BC NDP Newswire – May 10, 2002
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“We spend hours looking and begging for a bed. Right now, we literally have
to beg for a bed. It’s a major problem.
“It’s going to be so crowded. It’s going to be mayhem….It’s going to mean
lives, because I can see our emergency ward not working as efficiently.
“We’re having trouble now. They’re cutting beds in every hospital, and I
don’t see how it’s going to improve.”
(Dr. Ernie Murakami, Chief of Medical Staff at Fraser Canyon Hospital, on
cuts to acute and long-term care beds, Vancouver Sun, May 6)
RUNNERS UP
ON GORDON CAMPBELL’S ‘MOST OPEN AND HONEST GOVERNMENT IN CANADA’
“In my 20 years of trying to squeeze information out of government, I’ve
never seen government communications more political.
“I’d blame it on a premier’s office that decided it didn’t like real
information being given to the media before it had been given the
appropriate political spin. The iron fist came down and the access to facts
dried up.”
(Jody Paterson, columnist, commenting on the premier’s admission of failure
in government communications and his decision to re-politicize government
communications, Victoria Times Colonist, May 10)
“They seem to feel that they don’t have to govern for all British
Columbians. That they can govern for the group that are part of their own
political coalition. And everyone else is dismissed as a special interest.”
(Norman Ruff, University of Victoria Professor of Political Science, The
Province, May 9)
ON PEOPLE SELLING THEIR BELONGINGS TO MAKE ENDS MEET
“I would like to thank Premier Gordon Campbell for giving me job security
for the next several years. The increase in business has been great!”
(Harry Degen, owner of AAA Pawnbrokers, Vancouver Sun, May 10)
ON ‘FAIRNESS’
“It wouldn’t be fair to call these layoffs. People have been told their jobs
no longer exist.”
(Tara Wilson, spokesperson for the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, on
what to call it when the government fires 700 health care professionals,
Vancouver Sun, May 9)
ON THE REFERENDUM
“No intelligent person thinks Premier Gordon Campbell shares [BC White
Pride’s] odious views. On the other hand, when the neo-Nazis are applauding
government policy while the churches urge caution, it doesn’t take a
brilliant mind to figure out which advice to heed.”
(Stephen Hume, columnist, Vancouver Sun, May 4)
ON BAILING OUT MILLIONAIRE HOCKEY PLAYERS
“So the B.C. government, which is literally under siege for closing down
hospital and nursing home beds and laying off teachers, is actually
considering the idea of contributing to poor little Daniel’s [Sedin]
million-dollar-plus salary at the same time it’s kicking people off welfare.
And you wonder why they call this Lotus Land.”
(Paul Sullivan, columnist, Globe and Mail, May 8)
UM… RIGHT. YEAH, SURE HE DOES.
“Gordon [Campbell] is taking us somewhere. He has a plan for B.C., I think.
“I mean, he must, right?”
Christiana Helzel, Gordon Campbell’s house cleaner (and ultimate insider),
on why she supports the Premier.