A jar of jam can be labeled as “Product of British Columbia” so long as the berries from Mexico are processed in BC. It is very misleading.

Today here in Kamloops, I was proud to stand beside our BC Conservative Party leader, along with Michael Beauclair (candidate for Fraser-Nicola), and Graeme James (candidate for Kelowna-Lake Country).

Today, our party announced an important plank in our platform -- one which shows clear support to our agriculture and aquaculture industry. 

 

The announcement highlighted a branded communication program called My British Columbia" -- which includes incentive for British Columbians' here in the Thompson Nicola region --- and around the provide -- to buy and support local growers, ranchers, and fishers.

Here are some of the details of the "My British Columbia" program:

Provide families and businesses with a tax credit of up to $500 per year to encourage them to buy qualifying locally grown, raised, caught, or processed agri-food products at retailers, restaurants, and farmer’s markets across BC.

Provide operators across all levels of British Columbia’s agri-food value chain (growers, processors, fishers, distributors, retailers, restaurants, nurseries, schools, hospitals and agri-tourism operators) with the incentives and online branded collaterals necessary to proactively source and prominently feature locally grown, raised and processed agri-food products. 

Increase food security in British Columbia by celebrating the considerable investments made by agri-food operators that participate in and/or meet the exemplary standards set by existing certification bodies such as OceanWise, SPCA Certified, COABC and HealthCheck .  Future program recognitions may expand to include GMO labelling and biodiversity. 

And here is something we feel is very important to the success of this program -- and in ensuring that BC food producers can be supported:

My job is to let people know they have a choice and an option – it's a choice I am passionate about – and it's one that I sincerely believe in

Today was another day on the campaign trail … and another chance to show why I believe the BC Conservative Party is a choice worthy of consideration by the voters of our province – especially those living right here in Kamloops South Thompson.

This afternoon I was invited to speak at the Kamloops Rotary Club Luncheon, which was held at the Hotel 420 on Victoria Street.  There were 30+ members present for lunch, and after our meal I was introduced, and then it was my turn to speak.

As I looked across the room, I recognized many of those present. They were all reputable people from the community, many of them businessmen and women, as well as lawyers, accountants, doctors, and a number of people who are now retired. All them gave me their time – and their attention.

I had a chance to speak about my family, and some of the things I have had the privilege to be a part of in our community. Then I told them why I was a BC Conservative, and why I wanted to be the next MLA for Kamloops South Thompson.

I began with a subject that has been front and center in Kamloops. It's one which has been a huge concern to many people in our community. I spoke on the Interior Health Authority – health care – and in particular our very own Royal Inland Hospital.

We are suffering from shortages of front line staff, of acute care beds, as well as needing more long term beds. I spoke of the lack of funds for building a better hospital for Kamloops, and for the many people in the outlying communities our Royal Inland Hospital serves.

I looked at comparisons between our hospital here in Kamloops --- and those in the Okanagan communities of Vernon and Kelowna; but mainly Kelowna.

I let people know a fact many are NOT aware of, how the BC Liberal government has spent over $843 million on new hospital infrastructure in Kelowna and Vernon over the past 10 years, while spending less than 10% of that amount (over the same period of time) here in our community of Kamloops.

Then I spoke of our ballooning provincial debt twhich has now reached over $60 billion, and which continues to climb – and I wrapped up by sharing my belief we now have a government so consumed with power, that they have become arrogant.

I believe my talk gave the audience reason to think about a party, that perhaps they have not given serious consideration too, up until now.

I concluded that now is the time for change --- and that we as BC Conservatives are ready to prove their worth in the next election.

My job is to let people know they have a choice and an option – it's a choice I am passionate about – and it's one that I sincerely believe in.

Let's 'stay sharp' Kamloops.

I'm Peter Sharp – I'm a BC Conservative – and I BELIEVE in BC.

Neither the NDP or Liberals have seen fit to ensure that the hard working doctors, nurses, and support staff at Royal Inland have what they need for more timely patient care

A story in Kamloops This Week says:
It’s not quite the same as a shell game, but the pieces — stretchers with patients on them — are getting moved around almost as much some nights at Royal Inland Hospital.

Now, here's what I personally have to say, this is an outrage. Further, our hospital in Kamloops has indeed been be part of a chess game; one in which patients are the pawns. 

Government talks about how much is being done, but in fact very little, with the exception of the barest of necessities, gets attention.  AND ... this has happened under the watch of BOTH the NDP, and the BC Liberals.

What possible explanation can they provide for this?

The more nurses and doctors I talk with, the more families I meet who have seen first hand the conditions in our ER, and the more I read ... the more outraged I am becoming.

Neither the NDP or Liberals have seen fit to ensure that the hard working doctors, nurses, and support staff at Royal Inland have what they need for more timely patient care.

EVERY community deserves to have the best possible patient care that can be provided to the residents. 

This leads me to question why, in recent years, Kelowna and Vernon have been the recipients of $840 million dollars in upgrades to their hospitals (the vast majority spent in Kelowna) ... while Kamloops has received just $80 million.

Our community, despite an ever increasing population, has seen 50% of patients beds at RIH removed and closed in the past two decades.  This under governments led by both the NDP & BC Liberals.

What possible excuse can they have for this?  As far as I am concerned, there is NONE!  And I would have to say most people in Kamloops, no matter what the political leaning may be, agree.

The number of people being looked after at the ER has also increased by over 50 percent, and yet the needs to care for these Emergency patients has not kept pace.

We deserve better ... and I pledge right now, that when I am elected as your MLA, I will not rest until we get no less than our fair share.

Let's 'stay sharp' Kamloops!

I'm Peter Sharp – I'm a BC Conservative – and I believe in BC.

That's sucking money away from the front lines and we don't think it's right

One of our BC Conservative candidates had the following question asked of him by someone in the nursing field.  

QUESTION:
What is the BC conservatives stand on the issues the BC Nurses Union faces in the province, and in general what is their stand on unions. I am little concerned about the potential for union busting as a means to cut wages so that corporations can save money. Given I am a female in a predominately female profession if it weren't for the union I do not think I would be making the wage I am able to make now. 

RESPONSE:
As John Cummins pointed out at the budget unveiling, we're not interested in creating labour strife.

We're more interested in the fact that block funding has created a bureaucratic nightmare. In Interior Health alone there are over 2500 directors and managers. There's a manager of this and a director of that and an overseer of some sort for pretty much everything (recalling Monty Python's Minister of Silly Walks). The support structures build around that top-heavy bureaucracy are groaning with overstaffing. Almost half of them make over $100,000, in a geographical area in which the median income is around one third of that.

That's sucking money away from the front lines and we don't think it's right. That's where we're interested in streamlining. There are other associated problems with management that we're going to be looking into as well.  It is not the frontlines we're interested in ... that actually has to be strengthened.  

Now I actually did some research on staffing, with the Interior Health Authority, and here is what I found. There is a 9 person Senior Executive team which is responsible for day-to-day operations and management  ... plus a member Board of Directors ... plus 2,500 Directors and Manager.  

Total administration and management = 2,518 ... and that is for approximately 18,500 employees / staff. 

I'm not saying the answer is "No", however do we really need to have one management / administration person for every 6.3 employees? 

Salaries, of course, take up a huge bite from the health care budget -- including management.  It's difficult to find information, however in a story from the Kamloops Daily News, in January of last year, it noted the following:

Top staff at IHA (all figures exclude pension amounts)

• Chief Executive Director ... in 2010/11, his new position boosted his pay to $346,014, up 18 per cent from his old pay rate.