Do we need to get big business and big labour out of political parties?
Most British Columbians seem to think, so if polls are right.
Unfortunately however the 'leadership' of the BCGEU fails to understand this, as they continue to promote and work for the NDP.
Is this something the individual membership the BCGEU has had a chance to approve? A number of members, who have contacted me, say not.
Government should be there for the betterment of all people -- the leaders of the BCGEU however seem to think it is there to push their own personal agenda, as this portion of an email from them, promoting their "BCGEU Votes" campaign shows:
" ... up for discussion is everything from voter registration to the importance of electing a government that shares our values ... it is time for a change (part of NDP campaign slogan) ... we have the power to bring about change on May 14 ... get involved in this election ... offer to volunteer on a local election campaign. Whether it’s putting up signs, knocking on doors, or working the phones, there is plenty of work to be done.
... labour movement has won many gains at the bargaining table. But some gains can only be won at the ballot box. Between now and May 14 let’s work hard and elect a government that understands our values and will build a province of which we can all be proud ..."
The BC Conservative Party has put forward a platform that will benefit all British Columbians across the social-economic scale --- and in particular promote the kind of development that will require thousands of skilled union workers.
The NDP meantime have put forward positions that will stifle good high paying union jobs -- and yet the BCGEU calls them the friends of labor.
How does that make sense?
I'd like to encourage all voters to look closely at the platforms of each party -- and then make an informed decision.
Your vote does count -- your vote is important -- and your participation in the democratic process is something no union, or political party, should take for granted.
See what each of the party's has to offer -- investigate for yourself what each of them stands for -- and then decide which best suits your own personal beliefs.
BC Conservative Party: http://www.bcconservative.ca/what-we-stand-for/election-platform/
Most British Columbians seem to think, so if polls are right.
Is this something the individual membership the BCGEU has had a chance to approve? A number of members, who have contacted me, say not.
Government should be there for the betterment of all people -- the leaders of the BCGEU however seem to think it is there to push their own personal agenda, as this portion of an email from them, promoting their "BCGEU Votes" campaign shows:
" ... up for discussion is everything from voter registration to the importance of electing a government that shares our values ... it is time for a change (part of NDP campaign slogan) ... we have the power to bring about change on May 14 ... get involved in this election ... offer to volunteer on a local election campaign. Whether it’s putting up signs, knocking on doors, or working the phones, there is plenty of work to be done.
... labour movement has won many gains at the bargaining table. But some gains can only be won at the ballot box. Between now and May 14 let’s work hard and elect a government that understands our values and will build a province of which we can all be proud ..."
The BC Conservative Party has put forward a platform that will benefit all British Columbians across the social-economic scale --- and in particular promote the kind of development that will require thousands of skilled union workers.
The NDP meantime have put forward positions that will stifle good high paying union jobs -- and yet the BCGEU calls them the friends of labor.
How does that make sense?
I'd like to encourage all voters to look closely at the platforms of each party -- and then make an informed decision.
Your vote does count -- your vote is important -- and your participation in the democratic process is something no union, or political party, should take for granted.
See what each of the party's has to offer -- investigate for yourself what each of them stands for -- and then decide which best suits your own personal beliefs.
BC Conservative Party: http://www.bcconservative.ca/what-we-stand-for/election-platform/
BC Liberal Party: http://www.bcliberals.com/news/in-the-news/ourPlan
BC NDP: http://www.bcndp.ca/ ... they do not appear to have platform posted to their website
BC Green Party: http://www.greenparty.bc.ca/green_book_2013
It is rather unfortunate that the BC NDP have not seen fit to have their policies and platform online. I will leave it up to you to decide on why that may be the case.
I hope that our BC Conservative policies will resonate, in a positive way, with you. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at the campaign office at 324 Victoria Street in Kamloops. You can also call the campaign office at (778) 471-4335.
I'm Peter Sharp --- I'm a BC Conservative -- and I Believe in BC!
FOLLOW-UP:
Since posting this late last night, the Globe and Mail has a piece online from Gary Mason: "NDP letter asking for donations has some businesses seeing red". This letter is just one more reason for the call to have only 'individuals (not business or unions) to be the ones to support the party's they believe in:
NDP Leader Adrian Dix likes to talk about a balanced approached to governing. It now appears that philosophy extends to fundraising as well.
Some members of the B.C. business community are questioning the message they say is embedded in a fundraising letter that the New Democrats have been sending out to people who have financially supported only the B.C. Liberals in the past.
The missives are being sent out under the name of Jan O’Brien, provincial secretary of the party, but Mr. Dix’s imprimatur is prominent. The letter begins by informing the recipient that building a relationship with the business community is a top priority of the NDP Leader. It talks about how the prospective B.C. premier believes a strong private sector is key to economic development in the province – in other words, he is not a wild-eyed advocate of the communist collective.
And just so the recipients understand they would not be the first business leaders to make such a donation, the communique makes it clear that Mr. Dix has appreciated the support he’s received from other members of the financial sector. In an attempt to dispel any concern that an NDP government would favour unions, the letter says a Dix administration would include everyone at the table.
Then Ms. O’Brien gets to the point.
The letter documents the donation total that the recipient – or his or her company – has made to the Liberal Party over a specified number of years.
“It is our hope that you will adopt a balanced approach to your support in the lead up to the election in May,” it states. “I am asking your organization to make a contribution in the range of $5,000 now to show your commitment to a balanced approach to government.”
