General · 21st April 2009
Susan Westren
I’m writing to address the views expressed in a comment to Powering Your Vote (“misguided fear mongering.”) In theory an elected MLA SHOULD represent all of their constituents.
However in practice, the values that MLA holds, the policies of her party, are what will guide which constituents can expect support in the legislature. The values and policies of the Liberal party are only too clear: the province is for sale to whatever business wants to exploit our resources, no matter the cost to us and to the environment. Business interests are primary, democratic rights are not. Marion Wright, along with the Liberal party, is a strong advocate of the Plutonic/General Electric project for Bute. She will not be representing the views of those of us who do not want this project to go forward no matter how many of us there are. You say “If our rivers are really that important to us wouldn’t we want to vote for the best possible plan to save them?” The Liberal party has no intention of trying to save our rivers. They are the ones who sold the water rights for a very small return. They are the ones who changed the mandate of B.C. Hydro so that it cannot develop new sources of power.
You say “one that responds to our marginalized.” When have we seen policies from this government that have done that? B.C. for instance has the highest proportion of seniors living in poverty.
An opposition MLA on the other hand can lobby for the interests of the more diverse interests of the North Island. Claire Trevena has worked tirelessly to bring the concerns of the other segments of our communities to the attention of the government. Without her voice and others like hers, their would be no restraints, no constraints on the plans of this Liberal government.
Claire Trevena formed the framework committee that has fought and succeeded in keeping a viable hospital in Campbell River.
She and others ensured that environmental assessment hearings on the Bute project were held both in Campbell River and on Quadra when there had been no plans to do so. She actively opposes this project as does the Vancouver Island Association of Municipalities.
As a member of the Special Legislative Committee on aquaculture, she has urged for changes to the way fish are farmed on our coast. (Norwegian fish farms have come to B.C. because their methods are not allowed on their own coasts.)
Claire was instrumental in re-opening the Port Alice Mill; she has brought concerned citizens together around coalbed methane; she has developed policies that will fundamentally improve access to childcare in B.C. and she consistently brings the issues and concerns of the North Island to the attention of the government. We have not for a long time had an MLA with such strong principles and such an ethic of hard work on our behalf.
A government MLA will simply support the policies of the government.
The Real Deal
Comment by Jo-Anne Moore on 25th April 2009
That would be my point! Thanks Paul for putting it so eloquently!!!! We have a legislature full of people selling off our province, making decisions that are not in our best interest and the NDP, for their part, have been ineffective in stopping it. That's REALly what's happening! Why would I vote for any of them? Especially when the Green Party has such an innovative platform to take economic advantage of our green resources?
The Conservation Voters of BC, a non-partisan organization, came out with their list of candidates to endorse for climate change action on Thursday. And for the first time ever they have taken a stand against a candidate"the decision to position the NDP campaign against world-leading climate policies while not putting forward improvements or better alternatives"NDP leader Carole James.
See the full article:
http://www.conservationvoters.ca/endorsements
Re: Records are Round
Comment by Paul Ryan on 22nd April 2009
Joanne says it's pointless to vote for the NDP because they don't have the clout to change things. She encourages us to vote Green instead! HELLO! EARTH CALLING JOANNE! Take a look at the makeup of the legislature and count the number of Green MLAs. Doesn't take long, does it? I'm not saying it's right, I'm saying it's real! If you want to throw your vote away, that's up to you. But, by doing so, you may contribute towards electing a Liberal! Vote with your head and not your heart. If you can do both, good for you!
records are round!!
Comment by Jo-Anne Moore on 21st April 2009
I might suggest that the constituents do not hold their MLA accountable to the values of those in the community she represents. Hence, the practice of representing the government in the community rather than the community in the government.
Liberal Party/NDP doesn't matter, they've both sold our resources, it just happens that the Liberals are more blatant. We will not get a short term solution to Plutonic Power in Bute inlet by voting for Claire. We will get a solution to Plutonic Power by continuing to apply pressure to our government.
Wouldn't it be great if we had direct access to a respresentative as a side effect of voting for a long term solution ie. the Green Party. We are going to continue to face Plutonic-Power-like problems if we continue to vote for the lesser of two evils ie. strategic voting.
When I said "if our rivers are really that important to us wouldn't we want to vote for the best possible plan to save them?" and "one that responds to our marginalized" I was referring to the Green Party as being the best possible plan and a party that responds to our marginalized.
Has bringing our concerns to the attention of the government really made a difference? Or has it been political pressure from stakeholders and constituents like Rally for Rivers? Claire has urged changes but have they happened? How is the Port Alice Mill sustainable? What's happened with coalbed methane? Will her childcare policies actually be implemented?
What I'm suggesting means that constituents have to take a much more active role than just voting. It is our responsibility to hold our government representatives accountible to our community regardless of their political strip.
If you believe that voting for the NDP will save our Bute Inlet and prevent the catastrophic run of the river projects that are likely to follow, then you must vote for the NDP. I don't believe it.
Please see my comment under Powering Your Vote.