Dear editor,
B.C. voters have a pretty clear choice in the upcoming election, that is between the Liberals, who have quite frankly worn out their welcome, and the New Democrats, who are ready and able to take on the responsibility of leadership in this great province.
Still, on occasion I hear some people say 'Yes, Christy Clark has to go but you know that Don McRae, he is a nice guy so...'
I agree Don is a nice guy. I remember walking with him on the teachers picket line in 2005, the one that was deemed illegal by the Liberal Government. But being nice isn't enough of a reason to vote for someone.
Kassandra Dycke is a very nice person also. She is also bright, articulate, is passionate about the issues that face us, and cares deeply about the people of the Comox Valley. Most importantly she is a candidate for the NDP.
An individual MLA is not the government, they are a part of the government. So the political party the candidate belongs to is an important factor in the decision we take in the polling booth.
The NDP has laid out an extensive program for the future of this province. Their priorities from skills training to improved relations with First Nations to community care funding to protecting our coastal waters will make a real difference for all of us.
After all the damage 12 years of Liberal rule has inflicted on B.C., we may be impatient and want it all fixed at once. Adrian Dix and the NDP are being cautious and said they will only do what is practical when developing future government programs.
However, I know that with Kassandra Dycke as our MLA over the next four years we will have a real voice in shaping those government programs. I also know that with the NDP as government and with Adrian Dix as premier, British Columbia will become a beacon of sound and progressive governance for the rest of Canada, something we sorely need.
Brian Charlton,
Courtenay