What have we been offered by those who want to be the leader of the BC Liberal party

On November 9^th, 2010, just days after the announced resignation of Premier Gordon Campbell, Jeff Jedras of the National Post wrote an article entitled, “BC Liberal Leadership still a prize worth winning” (http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2010/11/09/jeff-jedras-b-c-liberal-leadership-still-a-prize-worth-winning/#ixzz1A5LdypS0).  His article began with the following:

It’s hard to know where to start in appreciating the wacky state of B.C. politics. It has arguably the most electorally successful premier in B.C. history in Gordon Campbell, who survived a drunk-driving charge while in office, only to be felled by a caucus and taxpayer revolt. A taxpayer rebellion led by Bill Vander Zalm, a former premier who presided over the destruction of the once-mighty Social Credit brand and left office in disgrace and mockery. And an opposition party in the BC NDP that, with the government at historic lows in the polls, seemed more interested in knifing its own leader, Carole James.

The latest development, Campbell’s resignation as Premier, was both inevitable and surprising. He tried to save himself with a televised infomercial a few weeks ago, offering large personal tax cuts, but the damage was done. With a caucus revolt brewing, Campbell recognized the writing was on the wall and decided to go as gracefully as possible …

That was nearly two months ago, and since then what have we been offered by those who want to be the leader of the BC Liberal party -- and premier of the province? … here’s a quick reminder:

Pay BC teachers according to 'how well they are doing their job,' Falcon says (Globe and Mail)
“It's an odd thing, because individual merit pay comes up with political campaigns. It seems so simple and gets a lot of play,” Prof. Johnson said …

Hmmmm … didn’t Christy Clark have a go at this a few years back??  As Education Minister from 2001 to 2004 I recall she seemed to poke a stick in the eye of the BCTF; but then she and the Liberal government backed down.  In January 2002 the government imposed a contract on teachers – and followed that up a week and a half later telling school districts they’d need to figure out how to absorb the biggest part of the new teachers' three-year contract.  That resulted in a letter of protest from the trustees association ...

BC Liberal leadership candidates stay quiet on master agreement with physicians   (Straight.com)
... political parties have announced their resignations, which opens the door to discussing new approaches for delivering health services across BC...

It is interesting to note that while a new master agreement with doctors will likely see an increase to their income, the Interior Health Authority, has upped the rate for seniors living in residential care (http://www.kamloopsnews.ca/article/20110103/KAMLOOPS0101/301039993/care-costs-crippling-says-couple)  Perhaps this is how the new doctors master agreement will be funded??

BC Liberal leadership rivals square off on tax cuts  (Globe and Mail)
Kevin Falcon says Christy Clark, one of his rivals for the leadership of the BC Liberals, has fallen prey to NDP thinking on tax cuts …

Okay I can’t help but think of the old verse about … “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.”  Where were these leadership hopefuls back when they were sitting around the cabinet table trying to sneak in the HST practically days after a provincial election in which the tax was never mentioned … and then afterwards lying to us by saying it was revenue neutral

BC Liberal leadership candidate says 16-year-olds should vote in provincial ...  (Macleans.ca)
With few more than 14 years out of diapers, the newly-authorized voters would have little life experience from which to draw political conclusions or cast …

As I have said before, I’m surprised this came from a Liberal hopeful Mike de Jong and not the NDP – but then again the NDP only have ONE leadership hopeful declared so far (from the Marijuana Party), and his campaign is likely to go up in smoke ...

Liberals blamed for allowing BC College of Teachers to founder  (Vancouver Sun)
It is the legislature that gives authority to professional self-regulators and this government, for political reasons, had "enabled …

Leadership hopefuls George Abbott and Christy Clark, along with other Liberal Education Cabinet Ministers have all had a kick at this cat – along with the whole education system.  I can’t for the life of me understand why libraries have no librarians … schools have no Phys-Ed teachers … kids get photo copied pages instead of text books.  By the governments own admission we also have a huge number of children in grade 4 that cannot read, write, and do math to grade level.

Now I could go on and on but I am depressed enough as it is.  The BC Liberals have a leadership race in which the contenders have all sat at the same cabinet table.  The same table they made decisions at which have had negative results for the residents of BC.  That’s not just you and me … that’s also our school age children … and our seniors in care facilities.