Thursday, March 17, 2011

CONSULTATION – Christy Clark style

Here we go again again --- this is just more of the same --- government exactly the same as we had until the recent resignation of Gordon Campbell.

For three months Christy Clark said, “I plan to consult with the public”. Maybe she didn't consider a +25% increase to the minimum wage worthy of consultation, however restaurant owners are probably wondering what happened to that consultation.

During the recent Liberal leadership campaign Clark said she wanted to increase the minimum wage; however telling 60 thousand odd members of the BC Liberal Party her plans, is not exactly public consultation – whether you agree with this increase or not.
She won the Liberal leadership with just over half (52%) of those Liberal voters – not exactly an overwhelming show of support for her ideas. Just recently 700 thousand British Columbian's indicated their disapproval of Gordon Campbell and Colin Hansen delivering the HST with NO public consultation. Now, here we go again with Christy Clark.

There are three million people who are eligible to vote in British Columbia. Again, whether you agree with the increase in the minimum wage or not, telling 60 thousand Liberal Party members you want to increase the minimum wage, is not public consultation. Once again we are getting government dictating direction; in exactly the same way that Gordon Campbell did.

Twenty years ago this province had an NDP government that believed public consultation was discussing policy with the unions.

For the past 10 years we have had a BC Liberal government that felt, 'we know best' and as a result we ended up with the BC Rail debacle – the HST – the near bankruptcy of BC Hydro, and more.

It is obvious from today’s announcement BC Liberals, no matter who the leader is, have no idea what it means to have government accountability, and public consultation.

I'm Alan Forseth in Kamloops, and those are the thoughts of one conservative.

No comments: