Your E-mails

Tuition Fees – April 29, 2005

Re the e-mail from Depalma. If all the costs of a university/college education were charged to a student, very few would be able to get a 'higher' education. So please don't ask for true cost accounting on costs, or you may get what you seem to be asking for - higher tuition fees.

You may disagree with NDP policies on a tuition freeze but it was welcomed by thousands of students and parents in the decade prior to Mr. Campbell coming to power. A lot of Liberal supporters display great glee at how much punishment they can inflict on the poor and disadvantaged while giving breaks to the rich. It will be their folly in the end.

Jack Bennest
Oliver

Access to Campbell – April 30, 2005

When will Gordon Campbell meet the public? He has been hiding in invitation-only events to diminish opportunities for women and seniors, welfare recipients, and those who need health care to call him to task. C'mon Gordon, come out from under your rock. Answer our questions and listen to the suffering you have rained upon us with your favour-the-rich policies.

Kuya Minogue
Golden

In response to Jim Thorne's skewed ideologies in his e-mail entitled "Voting Green:"

I believe, sir, you have your party platforms mixed up. You said "by [voting NDP] you will be choosing a party that has a chance to form a government and is very green..." Do you honestly think the New Democratic Party has a green platform? Tell me, sir, what party was responsible for the Fast Cat ferries?

I believe your message was undemocratic. I will (if I could) vote for the Green Party if I please, despite your pleading to join the dark side of union empowerment, regardless of its effects on job creation and the economy. I would support the STV referendum, gladly. I love it, but I will not vote NDP. The message you are conveying to Green supporters only strengthens our stand! If you want NDP votes, you are looking in the wrong place.

Ryan Hunter
Student, Pinetree Secondary, Coquitlam

More Green – May 2, 2005

If the world becomes uninhabitable for humans, then who cares about the economy and social welfare. It is time to get real and vote for the only party that seems to truly recognize this fact. Vote Green.

T. Fisher
Nanaimo

STV – May 2, 2005

STV was my choice from the time I started investigating what the Citizens' Assembly was doing. There are many letters stating the advantages so I won't repeat them. I would like to draw attention to the fact that even though the politicians leading the political parties have declared no comment on the CA's choice, the advocates of the most quoted NO campaign seem to be ex-senior MLAs and policy wonks/communicators from those parties. I can see that STV would be the LAST thing most parties would want to see as it means their candidates in any multi-seat riding are running against each other as well as those of opposing parties. I would think STV would make things difficult for pre-election polling as well. Trying to predict a winner when second and third preferences are to be factored in must be extremely iffy.

Laura Reston
Richmond

Liberals Defended – May 3, 2005

Most voters this election seem to be ignoring everything from all parties, and feel there is no good party to choose from. It is too bad, since if voters would get the facts (all of them, and not the partial ones the NDP is using in their ads), they'd see that even with all the negatives reported by the NDP (which were the result of hard decisions made as the result of mismanaging by the former NDP government), the overall picture is looking amazingly better. If the NDP is only showing us one side of the picture now, why would they even look at the whole picture on issues if they form government?

Personally I'd rather have a government that understands there are tough decisions to be made, and deal with them in a serious matter (as the BC Liberals have done), than have a government that doesn't even understand there are issues (as the NDP did in the 90s) or chooses to deal with them at the expense of the economy and everything else. The prospect of another NDP government even remotely similar to the ones we had in the 90s is terribly frightening to me, as they'd likely reward union workers at the expense of the economy and those very jobs I'll be applying for when I graduate a few years from now.

Derek Turner
New Westminster

Debate Fallout – May 3, 2005

Gordon Campbell looked much like he did during his interview after his "episode" in Hawaii - like a deer caught in headlights! I was actually embarrassed for the man.

Carole James came across as informed and intelligent. She managed to get her point across and hold Campbell's feet to the fire at the same time. She shut him down without shouting at him.

Ms. Carr just agreed with whoever bolstered her current argument. However, it was when she turned to Gordon Campbell and passionately agreed with Carole James on a point that she was at her best.

Patty McNamara
Duncan

Debate Fallout – May 3, 2005

Gordon Campbell did well considering he was outnumbered two to one. He quite rightly takes some of the credit for the improved economic climate in British Columbia. We live in a capitalist society, a world in which investment money is free to flow anywhere. An important role of government is to foster the conditions that promote investor and consumer confidence. The Campbell government has done that.

