell Misled Public on NDP
Finances: In 2001 the incoming premier called NDP finances “worse
than we anticipated.”

Bill Pikett, (March 12, 2004). Basigate for Dummies.
"Railway sales, gangs, cocaine, marijuana, bribes, RCMP raids,
crime and corruption, breach of trust, influence peddling,
lobbyists, campaign donations, leaks, grow ops, Liberal
membership drives: the works."

Bill Pikett, Three Liberal officials charged with fraud,
taking bribes, and money laundering.
Have You Had Enough Yet.

Bill Pikett, [Ed], O gosh, Gordo broke his promises to MADD.
Have You Had Enough Yet.

Pikett, Bill [Ed], (April 06, 2005). No corruption here in BC,
not in the pages of the Daily Scum anyway.
Have You Had Enough Yet.

Bill Pikett, [Ed], (August 15, 2004). In BC, some debts are
better than others.

Rabble Babble, (2005, April). BC Political Scandal.

Robbins SCE Research: We are public opinion. (2004, April 01).
The sale of BC Rail, BC Liberal corruption, 3 P drug
trafficking and government Insider Trading.

Bill Tieleman, (11-Mar-2004). Police Raids and BC Rail.
Political Connections Archives. Georgia Straight.

Bill Tieleman, (25-Nov-2004). Fliers Deliver Liberal
Propaganda Surplus. Georgia Straight.

Bill Tieleman, (16-Dec-2004). Libs Take Hard Right With
Collins Departure. Georgia Straight.

Child Protection

I think one can tell a lot about the values of a government by how it
treats it’s most vulnerable citizens. If we take a look at the lives of
children and youth who are in need of protection, it is clear that the
BC Liberals couldn’t care less whether vulnerable and marginalized
children and youth live, or die in B.C. They are quite fine with
keeping the stories, lives and deaths of young people silent and
invisible. There has been between $175 and $200 million in cuts to
the Ministry of Children, Family and Development. This has been in
the guise of regional service system re-designs that have caused
chaos, profound systemic neglect and mass failure to uphold the
legal mandate of child protection in this Province.

It is a fact that Treasury Board is running MCFD and setting
child welfare policy in B.C. The BC Liberals have not only failed to
protect abused and neglected children, they are responsible for
leaving children in unsafe homes, turning their backs on youth
and have been instrumental in ensuring that a generation of
children will fill the welfare rolls, addictions and mental health
services and prisons.

The Liberals must be proud of their record of discrimination
and exploitation of children and youth. Their changes to child
labour laws have earned BC the international notoriety with
the United Nations for rolling back the protections available
to young people. And how about legislatively enshrining
discrimination based on age, as in the $6 training wage.

Cuts to group homes, foster homes, semi-independent living
and safe houses, as well as a cookie cutter policy of placing
youth on Youth Agreements at 16 to 19 has relegated a
generationof youth to homelessness, despair and marginali-
zation.Cuts to alternative schools, employment programs
and addiction services will ensure that youth will stay in the
gutter, where the Liberals clearly believe some people deserve
to live and die.

Three incompetent Ministers in 4 years, each one worst than
the last. At least Hogg knew the landscape, too bad hehad to take
the fall for the Premier in the Walls scandal,but he hasn’t done
too badly. Now he’s been elected as Liberal caucas chair. So
let’s see, two Ministers forced to resign due to connections to
messy political dealings. Hmm? Christie, the public has a hard
time believing you quit to spend more time with your family
especially now that you're in the paper and on TV all the time.
How are your husband and brother?

The BC Liberals have rewarded cronies and relatives with
untendered contracts and received nothing in return.Where is
the $400,000 Doug Walls? Where is the money GordonCampbell?
Money that was earmarked for children and adults with develop-
ment disabilities has disappeared and no accounting ever made to the
taxpayers of B.C. And even though they spent even more money
on an audit, which found Community Living Services still wasn’t
ready to be privatized, it’s still pushing forward with the agenda,
amidst chaos, with deep cracks waiting to swallow our most
vulnerable kids and adults up whole.

