• Reader reaction to the opinion articles by the former B.C. Liberal premier, published here on Oct. 9:
> In this election, your vote will make a difference
> A ‘make or break’ time for real action on housing affordability
>>> The former premier lays out how our taxes have risen over the years without results. He doesn’t explain how the results he wants will be paid for.
He doesn’t remind us that he and his party are as complicit in our current problems as all those he criticizes.
In health care he doesn’t explain why he and his Liberal successors ignored government-sponsored expert warnings that they were not keeping up with the needs of the health care system. He doesn’t remind us of which party closed the mental health institutions and sent thousands of patients into the world with no support.
He doesn’t point out that the housing crisis is not restricted to B.C. or Canada but is a worldwide problem because there are too many people who are migrating from their homelands because they simply cannot survive where they live.
He blames the bureaucratic nightmare in the construction industry for the housing shortage and increased cost when it is really caused by the fact that we do not have the capacity to build housing fast enough to keep up with demand.
This is not a problem restricted to B.C. but all over North America.
He doesn’t explain that the inflation which is causing most of the affordability crisis is a worldwide phenomenon which cannot be fixed by B.C. And most importantly of all the only solution he offers is “change.”
In that he is right. But recommending a party that is led by a man who mimics Donald Trump is no better than that man himself.
I’m not an advocate of any party. I am an advocate for change just as Gordon Campbell is, but in this election, because of the character of both major parties, the best possible outcome is a minority government with the balance of power being in the hands of candidates not aligned with either of the two major parties.
Only that way can we hope for change and be protected from radicalism rather than the failed policies of both the major parties.
Unfortunately we cannot count on either of those major parties to play fair, as was demonstrated when John Horgan broke his contract with the Greens for purely political gain.
How can you trust any of these people again. Talk is cheap and cheap talk is plentiful in this election.
So as not to be outdone by Campbell I urge you to vote for anybody but the NDP or Conservative candidate in your riding.
Jack Trueman
Brentwood Bay
>>> Gordon Campbell’s comments are the same talking points that Conservatives are making in both federal and provincial politics. A soaring cost of living, a health system failing, education faltering and public streets more dangerous. They are the same comments the right is making in all jurisdictions, from Burnaby to Budapest.
When I started to vote in this province 40-plus years ago, I had a choice to vote for the NDP or to vote against them. A union member, I of course have voted NDP for all of those years.
It has always seemed that the right-wing party, no matter the name, only cared about profits while the NDP cared about people, so a stark and easy choice.
Thus far John Rustad seems like more of the same from the Conservatives, a recycled, right-wing wonk who seems to care more about getting elected and his pension than about the people.
The difference this time is that his party, the one that I used to associate with used car salesmen and realtors, now embraces the convoy and tin-foil-hat crowd as well.
The division between left and right is even more pronounced in this election and the only thing that the Conservatives lack is a catchy theme or symbol. I know: Red truckers’ hats.
Mark R. Fetterly
Victoria
>>> Why the Times Colonist made the decision to give the author of multiple “Fudge-It Budgets” while premier, the man and his acolytes who oversaw the near destruction of British Columbia’s public services, including health care workers and teachers (to name a few), the bully pulpit to wax eloquent about the rosy future the Conservatives will bring to our province is a true disservice to all British Columbians mere days before the provincial election.
This is the same man who created budgets that wildly over-inflated anticipated provincial revenues, cut budgets for the sake of ill-conceived right-wing philosophically driven reasons, and created fiscal chaos that our citizens are still paying for.
In fairness, he did some good things too, championing climate change policies that were ahead of their time as a prime example.
Unfortunately, like virtually all Conservatives, he paints taxes as the root cause of all that is wrong in the province and conveniently forgets that things like inflation, problems associated with his government’s support for greedy real estate speculation, turning a blind eye to the scourge of money laundering, the wider world-economy, and so many other factors far outweigh the effects of taxes on the fiscal well-being of our citizens.
His solution is like the old saying that “to a hammer, everything is a nail,” his nail is taxes and his hammer is cutting them.
