BC NDP

After 17 straight hours of debate, legislation to privatize health and education services, lay off thousands of workers, increase class sizes, and rip up contracts was passed into law by the Gordon Campbell government. Hour after hour in debate, New Democrat MLAs Jenny Kwan and Joy MacPhail rose to their feet to take on the Liberals. And in doing so, they proved once again that despite enormous odds and few resources, New Democrats are the voice for people who are being hurt by the Campbell government -- and after this weekend's legislation, that includes just about everybody.
On two pieces of legislation -- Bills 28 and 29 -- which rip up collective agreements, Peace River MLA Blair Lekstrom joined Joy and Jenny and voted against the government. Although Mr. Lekstrom had a hard time explaining his motivation for breaking ranks with his caucus, the stand he took called attention to his Liberal colleagues' ineffectiveness as representatives for their communities. MLAs like Sheila Orr from Victoria, Bill Belsey from North Coast, Blair Sufferdine from Nelson, and John Wilson from the Cariboo, have been silent in the legislature and have done nothing to protect their communities from Campbell's extreme agenda.
At the end of the day, Joy and Jenny don't have the power to stop the Campbell government from ramming through draconian legislation in all night-sittings. And at four o'clock Monday morning the final piece of legislation was voted on and passed. It was a sad moment. In one weekend, Gordon Campbell turned back the clock on labour relations in BC more than 30 years. And he sealed the fate for thousands of dedicated health professionals and the public services they provide.
But although most British Columbians were asleep when the final vote came, that didn't mean they didn't know or care about what the Campbell government had done. Around the province people from all walks of life are coming together to fight for their services, their jobs, and their communities. They know that Gordon Campbell may have 77 seats in the Legislature, but that does not mean he has a blank cheque to tear down the province in the service of his narrow and extreme ideological agenda.
Gordon Campbell lied to British Columbians in the last election. And he has no one to blame but himself for the confrontation he has provoked in the legislature and throughout the province.