MCFD is also continuing to push forward with it's Aboriginal plan,
to devolve all child welfare to Aboriginal agencies. Never mind that
the entire first Board of Directors of Vancouver Aboriginal Child
and Family Services Society(VACFSS) was forced to resign. And that
missing funds have again never been accounted for. How about the
second rate child guardianship and protection standards that are
being applied to Aboriginal children in and out of care, with MCFD
& VACFSS.

Where are the answers to why there has been an increase of 33%
in the rate of death of children and youth in care? How about the
general increase in mortality of infants, children andyouth over the
last 4 years? Oops, we don’t know about that because the Liberals
cut the watchdogs, the Children’s Commission and the Child & Youth
Advocate. Jane Morley, BC’s Child and Youth Officer has certainly
made herself clear that she will not raise her voice to say how poorly
this government is in taking care of our children & youth. It’s
amazing how a political appointment and some money will cause
one’s ethics, integrity and morals to ebb away. These comments
should be viewed as a complete vote of NO CONFIDENCE in
Jane Morley and her office. I hope it was all worth it, Ms. Morley.
The children, youth and families of B.C. are worse off under your
watch. and your silence is a slap in the face to all who deserve
your voice to speak on their behalf.
*****************************************************
References

BC Association of Social Workers, (April 13, 2005). A Healthy
Child Welfare System Should Not Fear Public Scrutiny.

BC Association of Social Workers, (March 2005). Media
Statement from BCASW Regarding Advocacy in
Child Welfare System.

CBC News, (Jun 2 2004). Audit on aboriginal funds due this week.

CBC News, (May 12 2004). Bad management, but no fraud in Walls
affair: report.

CBC News, (2004, January 23). Hogg resigns over audit.

CBC News (2004, January 19). RCMP recommended charges in
car dealership case.

CBC News, (2004 May 12). Report on Doug Walls due Wednesday.
CBC News, (2004, Mar. 4). Shake-up at Community Living B.C.

Canadian Centre for Police Alternatives. BC now has lowest child
labour standards in North America.

Judith Ince, (January 11, 2005). Cody's Death: How Deep an
Investigation? The Fontaine toddler died in a troubled home after
social worker cutbacks. The Tyee: A Feisty one Online.

Hertzman, Clyde, (May 31, 2004). Making Early Childhood
Development a Priority: Lessons fromVancouver.
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Holman, Sean, Public Eye Online. MCFD Headlines.

(2004, September 17). A motherhood issue.
Yesterday, Children and Family Development Minister
Christy Clark resigned her cabinet position and announced
she wouldn't be seeking re-election.

(June 20, 2004).Basketcase ministry diagnosis confirmed?
(August 16, 2004). When is a scandal not a scandal?
(August 18, 2004). Running into Walls.
(September 20, 2004). Gone but not forgotten.
(December 03, 2004. Next come the locusts.
(January 19, 2005). Hogg wins popularity contest.
(February 02, 2005). Bets on how long this appointment will last?

Helesia Luke & Graeme Moore, (March 20, 2004). Who's Looking Out
for Our Kids? Deregulating Child Labour Law in BC.
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Ministry of Children and Family Development (2004, Jan. 23).
Minister Hogg Resigns from Cabinet.

Ministry of Finance, (May 6, 2004). Investigation of CareNet
Technology Society and the Provincial Government's
Dealings with Douglas F. Walls.

Ministry of Finance, (February, 2002). Report on Vancouver
Aboriginal Child and Family Services Society.

Office of the Premier, (2004, Jan. 23). The appointment of the
previous deputy minister, Ministry of Children and Family
Development, Chris Haynes, has been rescinded.

Paterson, Jody (June 20, 2001). A Closer Look: Uncaring
bureaucrat the worst of parents. Victoria Times-Colonist.

David Schreck, Strategic Thoughts. Ministry of Children and
Family Development Stories.