Carole James harped (no pun intended) on the broken promises issue. Well, excuse me, we elect governments to govern in the best interests of the people. Sometimes, what is in the best interest of the people requires election promises to be rationalized, postponed or simply ignored. The cancellation of the CH-101 helicopter contract and the Pearson Airport deal by the federal Chretien team after they were elected cost the Canadian taxpayers over $100 million. That was just plain dumb. Politicians must be pragmatic at times and do what is right, even if a campaign promise or two, made in good
faith, ends up not being fulfilled. That is the price we pay in a
democracy. Asking politicians to fulfill every campaign promise made over a multi-year mandate is tantamount to asking them and the voters to predict the future. Even the most jaded voter can't expect that of our political system.

One must admire the spunk of the Green Party leader. Adriane Carr came ready to debate the issues and was light on rhetoric. She had the courage to take a position on the controversial issue of decriminalization of marijuana, and seemed to leave the door open for the decriminalization of other street drugs as well. Agree or disagree with that position, you have to admire a politician who lets you know
where she stands.

Somewhat surprisingly, the overall tone of the debate was, well, normal. No wacky west coast politics here. Now, what does the rest of the country have to talk about? Oh yes, Gomery!

Dr. Frank Ervin
Maple Ridge

Debate Fallout – May 3, 2005

Without a doubt, Carole James was the clear winner. She convinced me that she would make a very effective premier. I believe the vision she articulated would bring out the best in all British Columbians. This is a new and better version of the NDP, and I believe her when she says that everyone will have a seat at the table. I believe she is strong enough to stand up to the labour unions and at the same time recognizes the contribution business leaders -big and small-make to the economic well-being of the province.

Adriane Carr was also extremely effective and I hope she wins her seat.

The premier, on the other hand appeared very defensive and weak. With the eyes of the voters of B.C. upon him, he seemed unable to defend his record. It is very difficult to face the public when the list of broken promises is undeniable. He looked uncomfortable in his own skin. The boy in the bubble wilted in the glare of the TV cameras.

Pam Bookham
North Vancouver

Debate Fallout – May 4, 2005

Just some comments I had with regards to last night's debate:

I think it's cowardly for Carole James to hide under the fact that Gordon Campbell has broken promises during the past four years. She just cannot see the big picture. What has the NDP done in the past, but plunge the B.C. economy into oblivion with its policies of being inwardly focused and supporting union contracts that just don't make sense in the current economic model? So bad, to the point, that people were ironically leaving B.C. for greener pastures elsewhere. I just think that it's unbelievable.

Dare I mention Glen Clark and his gambling spectacle. Dare I mention the fast ferries blunder. Dare I mention that the past
governments have favored or have been manhandled into
supporting union arrangements so much that B.C. has lost
its competitiveness in the wider marketplace. I could mention an entire rap sheet of stupidity from the past NDP government.

Unfortunately, the current government was left to clean up this mess, and that they did. The bottom line is that B.C.'s economy is now leading the nation; and in order to get there, tough decisions had to be made; decisions, which the NDP do not have the ability to make.

Yes, in the course of making those decisions, some of the election commitments had to be re-examined. However, the everyday B.C. business person whose focus is to increase B.C.'s eminence and productivity in the Canadian, North American, and ultimately, the global marketplace, understands that in order for B.C. to become competitive once again, fiscal responsibility is of great importance, which meant we needed to balance the budget. That provides for a fresh start, from which we can then re-fund areas like health care, education and infrastructure, while paying down debt. I just don't think Carole James and her isolationist NDP government has what it takes to make the tough decisions and to make B.C. a viable competitor in the global marketplace.

Nazam Jamal
North Vancouver

Debate Fallout – May 4 , 2005

Campbell's credibility is non-existent. He confirmed that when he was questioned by James about his litany of "broken promises". Campbell replied "its a fair question". You bet it is, and every British Columbian had better take that into account when they visit the polls on May 17th.

Richard Vollo
150 Mile House

Debate Fallout – May 4 , 2005

I thought that Carole James was assertive and strong without being acrimonious or shrill. She was poised and direct, truthful and non-defensive. These are qualities that would make her a better premier than the present incumbent.

John Shields
Victoria