So, his new main man, John Rustad, is receiving his full-throated endorsement for premier despite the fact that the current crop of Conservatives have yet to coherently present what their economic policies are, other than to cut taxes and services for British Columbians.
Rustad’s promises to rid our streets of criminals, the mentally ill, and drug addicts, miraculously cure all the ills of our healthcare system, unleash the power of the free-enterprise system, and so on, while at the same time cutting taxes, is a cynical fiction.
Gordon Campbell’s endorsement of a man whose answer to worsening climate change and environmental degradation is “pump baby pump” and the return of plastic straws, is beyond comprehension.
Howard Brunt
North Saanich
>>> My only objection here is that, when writing an opinion, one must provide specific sources of information or at least commonly known ones, that formed that opinion.
If not, it can be just regarded as misinformation, and not worthy of consideration.
In his essay, Gordon Campbell relates commonly known statistics or facts that have formed his opinions, with one exception, and that is his assertion that “… an astounding number of Grade 10 students cannot meet basic literary standards.”
I’d like to know where he got that information and exactly what that number is. Say whatever you like about the man’s character (that would be an ad hominem attack, and not relevant to the issue), or his past deeds, you cannot argue with any of his points.
And, everyone knows it.
M.D. (David) Hansen
Victoria
>>> I could only laugh at the resurrection of the ghoulish Gordon Campbell for a full page of his “commentary” on what he thinks of the state of the British Columbia.
He bled this province dry for a decade and the vast majority of the problems we have today are a result of his and Christy Clark’s neo-liberal corporate love-fest.
The audacity he has to comment on the failing education and health-care systems that he destroyed with cuts and privatization is preposterous.
We’re finally beginning to crawl our way out of the pits he dug and now he swoops in after living abroad for years to endorse a climate-denying, science denying, kook with no platform?
Because the poor millionaire thinks he pays too much taxes?
Someone needs to tell him to crawl back to where he came from and never come back.
Brendan Manning
Victoria
>>> Ironic that Gordon Campbell was a B.C. Liberal and then a B.C. United and now apparently a B.C. Conservative. Next he will be a BC Has Been or whatever that party will call itself after they abandon John Rustad.
Raymond Hoff
Victoria
>>> Anyone who has followed the news over the past several years knows that many of Gordon Campbell’s complaints against the NDP are not unique to the B.C. economy but are Canada-wide.
And the problems did not all start with the NDP. What kind of a platform limits itself to trashing the government party rather than pointing out what should be done?
I am reminded of the old days when W.A.C. Bennett shouted “The socialist hordes are at the gates!”
Not a very sophisticated view of the voting public. I recall cringing when I heard that. And I cringed when I read Campbell’s diatribe.
It’s no good claiming that any other former premier can have the same space to plump for another party; who would do that? I can’t imagine any of them stooping so low.
I’m not voting to get a party out of government. I’m putting an X opposite a candidate whose party I think will do the best job.
Winston Jackson
Victoria
>>> Yes, there are problems. Lack of affordable housing, doctor shortages, cost of living, climate change, but the provincial government was only part of the multiple causes — and can only be a part of the multiple solutions — regardless of which party is elected on Oct. 19.
Don’t vote for miracles. Vote to elect the best people who are committed to work with all levels of government and organizations (regardless of party affiliations), and spend our hard-earned tax dollars wisely.
Martha Burd
Victoria
>>> I agree emphatically, it is time for change. The most significant failure of NDP policies is visible daily on Cliffe Avenue and local parks in Courtenay.
Hopeless, addicted, intoxicated people, living in unsanitary conditions. These NDP-policy enabled, lost people will overload our health-care system as the numbers of addicted people continues to grow in our community.
Our society treats stray animals much better. The addiction issue is the biggest threat to future health care, with 250,000 addicts, growing daily, in British Columbia.
I am hard pressed to see anything progressive under the present NDP government.
Phil Harrison
Comox
>>> Gordon Campbell absolutely “nailed” it in his commentary.
Jack McKinty
Cobble Hill
>>> While I assume that Gordon Campbell is correct about the collection of the “carbon tax” by the government, he needs to read the government’s website:
It says “The B.C. climate action tax credit is a quarterly payment that helps offset the impact of the carbon taxes paid by individuals and families.