(January 3, 2003). Child Protection in the New Era.
(January 8, 2003 ). Reports of Abuse & Neglect.
(January 30, 2003). Cuts to Child Protection.
(February 17, 2003). 20% Fewer Child Protection Investigations.
(July 15, 2003). Feb-June Numbers Confirm Drop in Child Protection
Investigations.

(March 3, 2005). Budget Shifting in the Ministry of Children
and Family Development.

(March 22, 2005). Over 900 Deaths without Adequate Reviews.

Vital Statistics Annual Report 2003. Death-related Statistics.

(January 14, 2005). Cody Fontaine's and Matthew Vaudreuil's
Legacy.

Paying Attention: Paul Willcocks on BC Politics & Life.
New children's ministry cuts an election issue.

Willcocks, Paul (28 February 2001). Children poorly cared for by
a Ministry in Chaos. The Vancouver Sun.

Willcocks, Paul. Judge sheds light on murky ministry for kids.
The Vancouver Sun.

BC Liberals - Racist, or Not: What Does Their Record in Office Say?

If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it must be a
bunch of privileged, wealthy, White people, with a few token
MLA's of colour, thrown into the mix. The BC Liberals have
made many public policy decisions that reflect racist, oppressive
and dishonourable intentions and contempt towards First Nations
people, immigrants and marginalized people around BC.

The Liberal cuts to Aboriginal, immigrant and English as-a-
second language (ESL) services should be viewed as the direct
and intentional acts of a racist and oppressive regime. Across
the board, individuals, families and communities have been
impacted by cuts to culturally relevant community supports
and resources. I would like the BC Liberals to explain how their
agendas, policies and cuts are helping the economic, educational,
employment and social conditions for First Nations people,
newcomers to Canada and other citizens of B.C. What quality of life
do the Liberals envision for these citizens of B.C.? Considering the
cuts to things such as multicultural workers in the schools and
community, as well as ESL classes, I’d like to see a public
accounting of what the BC Liberal government is doing with the
federal funds it receives from Ottawa for immigration and
settlement services.

BC received the lowest failing grade in language services
in 2002& 2004 in all if Canada and a marginal mark for settlement
services funded in 2004. “All Provinces and Territories offer
higher-level government funded adult ESL classes than is found
in BC.”

On April 1st, 2004 the BC Liberal government, in their infinite
wisdom, short sightedness and racist sentiment cut the
Native Court Workers and Counselling Association
funding from $2.04 million to $1.3 million. As the Association
states the Liberals already cut $400,000 from the organization
in June, 2002. The actions of the Liberals demonstrate dishonour,
disrespect and a continuation of government abuse of the First
Nations people. This organization has provided important support,
advocacy and healing to many Aboriginal citizens of the Province.

From 2002 to 2003, the organization assisted 11,153 people,
which represents a doubling of the number of youth and adults
seeking their support through their involvement in the criminal
justice system. This continues the legacy of disproportionate
representation and incarceration by dominant forces provincially
and federally. And how about the funding for supports in the
school system for First Nations students. More cuts. Smells like
racism to me. Again, I'd like to know if all the federal funding is
making it to the people who need it most.

First Nations people of BC must be on guard against the BC
Liberals pillaging the natural resources that lie within ancestral
lands and off-shore. The treatment of Aboriginal people by this
government must speak loud and clear for what treatment can
be expected when the Liberals come to take the resources for
their American cohorts. And that is happening, while you read this.

Other acts of racism towards Aboriginal people of BC: how about
the ridiculous and mean-spirited Treaty Referendum? This
insane proposal (and waste of tax payers money) illustrates how
racist and stupid this government is in understanding the
complexities of the treaty process, legally enshrined Aboriginal
federal rights and the profound importance of self-governence
to the First Nations people of BC. Their ensuing cuts to the budgets
of Treaty and Negotiations offices also speaks loudly about the
respect and value the Liberals hold for First Nations people.

Women and men of colour and immigrants have also been attacked
by the BC Liberals, fundamentally in the health care sector.
Privatization of hospital services, wage rollbacks and layoffs is
what women and men received from the Liberals. These are
BC families who are now struggling to survive.

