Go figure!

"People in this province want action on climate change. That means taking real, concrete steps toward reducing emissions. It means coming up with meaningful strategies to address the consequences of climate change."

That was BC NDP MLA and Environment Critic (Vancouver-Hastings own) Shane Simpson back on January 13 2007, before the speech from the throne and before the unveiling of the BC Liberals 2007 budget. Back when the opposition, in desperate need of something, anything that would allow it to claw itself back into relevance on the political landscape of this province chose the environment as one of three platforms that it would use to show British Columbians that the NDP still gave a "you know what" about our future and that it had an edge on the current government.

The weeks and days leading to the opening of the legislature this year provided us with a steady barrage of what would prove to be not so well thought out challenges by the NDP for the government to do something about climate change, the health care system and poverty. These were the areas that the NDP felt they had the greatest chance at making a difference in BC politics at least, and the areas that they hoped would allow them to gain back some of the support that has been slipping through their fingers lately. As the gears began turning on a new year in BC's political machine the NDP demanded action on the environment, changes in health care and support for the homeless. The foot stomping was relentless! After a year of near obscurity the opposition seemed fired up with a new energy and it had clearly identified the areas that this energy would be challenged. And here are some of the things that our own Shane Simpson said about the governments action on climate change.

"When you get to the substantive aspects of the actual actions they've taken, you'd be hard pressed to point to many things that this government has done that will actually deal with reductions in emissions" Shane Simpson 24 hrs 19 January 2007

"This government has an absolutely atrocious record on climate change, we should be long past arguing that climate change is an issue worth discussing, we should be working at getting some real results." Shane Simpson 13 January 2007

And then came the throne speech and the budget for 2007...

Since then it seems to me that the markers identifying the NDP's position on such things as climate change, health care and the plight of the homeless have become noticeably grayer. Despite the fact that these three things are arguably the most significant issues in the minds of many British Columbians, the lines that divide what the NDP says in public and what they are actually practicing themselves just seem to get longer and wider.

Consider the environment!

Carole James has, on more than one occasion blasted the BC Liberals for what she refers to as government inaction on climate change. She states on the official NDP web site that "BC is falling behind the rest of Canada (in respect to climate change and the use of clean energy)" yet she herself still drives an SUV. Remember that it was Carole James who demanded the government set greenhouse gas emission limits, and on her parties own site she identifies the need to "examine and invest in clean technologies today so that we don't have to play catch up tomorrow."

Carole James announced six priorities for action to help cap emissions (one of which encourages the use of alternative fuels and fuel efficient automobiles) and she has challenged the Premier to "work with us to do better". Interesting...

And then we move to health care...

According to Carole James she (and the NDP) is listening to the concerns of people in BC. Ms. James has "innovative and practical new ideas that will get results now." Wow! We just don't know what they are. Carole James is going to reverse BC Liberal cuts to health care and make the system more affordable for years to come. The same system that, during the 90's under the NDP saw a reduction in the number of long-term care beds, was promised $125 million dollars for a mental health plan that never materialized and witnessed scores of doctors leaving rural communities across the province.

The NDP demands the Gordon Campbell work with them to fix a system that they broke in the first place. A system that the Liberals have since poured $3.8 billion extra, dollars into, that has seen an increase in the number of doctors in training and has created 2500 new nurse training spaces. Among other things.

Finally we have affordable housing and the issue of homelessness...

Carole James has called on the government to "put more money into solving the shortage of affordable housing and the problems of addiction and mental illness in this province." Times Colonist 19 Feb 07. This was before the budget at a time when the BC Liberals had already spent 54% more on social housing than the NDP government before it. The NDP have called on the Premier to fix the very problems that it began to create while in office even though former NDP MLA's admitted that the problem may not be so easily fixed.

But, despite all the money spent up until now, the 2007 budget still provides more money for low income families, more money for affordable housing, decreases in income taxes for low income earners, increase in shelter allowances, millions of dollars for an increased number of shelter beds and so on.

Why am I bringing this up? After all it shouldn't be too terribly surprising for those of us familiar with the tactics of the NDP and the way that their position on key issues changes with the wind. I only bring all of this up again as a point of reference. The NDP has made some very serious demands of the government to make changes that it feels necessary to reverse damage that it feels has occurred/is occurring in a few key areas. On the environment alone Carole James has said that "Working together through the legislature we can freeze emissions now...BC can be among North America's climate change leaders. That's what British Columbians want us to be."

Carole James wants to work with the government yet her party has unanimously voted against a throne speech and a budget that will accomplish the very things she is asking for. She has voted against a budget that is committed to climate change, that provides an additional $870 million for health care and that clearly addresses some of the key issues surrounding affordable housing and homelessness.

This is called working together...

"We will be looking for meaningful action from the government and if its there we will support it..." Shane Simpson on News 1130 12 Feb 07.

Shane Simpson also voted against a budget that is committed to climate change, that provides an additional $870 million for health care and that clearly addresses some of the key issues surrounding affordable housing and homelessness.

Go figure.