Dear editor,
As the Conservative MLA candidate for the Courtenay- Comox Riding, the core of my platform was in response to the desperate need for an accountable and transparent provincial government.
It’s profoundly funny my opponents responded to my campaign with vicious accusations and lies. In a classic “bait and switch” manoeuvre, they took the focus away from themselves continually throughout the campaign by accusing me of being a “wolf in sheep’s clothing,” a vote-splitter, an NDP operative, not to be trusted, etc. I heard this when I was out door-knocking and when people called my office asking if it was true. It cumulated in a deeply offensive letter about me timed to be published on election day.
It is clearly reprehensible for a community newspaper to publish outright lies, slander, and fear-propaganda about a candidate on election day; perhaps in addition to holding government accountable to the truth, we should also demand the truth from our media.
Anybody who spends more than 10 seconds with me will know that I am exactly who I say I am. I am not a polished politician who lies with ease; I am a citizen with serious concerns about the future of this province. The only explanation for those who suggest otherwise must clearly be linked to an agenda that is self-seeking and aims to deceive the electorate rather than shining the light on the truth.
This election was about the Liberal government being held accountable for their record and I believe the outcome speaks for itself. All over the province people turned to other parties to represent them. Here in Courtenay-Comox, support for the Liberals fell seven per cent from 2013 levels, two per cent of that went to me, and five per cent went to the Greens.
No one has accused the Greens of splitting the vote, and I’m sure he hasn’t received the hate mail I have, but if Ernie hadn’t run, the NDP would have won by a landslide!
As long as we don’t demand accountability from our government, and their scare tactics work against us (“vote for us or the NDP will get in”) …we are going to continue to get what we’ve always got. That makes me very sad.
But as long as the government remains unaccountable and inscrutable, and even if it upsets the power brokers…people like me will be compelled to run.
I want to thank all of my supporters for your incredible encouragement, support, financial assistance and hard work during the recent election campaign. I couldn’t have done it without you!
I want to especially thank those who believed in me and voted for me…it made the many months of 18-hour days worth it.
Leah McCulloch
Courtenay