The question the BC Liberals need to answer is do you care about
the future of First Nations, immigrants and people of colour in
the Province of BC? What do you think their answer is and
how much worse will they make things if they are in power for
another 4 years. For those of us who truly value ethno-cultural
diversity, the important contributions and work of all of BC's
citizens, don't vote Liberal on May 17th, 2005.
******************************************************
References

BC Treaty Commission.

CBC News Online, (July 02, 2004). Indepth: Aboriginal Canadians:
B.C. treaty referendum.

CBC News Online, (Apr 08, 2002). Critics call for boycott of
B.C. treaty referendum.

Canadian Centre for Police Alternatives. (April 21, 2004).
Health care privatization eliminates pay equity gains:
BC now has lowest hospital support wages in Canada.

Sean Condon, (April 22, 2005). Aboriginal Rights: The
Campaign’s Hidden Issue. Only Magazine. p.6.

Department of Geography, Simon Fraser University, (2004).
2004 Inter-Provincial Report Card on Language and
Settlement Services in Canada. Department of Citizenship
and Immigration Canada(CIC).

Scott Deveau, (April 8, 2004). A Spring Loss.
The Tyee: A Feisty One.

Bill Pikett, (February 22 2005). Another New Era
achievement: We're worst in the country in
language instruction for our immigrants.
Have You Had Enough Yet.

Pilar Riano-Alcala & Irene Policzer, (March, 2005).
Open-SolicitationProcess Fails to Meet Community
Needs: A report on the state of Settlement Information
and Support Services for Northeast and East Vancouver
Immigrants. Mosaic.

Union of BC Indian Chiefs, (July 4, 2002). BC Voters Reject BC
Liberal Government Treaty Referendum.

Don't Grow Old while the BC Liberals are In Power

The Destruction of the BC Health Care System

The BC Liberals have the audacity to say in their “Dialogue on
Health and Aging in British Columbia”(Ministry of Health, 2004)
that their service re-design is on the right track. Hmm, I wonder
if you asked the people WHO BUILT THIS PROVINCE if theywould
agree? People like my Grandpa, who lived and died through their
“system re-design.” He spent the last year of his life in BC being
shuttled around the Liberal health care system, being sent home
with a broken hip, sitting in emergency rooms drugged for so long
he didn’t know where he was. Or, being shuttled from one hospital
to the next, with no relatives being informed of his move and a
mind clouded with pain and drugs. Waking up to strange surroundings
and strangers' faces until family was able to catch up with him. Being
sent home again and again, with cuts to home health care workers.
And finally being settled in a nice, expensive residence, it was
privatized. The people he had come to rely on, most of them women
of colour, were axed, or took pay cuts to keep their jobs and feed
their families.

I don’t see the Liberal health care system working my
for my 94 year old Auntie either. She has slowly been losing
her mind to Alzeimer’s. However in the New Era Liberal
health care system, although she has hallucinations, hoards
and is now barricading herself, she isn’t quite “sick enough”
to get a bed. And she will certainly not spend her twilight
years in a subsidized home. Oh no, she was only born here
and paid an entire lifetime into provincial and federal coffers.
What have either of my loved ones done to deserve high quality
health and emotional care, dignity and respect? Clearly the
BC Liberals don't see that our Elders deserve a high-level
and continuum of care around the Province.

And how about my step-dad, he broke his wrist. His local
hospital doesn’t provide that level of care anymore, so he
had to go elsewhere. Although he was in great pain, there
were no beds in the hospitals, so he suffered at home for
3 days until he got the surgery he needed to repair his
wrist!!! I’m only one person, so many of us must have
stories of the failure of the BC Liberal health care system
to our Elders and loved ones.

The TV commercials being done by the HEU really
hammer home the effects of the Liberals cuts, closures
and mismanagement of the province's health care system.

