I voted NDP in the past provincial election; I voted NDP in the provincial election before that.
But not this time.
I’m not even an enthusiastic Conservative fan, but I just can’t bring myself to endorse what David Eby and the NDP government have done to MY BC over the past seven years.
They’ve been great and very kind and generous … if you’re a druggie, a shoplifter, thief, mugger, homeless wayfarer from anywhere in Canada or even from abroad, a single-family neighbourhood-hating socialist activist, a hate-filled anarchist or campus-organizing anti-Semite.
The government (mouthpieces) will “harumph” but basically not ACT … with predictable results the rest of us now regularly bear.
You can pretty well do anything you want … and get away with it now in BC.
While ordinary citizens are afraid to walk the streets of their communities, even during the day; where provincial Courts make such a mockery of justice, Crown prosecutors often don’t even bother pursuing charges anymore; where more and more shops and businesses have closed up rather than having to replace storefront windows over and over; or, where too many workers have just decided to flee the province to seek a fair shake elsewhere.
How can anyone vote to endorse that?
Or how it hurts so much to see working families (seniors too) who remain in the province being taxed, over-taxed, squeezed until most can no longer even realistically dream of ever buying a home or condo in BC, and also can’t even afford to pay for adequate groceries, buy new clothes or even go out to dinner or a movie … once they’ve paid their rent!
And where carbon taxes, linked to federal legislation, are still scheduled to go up and up and up … to record highs, unless Trudeau decides to pull back …. NOT!!!!
Once so rich BC , where food banks are now under such constant pressure, even they often can’t adequately provide for those who desperately need them.
Or where seven years of NDP policies and power have seen MORE hospital emergency facilities … not LESS … regularly closing their doors , while growing numbers of doctors and other medical staff sign public letters exposing how BAD conditions have now become in BC hospitals.
How could anyone vote for four years more of that?
And all this despite provincial finances/spending, under Eby, having gone from surplus to deficit and record high debt!!!
No vote from me!!!
Now, let’s keep it real: John Rustad doesn’t exactly come across as charming, exhilarating alternative.
But could he do any worse?
I’m sure I won’t like all his proposed changes or solutions to BC’s huge current problems.
However, I don’t see him as a radical extremist.
Clearly, BC’s workers, communities, economy, industries and businesses can use more support … and better solutions … than the NDP has provided over the past seven years.
I do believe in politics and government, change is sometimes good… especially when the incumbent party/leader/administration have had seven years in power, done so poorly … and yet, seems to have become arrogant too.
So I’ll vote Conservative to give Rustad a chance to make changes … and hopefully do better.
Looking at our streets, hospitals, schools, Courts, communities and BC’s economy, I can’t believe he would do any worse!
Harv Oberfeld
(Follow @harveyoberfeld on “X” for free First Alerts to be postings on this B.C. based blog.)