Have you ever opened the door to a fridge full of food while proclaiming there was nothing in the house to eat? That was the feeling I had when I started writing this weeks column.
There are so many things happening with their own story line it is hard to concentrate on just one.
Therefore I will feature a contrast of two systems one functional the other, the opposite.
Our neighbors to the south have had an election campaign going on since February. Chaos, no central election committee or organization to ensure fairness. A campaign of distortions, lies, skullduggery and outright incivility.
Contrast that with what happens north in Canada and in BC. First we have Elections Canada and Elections BC. There are rules and consequences. These organizations are a third party so a particular party can’t bend the system to its will.
This is not to say we don’t have problems though it just means there is a set of rules and remedies. Not perfect but better than nothing.
There is one thing borrowed from our neighbors, that is creeping incivility. We had an incident of out of bounds comments by a Liberal Candidate surrounding a farewell roast. There were statements by a Liberal Candidate in the Fraser Valley that constituted the candidates removal from the party.
Then there is the the case of an NDP choice going out of his way to insult a Liberal Candidate. It is not a case of one being more guilty of bad behavior it is a case of, we should condemn all bad behavior. Some will say this is a naïve reaction, it’s politics.
Let me respond. At this time with all the problems we have we need to be respectful of each other.
The stakes for the combatants are high. The Liberals are trailing, they appear to be the architects of their own problems. They appear to have a leadership problem. They are making the kind of promises they once condemned others for making. The PST is a prime example. Eliminating it for a short time and then reducing it is questionable. Tax revenue will be needed to get out of the corona inspired debt we are in. if we reduce or eliminate taxes program cuts will be required. ICBC is another whipping boy. It should be noted the former government raided the ICBC revenue stream more than once to balance their budget. On one occasion they took more than eight hundred million.
Then of course the NDP is handing out a one time one thousand per family and five hundred for a single person to offset hardship. Both sides have a problem understanding it ain’t their money. The one thing I do like is voting by mail.
I am all for debate and even harsh criticism, but in the times we are in – those running for office need to set an example. How they behave now is how they will behave after we elect them. Keep that in mind when you mark your X.