Will I Volunteer?
By Anonymous on June 21, 2004 - 12:04pm
This was an open letter to Dosanjh but basically applies to most of the sociopaths vying for my vote. I am no longer a Party member, and I will literally throw every politician from my doorstep. All of you, in each party, have so debased democracy, thet, were I a citizen of a Third World country and saw to sorry state of Canadian politics today, I'd think twice before agitating for democrat reforms.
Now the letter:
Ujjal, Ujjal, Ujjal!
What can I say?
You will not remember me, but we sat beside each other in Political Science at Langara many years ago. You were a Marxist-Leninist, I was a Social Democrat. By the time you ran for office, you had become a Social Democrat. This was understandable, I thought. As one learns more, the changing of attitudes and philosophies is both healthy and normal.
However, you are now a Liberal, led by a man who, as Minister of Finance and owner of a shipping line, registered his ships under Liberian and Panamanian flags of convenience to avoid Canadian taxation. He gave tax breaks to the wealthy, assisted the Chartered Banks in avoiding taxation on the billions they earned annually, and then claimed that there was no money. Perhaps if he, his peers, and the banks had paid their share, as you demanded at the time, money would have been available. At the same time, he was slashing transfer payments to the Provinces earmarked for healthcare and social programmes, things that as NDP Premier of this Province, you allegedly held dear to your heart. I well remember a speech you gave in which you proudly announced that your Government had spent millions more than anyone else to improve the delivery of healthcare in this Province.
Strangely, for a politician, you weren't lying. The NDP had put more money into healthcare. You broke up a successful, efficient system into eleven different health Regions, each with its own Board, CEO, and consequent support staffs. The CEOs and their local support cost millions of dollars, as you claimed, but it did not translate into one MRI, one extra hospital bed, and you screwed the doctors so badly that, in order to make a living, they now must double and triple book patients, allotting about forty-five seconds to each. In so doing, this, amongst other stupidities, prepared fertile ground for Mr. Campbell, pox be upon him, to justify his assault on the people of British Columbia.
So now, with a potential Cabinet position in the offing, your lips are firmly planted on the "fundamental values" of Paul Martin. Interpret that as you will.
It seems that what has happened in the Canadian political system is that politicians have become job seekers who will work for any Party that will have them. "Professional Politician" is an accurate description. Your picture appeared on the front cover of the Advocate a scant year ago as you went on a politician's equivalent of EI and joined a law practice in order to make the rent while you sent out your resumes. You didn't get much practice as a lawyer because, just like the unlamented Kim Campbell and her six weeks at Davis & Co., here you are, back in politics, doing your job interviews with the electorate,
Ujjal, I have a question. Should you fail to convince your riding of your sincerity (snicker), will you then try again with Harper's Neo Conservatives? Should that fail, will you join the Christian Heritage Party?
It is this kind of moral "flexibility" that has convinced many voters to avoid the polls this time around. It seems that the wind has shifted over the barns and we don't like the smell.
Bob Beech
Burnaby
604/298-6640