This sums it up for me: “The campaign is driven by the
fact that the present government of BC has broken the
longstanding social contract between the province and
seniors. COSCO has tried and tried again to the get the
provincial government to change damaging policies
towards seniors without any success. For this reason,
COSCO and its affiliates have decided that the only
way it can re-establish the right of seniors to retire
with the knowledge that their retirement social contract
will be respected is to see change in the government in
our province. Seniors, regardless of their usual political
preferences, are united in this endeavor.”

The Council of Senior Citizens' Organizations of B.C.
COSCO Election Campaign.
*******************************************************
References

B.C. Government Retired Employees Association,(October 26, 2004).
BCGREA files lawsuit against Province of B.C.

CBC News, (Mar 21 2005). Woman taken to morgue by mistake.

CBC News, (Feb 9 2005). Liberals fall short of promise to seniors.

CBC News, (Apr 4 2005). Report paints bleak picture for seniors.

Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, (April 4, 2005).
Long-term care and home health services in BC on
steady decline: Province-wide audit provides clear picture
of cuts since 2001, documents lost beds.

Marcy Cohen, Janice Murphy, Kelsey Nutland & Aleck Ostry,
(April 4, 2005). Continuing Care Renewal or Retreat?
BC Residential and Home Health Restructuring 2001-2004.
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Sylvia Fuller, (April 1, 2003). Fair Pharmacare?
A Backgrounder on the Government's Changes to BC's
Pharmacare Program. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Sylvia Fuller, (March 1, 2002). Leaked health ministry
document shows cost transfer to sick, elderly.
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Ministry of Health, (2004, October 28& 29). Dialogue on Health
and Aging in British Columbia. Morris J.Wosk Centre for Dialogue,
Vancouver.

Pikett, Bill, (April 06 2005). A New Twist to the Meaning of the
Words "Liberal Democracy." Have You Had Enough Yet.

The BC Liberals Show Contempt to the Women of BC

What did women ever do to you Gord? You would think you would
have a lot of respect for women, considering the support you have
received from them throughout your life. But respect is clearly
NOT what you have shown to the women of BC. The cruel,
misogynistic and punishing cuts and treatment the BC Liberal
party has provided over the last 4 years demonstrates your
contempt towards the female citizens of this Province.

An excerpt from Gail Johnson:

“During the past three years, the B.C. Liberals have cut a total
of $843 million from the three ministries with responsibilities
for child care, children, women, and families: the Ministry of
Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services; the Ministry
of Human Resources; and the Ministry of Children and Family
Development.”

Under the Gordon Campbell government more women live in
poverty, in fear of spousal abuse, with broken bones and children
hearing their mother's screams and seeing their mother's injuries.
More women are trapped, because this government cut funding for
shelters and transition homes, women's centres where front-line
support can open the path to a way to leave, or just find support to
survive. They even cut the Ministry of Women's Equality, doesn't
that just speak volumes?

Cuts to services that support women who have been raped,
Victims Services and those those support girls and women who
are sexually exploited. Women live and die on the streets of our
community, while the Liberals attend $300 fundraising dinners
with their business buddies.

Cuts to income assistance force women to stay with their abusers
and their children continue to witness and experience this abuse.
The Liberals fundamentally are undermining women's equality,
dignity, safety and human rights. The BC Liberals policy and
funding decisions have encouraged violence against women,
poverty and marginalization. With cuts to daycare, before and
after school care, women who are single mother's are dispro-
portionally affected and forced to decide between food and
rent, over having their children cared for while they work.

The BC Liberals have made sure that women have unequal access
to educational and employment opportunities in BC. Is this who
you want in power for 4 more years? What more do they have
planned for the women of this Province?

The women in the BC Liberal party have not fared any better,
being rewarded “soft,” unpopular Ministry posts, with no real
authority, and carted out for photos ops to camoflauge the
misogyny of the BC Liberal party when the new polls show how
unpopular Campbell is with the womenfolk. All of these women
are capable of much more and are leaders in their communities.
The arrogance, paternalism and stupidity of failing to use the
talent that has been assembled already is yet one more
example ofthe terrible leadership of Gordon Campbell. And
don't think that Carole Taylor is going to get you out of the
mess you and your henchmen have created.