It then provides a link to a secure website where the person can immediately make a contribution.
At another time, those receiving a letter of this nature might have thought nothing of it. But in the context of the current election, one in which the New Democrats are decided favourites, it takes on a different hue.
Those getting such a dispatch might be forgiven for thinking they were being sent a pointed directive: We know who you are, we know who you’ve supported in the past, and it might be wise given the current political environment if you made a little donation to our party.
“You could say this is normal politics or you could say it’s a not-so-subtle strong-armed tactic,” said one business person who received the letter but did not want his name used. “[It’s implying], ‘You have never supported us before, but we’re going to win, and we will remember who did and who did not help us this time.’”
Another business person characterized the letter as a “political shakedown.”
It will not surprise you that the NDP says that was not the intent at all. The letter was simply intended, Ms. O’Brien told me, to reach out to corporations that have shown in the past they are willing to donate to political parties to see if they would consider the NDP.
“As part of the democratic process, political parties fund their campaigns with political donations,” Ms. O’Brien said. “But people have a choice, absolutely. We’ve just asked them to take a balanced approach to campaign donations.”
But that’s not what the letter says. It effectively states that the company should donate to the NDP as well as the Liberals in the name of taking a “balanced approach to government” – not campaign donations. Ms. O’Brien did not seem completely comfortable trying to explain what the letter meant in that regard. Or that it implies that people shouldn’t have a choice – that they should donate to both main parties.
And, of course, that’s wrong. People should be able to donate to whomever they want, and they certainly shouldn’t be leaned on by officials of parties that may soon take office and told that they should send some cash their way.
If there is any good news in all this, it’s the fact that should the NDP form government, it has vowed that donations from corporations and unions will be outlawed. Let’s hope letters such as the one Ms. O’Brien authored will be a thing of the past as well.
I hope that our BC Conservative policies will resonate, in a positive way, with you. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at the campaign office at 324 Victoria Street in Kamloops. You can also call the campaign office at (778) 471-4335.
I'm Peter Sharp --- I'm a BC Conservative -- and I Believe in BC!
FOLLOW-UP:
Since posting this late last night, the Globe and Mail has a piece online from Gary Mason: "NDP letter asking for donations has some businesses seeing red". This letter is just one more reason for the call to have only 'individuals (not business or unions) to be the ones to support the party's they believe in:
NDP Leader Adrian Dix likes to talk about a balanced approached to governing. It now appears that philosophy extends to fundraising as well.
Some members of the B.C. business community are questioning the message they say is embedded in a fundraising letter that the New Democrats have been sending out to people who have financially supported only the B.C. Liberals in the past.
The missives are being sent out under the name of Jan O’Brien, provincial secretary of the party, but Mr. Dix’s imprimatur is prominent. The letter begins by informing the recipient that building a relationship with the business community is a top priority of the NDP Leader. It talks about how the prospective B.C. premier believes a strong private sector is key to economic development in the province – in other words, he is not a wild-eyed advocate of the communist collective.
And just so the recipients understand they would not be the first business leaders to make such a donation, the communique makes it clear that Mr. Dix has appreciated the support he’s received from other members of the financial sector. In an attempt to dispel any concern that an NDP government would favour unions, the letter says a Dix administration would include everyone at the table.
Then Ms. O’Brien gets to the point.
The letter documents the donation total that the recipient – or his or her company – has made to the Liberal Party over a specified number of years.
“It is our hope that you will adopt a balanced approach to your support in the lead up to the election in May,” it states. “I am asking your organization to make a contribution in the range of $5,000 now to show your commitment to a balanced approach to government.”
It then provides a link to a secure website where the person can immediately make a contribution.
At another time, those receiving a letter of this nature might have thought nothing of it. But in the context of the current election, one in which the New Democrats are decided favourites, it takes on a different hue.
Those getting such a dispatch might be forgiven for thinking they were being sent a pointed directive: We know who you are, we know who you’ve supported in the past, and it might be wise given the current political environment if you made a little donation to our party.
“You could say this is normal politics or you could say it’s a not-so-subtle strong-armed tactic,” said one business person who received the letter but did not want his name used. “[It’s implying], ‘You have never supported us before, but we’re going to win, and we will remember who did and who did not help us this time.’”
Another business person characterized the letter as a “political shakedown.”
It will not surprise you that the NDP says that was not the intent at all. The letter was simply intended, Ms. O’Brien told me, to reach out to corporations that have shown in the past they are willing to donate to political parties to see if they would consider the NDP.
“As part of the democratic process, political parties fund their campaigns with political donations,” Ms. O’Brien said. “But people have a choice, absolutely. We’ve just asked them to take a balanced approach to campaign donations.”
But that’s not what the letter says. It effectively states that the company should donate to the NDP as well as the Liberals in the name of taking a “balanced approach to government” – not campaign donations. Ms. O’Brien did not seem completely comfortable trying to explain what the letter meant in that regard. Or that it implies that people shouldn’t have a choice – that they should donate to both main parties.
And, of course, that’s wrong. People should be able to donate to whomever they want, and they certainly shouldn’t be leaned on by officials of parties that may soon take office and told that they should send some cash their way.
If there is any good news in all this, it’s the fact that should the NDP form government, it has vowed that donations from corporations and unions will be outlawed. Let’s hope letters such as the one Ms. O’Brien authored will be a thing of the past as well.
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