“Budget 2024 increased the B.C. climate action tax credit amounts and thresholds effective July 1, 2024.”
and:
“You don’t need to apply for the B.C. climate action tax credit. When you file your T1 Income Tax and Benefit Return, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) determines your eligibility and automatically calculates your credit amount.”
Thus, low-income B.C. families automatically receive the credit. So, “axing the carbon tax” will regressively take money away from those who need it the most.
Ouch!
Melvin Klassen
Victoria
>>> I used to be a Conservative and B.C. Liberal supporter. I liked Gordon Campbell, so I’m disappointed with his dishonesty.
He talks as if taxation, health care, drugs and homelessness were unique to B.C. over the past seven years. Aren’t these endemic across North America? Is David Eby responsible for that, too?
B.C.’s income tax rate is surpassed by Conservative-led New Brunswick, Quebec and Prince Edward Island.
Health care? B.C. has increased the number of doctors while doctor numbers in conservative Alberta and Ontario have declined. Ontario has the lowest number of doctors per capita in Canada. But let’s blame Eby, shall we?
In the last year, toxic drug deaths have been going down in this province by 9% compared to 2023, sustained month over month. No other province has achieved that.
There were lots of homeless in B.C. during Campbell’s tenure and a survey at the time found they came from across Canada. Whom should we blame for our good weather?
Conservatives are deceptively trying to use human misery for political advantage by disregarding the larger context. And they have thus far stated no plan to do better, only slogans and promises.
Should we trust them when they can’t be honest?
Cynthia Montgomery
Maple Bay
>>> Gordon Campbell blames government for the high cost of housing. All of his solutions require government cuts — the taxpayer to pay!
No mention of the massive role that builders and developers play. Here are four additional ways to build “truly affordable” housing:
Limit the project’s profit margin to 20%.
Build utilitarian instead of bells and whistles.
Build duplexes and townhouses with 1,200 square feet instead of 1,600 square feet and three beds and two baths instead of four beds and three baths.
Sell this “new” housing only to those who will live in it and don’t already own property.
Also, the present rush to build is pushing prices up because of shortages in labour and supplies. Slow down! And, reduce immigration!
Dave Secco
Victoria
>>> Former premier Gordon Campbell has a lot of nerve sticking his opinion in and complaining about all sorts of problems that he and Christy Clark caused.
He complains about the health system after he caused horrible damage. He talks about our education system and how kids have to be in temporary trailers when it was his government that closed schools.
He goes on to talk about how dangerous our streets are, but it was Campbell who took disability pensions away from people who could not work, because of mild mental problems, but were able to live on their own and look after themselves. Those people ended up on our streets, homeless.
It’s also sadly believed that some of them committed suicide.
The budget? Which party sold off Crown land, sold schools and robbed from the ICBC coffers to balance the budget?
The Liberals had 16 years at causing damage and hardship, and now he is trying to convince voters that it should all be hunky dory after seven years of the NDP?
Diane Ball
Saanich
>>> Regarding Gordon Campbell’s ideas to improve housing affordability:
Campbell lists Montreal as a place with unaffordable housing. It is one of the more affordable cities in Canada in which to live, I would guess thanks to longstanding rent controls.
His ideas to make housing affordable here seem to boil down to trickle-down economic theory, the theory that helping the rich get richer will eventually benefit the rest of us.
This has been disproved many times over. In a world where the rich are getting richer, many of us are having to try harder and harder to stay where we are, and more and more people are in desperate straits.
Pandering to the rich hasn’t worked.
The bottom line for developers is profit; and the more the better. I don’t see them at the food banks.
As long as there are wealthy people moving here from across the country, developers are happy to accommodate them first.
And taxes are a way to even out the wealth a bit. I certainly don’t agree they are hindering housing affordability.
A lot more dollars are needed in people’s pockets to buy a home than could ever be provided by lower taxes. We need more public housing, not somehow relying on the goodwill of developers.
Spend the money that we get from the sales tax on building materials, development costs, and the property transfer tax on public housing.
Being housed should be a basic human right.
Sheila Drew
Victoria
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