For the women who are MLA's in the BC Liberal government,
there will be a reckoning and karmic consequences for
your silence and complicity with the harm that has been done
to the women, children and Elders throughout this province
under your watch.
************************************************
References

BC Coalition of Women's Centres.
The Feminist Dozen: Thirteen Essential Provincial
Election Issues for Women Voters

BC Health Coalition, (May 8, 2003. Impacting Women:
Provincial Government Cuts to Health Care.

BC Health Coalition, (2003). Just Say No! The long term
care situation in BC is in disarray.

Alison Brewin and Lindsay Stephens, (September 25, 2004).
Legal Aid Denied:Women and the Cuts to Legal Services in BC.
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

G. Brodsky, M. Buckley, S. Day, & M. Young, (April 28, 2005).
Human Rights Denied: Single Mothers on Social
Assistance in British Columbia. The Poverty and Human
Rights Centre.

Coalition of Child Care Advocates – BC Votes.

Coalition of Child Care Advocates, (December, 2004).
Victoria’s Child Care Priorities go from Bad to Worse.

Marjorie Cohen, (April 29, 2004). IWA Health Care
Deals Betray Women Workers: When the B.C. Liberals
stripped hospital support staff of their rights, they
found an odd ally in the woodworkers' union.

Creese, Gillian & Strong-Boag, Veronica, (March 08, 2005).
Losing Ground: The Effects of Government Cutbacks
on Women in British Columbia 2001-2005.
BC Federation of Labour.

Sylvia Fuller and Stephens, Lindsay, (December 9, 2004).
Women's Employment in BC: Effects of Government
Downsizing and Employment Policy Changes 2001-2004.
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Judith Ince, (21 Dec 04 ). Teen Mom Support Fraying Says Report:
B.C.'s stay-in-school programs for teen mothers said to be hurt by cuts,
policy shifts. The Tyee, A Fiesty One Online.

Gail Johnson, (22 Apr 2004). In Their Own Words.
Georgia Straight.

Barbara McClintock, (April 4, 2005). Carole Taylor's
Heavy Load: B.C. Liberals expect her star appeal to
woo women back. But after four years, the gender
divide is wide.

Amy O'Brian, (11 Feb 2005). The child-care nightmare:
With rising costs, parental anxiety and waiting lists
that far exceed spaces available, the situation is 'truly a crisis.’
The Vancouver Sun.

West Coast Legal Education and Action Fund.
Single Mother's Human Rights Project:
Building a Human Rights case against the BC Liberal
government.

The BC Liberals Don't Care About BC's Children, Youth and Families

Does the BC Liberal government really care about the
individuals and families in B.C. If you look at all the
devastatingly comprehensive attacks (oops policy shifts
and service re-designs) they have provoked on citizens
around the Province, it becomes quite clear that the BC
Liberals in fact have great contempt, disrespect and disdain
for individuals and families.

Lets start with marginalized individuals. The Campbell
government clearly hates all those damn welfare
scammers and cheaters. And clearly, the citizens of BC
believe the propaganda the Liberal spin machine puts
out there about individuals on welfare. In a stunning
display of malice, contempt and incompetence, the
BC Liberals, as managers of BC's money, managed to
spend $5 million dollars to review everyone in B.C.
who had a disability designation must have patted
themselves on the back when they cut those 46 people
off of disability. Their mother’s must be proud.
Hey, their mother’s could have been some of those
kicked off disability. Middle aged disabled women were
kicked off and told to go find jobs.

This review meant that people had to somehow fill out a 23 page
form, having other professionals give them the rubber stamp of
disability(and we all know how doctors & such like to fill out
forms). These are people, who have difficulties with things like
daily life, physical health, literacy, addictions, mental health,
ESL, cognitive and intellectual disabilities and need the monthly
princely sum to keep a roof over their head.

