Entering the backstretch of the election, it seems we’re bombarded daily with promises, grand ideas and money flowing like water out of a broken hydrant. Perhaps this is a good time to remember Canadian courts have given politicians a free pass on breaking their campaign promises. The courts relied on the doctrine known as Mendax mendax anhelat igni, loosely translated as Liar, Liar Pants on Fire. Nothing to believe here, folks.
Given we can’t rely on the promises the leaders of the Conservatives and NDP—one of which will form the next government—have made in this too-long campaign, maybe best to look back on things they’ve said that give a better hint about what they believe and where they might lead us.
There was never a question in my mind about supporting John Rustad. I’d rather spend the rest of my life being gnawed on by fire ants than see him leading British Columbia. I could never support the man.
It would take the remainder of this column to list all the reasons. So I won’t. Don’t need to. I could stop at him denying climate change exists, eventually softening his position to, if it exists, he denies it is caused by humans’ addiction to burning fossil fuels. His climate policy consists of doubling down on more LNG plants and taking B.C. back to being hewers of wood and drawers of water.
As if that sundae needed cherries on top, his despicable epithet for safe injection sites as “drug dens” exhibits an enlightenment firmly entrenched in the mid 20th century. Extra cherry for insisting he’d fire Dr. Bonnie Henry as one of his first acts.
To borrow a trope from Kamala Harris, I’m not interested in going backwards, I’d rather move forward.
That left David Eby by default. Like my friend and colleague, Les Anthony, I wanted to throttle Eby when he announced he’d axe the carbon tax—the first in Canada—if the feds repeal theirs. It was unnecessary pandering, a sellout of principle and one of those campaign promises I sincerely hope is broken.
I’m enough of a fiscal conservative to wish he’d moderate the province’s spending. But the fact is only two provinces, Alberta and Saskatchewan, have smaller debt-to-GDP ratios and none of the other provinces have triple-A debt ratings. Those who call for a “balanced” budget confuse governments with businesses. And ironically opposition parties who promise to balance budgets never seem to balance them when they get into power. Oh, right, a promise.
But the NDP have made the boldest strides to address the housing “crisis” of any government in Canada. They’ve invested in hospitals and health-care, something their predecessors failed to do. They’ve lowered the cost of childcare albeit they haven’t magically created more childcare workers.
They’ve done enough to tip my balance. So I’m going to do something in this election I’ve never done before, something I never imagined I’d ever do. I’m voting NDP.
Hewing to the old chestnut that all politics is local, the choice is made far easier weighing the candidates for MLA in this riding.
Yuri Fulmer, the Conservative candidate, has an impressive record of accomplishment in the business world. Unfortunately, he’s hitched his horse to an unacceptable wagon and has a bad habit of denying his leader has made statements that are well documented.
That leaves two.
(In the interest of full disclosure, this is a good point to say my spouse is part of Jen Ford’s campaign team. I am not. I have had conversations with all three candidates but because of this column, I have never worked directly with any candidate for any office, locally, provincially or federally. My opinions are my own.)
Jeremy Valeriote, the Green candidate, has been running since the last election. Much has been made about his 60-vote close call in 2020. But like investments, past performance is no assurance of future gains.
If there was ever a provincial election to vote Green in this riding it was 2020. The NDP was a sure bet to form government. People were still bitter about the Christy Clark end years and Andrew Wilkinson did nothing to plaster over that.
The NDP candidate was, to be generous, terrible. Even with that, he pulled more than 6,000 votes. Jordan Sturdy, long the Liberal MLA for the riding, was still popular and hard-working, but even he admitted getting anything done sitting in opposition was difficult.
All that conspired to make 2020 the best year to, as Green candidates like to phrase it, send a message by voting Green. Our MLA wasn’t going to be a part of the government. Hell, I think I even might have voted for him; I just can’t remember because it was an election that hardly mattered.
This time, though, it matters.
We have a highly qualified candidate in Jen Ford. Fact is, this riding has never had a better-qualified candidate. Aside from her decade on Whistler council, Jen’s been president of the Union of British Columbia Municipalities and chair of the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District board. In both those capacities, she has been face-to-face with provincial leaders and ministers and has developed working relationships with many.
As chair of the Whistler Housing Authority, she helped bring thousands of employee housing units to fruition locally and helped secure millions of dollars of low-interest and forgivable loans from the province.
As chair of the Sea to Sky District Hospital board and a director on the Whistler 360 Health board, she’s been actively involved and become knowledgeable in the riding’s and town’s delivery of health-care.
Ironically, I didn’t support Jen when she ran for council in 2011 or 2014. I thought she was a lightweight. Two years into her first term, I realized how wrong I was. She consistently showed a solid grasp of issues and almost always came down on the right side of decisions. I apologized to her for underestimating her.
Since then, she’s been a tireless worker and advocate for the issues that seem to matter most to the people who live in the Sea to Sky. I’m certain she will be an effective MLA, regardless of the outcome of this close election.
Sadly, Jeremy will not. Nothing against his energy or enthusiasm. That’s just the way our political system works.
Worse, the momentum—inexplicable though it is to me—of the Conservative party means even in this small ‘l’ liberal riding this could be a very tight race. That makes voting Green not just meaningless, but potentially a gift to the Conservative candidate.
So before you go that route ask yourself this: Would you prefer a government that shares none of your beliefs or one that shares many of them?
However you decide, exercise your democratic right and vote. I have my opinion, you have yours. Whatever happens we’ll all still be here to work for what we think is a better future.