The bottom line for any government is that it is a fact that there
will be a small percentage of people who are not employable,
no matter what and for many, many reasons. As a just and caring
society, which I think most Canadians see ourselves as, we need
to take care of these people, we need a social safety net.
“There for the grace of God (and family) there go I.”
Under the BC Liberals, youth and adult homelessness has
exploded. In Vancouver, 75% of homeless people report that
they can no longer access income assistance. Prior to the
Campbell government cuts this percentage was 25%.

We need to take care of people, as many citizens may now be
experiencing, the street lifestyle is not pretty. And it is not easily
contained. People are living in the parks in our communities.
Parks workers report needles, condoms and crime. Have you
noticed more people on the street in your community, more
drug activity, more prostitution, more panhandling, more
desperation? In part, these are people who are trying to
survive in the only way they know how, under a government
that is too foolish and ignorant to see the individual and
community risk management that exists in providing people
with decent income assistance, opportunities, inclusion and
participation in society.

There are those who can use help, such as employment training
programs, special training allowances, which enable them to get
the equipment they need to get jobs. Oops, those have been cut
and contracted out, treating people like driftwood.

The Liberals again in their stupidity and short-sightedness have
also cut apprenticeship and training programs that actually helped
people get jobs. And they made sure that only their rich buddies
and international students can afford our universities, so kids
born and raised in BC have seen tuitions sky-rocket because the
BC Liberals put no limits on what universities could ask students
and their parents to pay for an education in BC.

It’s like some drunk is at the wheel coming up with these
contradictory policies, oops I guess that is true in the technical
sense. (hahaha). How do these actions help families? How do they
ensure we will have adequately trained and specialized people to
work in the trades, industry, in health care, social services, or
anything other than part-time, service sector jobs?

First Call Everyone Counts Poster #2 – Welfare:

“The 20 per cent of Canadian families with the lowest
incomes have virtually no wealth, while the highest-income
10 per cent have almost half of all the nation's wealth”
according to a recent report released by Statistics Canada
and reported in the Vancouver Sun (B.C. has biggest gap
in wealth, Eric Beauchesne, Canwest News Service,
September 30, 2004)

“The gap in mean wealth between those in the top and
bottom 10 per cent of families was greatest in B.C. at
$1.6 million, with the bottom 10 per cent owing more
than they owned, leaving them with a negative wealth”.
**************************************************
References

BC Coalition of People with Disabilities. Who Benefits?
Disability benefits are failing British Columbians.

British Columbia Public Interest Advocacy Centre (BCPIAC),
(March 10, 2005). Ombudsman to Investigate Complaints
by Anti-poverty groups about Ministry of Human Resources.

British Columbia Public Interest Advocacy Centre (BCPIAC),
(February, 2005). An Overview of EXPOSING THE BARRIERS:
Administrative Unfairness at the Ministry of Human Resources
Community groups complaint to the Ombudsman of British Columbia.

COPE, (February 01, 2004). School Board Joins “No Cuts
to Kids Campaign”: COPE Trustees Work to Stop
$3-Million Cut to Inner City Schools.

G. Brodsky, M. Buckley, S. Day, & M. Young, (April 28, 2005).
Human Rights Denied: Single Mothers on Social
Assistance in British Columbia. The Poverty and Human
Rights Centre.

Noel Herron, (April 26, 2005). Note from School:
Brace for More ‘Yo Yo Spending’: BC Liberals plan
deep cutbacks after the election. School boards expect
to be back in the red. The Tyee.ca

Bill Pikett, (February 25, 2004). The magic of New Era
management: $5 million spent to cut 46 people off
welfare. Have You Had Enough Yet.

Social Planning and Research Council of British Columbia
(SPARC BC), (December, 2002). Falling Further Behind:
A Comparison of Living Costs and Employment
and Assistance Rates in BC.

Tenants Rights Action Coalition papers and research.

Cuts to legal aid hurt tenants.

(March 13, 2002). Liberals cancel 1,000 units of affordable housing while waitlists grow.

(August 1, 2002). Pay the rent or feed the kids.
(June 5, 2002). Welfare cuts will increase
homeless numbers.

Vancouver City Hall, (October, 2004).
Homeless Action Plan.