While the BC Liberals will often tout their real and alleged successes, they clearly try to spin and deflect their failures into thin air.

Last year, I asked my readers to see how fast they could come up with 100 reasons NOT to vote for Gordon Campbell ( and the Liberals) again.  Readers rose to the challenge, and the comment section quickly filled with concrete examples of Liberal failures that have all occurred during that Golden Decade during which Campbell has increasingly shown his true nature. 

100.   In 2001, newly elected Campbell tore up legally signed and binding contracts between the gov’t and the HEU, creating a rush to privatization that continues to this day.

99.  Gave himself a whopping raise of  $ 60,951  in 2007, which works out to a crazy 48.1% hike – and gave all BC MLA’s a pay raise of 29% while he was at it. http://thetyee.ca/Views/2009/04/29/PayRaises/

98. Drunk driving conviction in 2003 while on vacation in Hawaii http://dawn.thot.net/campbell_dui_media.html   ( I feel strongly politicians who are convicted for any crime, should no longer to be able to hold office, based on the notion that they need to provide an example of a standard of integrity that is inherent to the position. )

97.  ” Fabricating ” an ‘energy crisis’ in BC to be solved by forcing the public utility BC Hydro to buy power at twice the market value fromLiberal-stocked independent power producers and then reselling it at a loss to owners of air-conditioners in California .

96. Closed 24 of 68 courthouses so the Attorney General could meet budget targets , therefore putting excessive strain and overload on the remaining ones, and forcing people to travel further to deal with family and criminal matters.

95.  above reduction in the number of courthouses has  now lengthened the trial wait times  in some areas to years, which often results in the accused being released from all charges  because of the right to a speedy trial.

94.   Since 2001, 10 jails have been closed across the province, creating dangerously overloaded conditions in the remaining facilities,and increasing the likelihood many criminals will serve time in the community or receive suspended sentences because of that overcrowding.

93.  Massive, MASSIVE cutbacks to legal aid services in this province, across the board, for the entire time Campbell has been in power . More people than ever are unable to remedy family law and simple legal matters because of lack of funding and resulting closures to free clinics, help lines and offices. http://www.povnet.org/node/3629 details  in the reasons below.  

92.  85% of  Legal Aid offices in BC closed,

91. reduction in 75% of staff

90. cut family law by 60%

89.  Closure of LawLine, a free legal assistance number for low income people to access help and advice.

88. Closure of 5 regional Legal Aid offices in Surrey, Victoria, Kelowna, Kamloops and Prince George.

87. legislating the Paramedics working conditions. http://www.fpse.ca/news/fpse-news/free-collective-bargaining-takes-another-hit-campbell-government-legislates-paramedic

86.   Campbell supports and champions the Enbridge project,  and refuses to commit to protect the BC coastline from a spill like the Exxon Valdez  You can read the debate here : http://www.leg.bc.ca/hansard/39th2nd/h00323p.htm#3548

85.   The B.C. Liberals issued permits to a company that wanted to burn creosote soaked railway ties in the city of Kamloops without any consultation. The project was only stopped when countless community members and more than 100 Interior doctors opposed the project. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/02/15/bc-kamloops-g…    ( from BC NDP site)

84.  Massive cuts to the Parks Budget over the years has resulted in a lack of protection for endangered ecosystems, a lack of park rangers, and unsafe and unsanitary conditions in provincial campgrounds across the province.  Many  free campgrounds  and picnic areas have been de-commissioned over the years http://www.bcauditor.com/pubs/2010/report3/conservation-ecological-integrity-bc-parks-and-protected-

83.  committed to NOT introduce internet gaming in 2007, then created and introduced the new BCLC online gambling site this year, again increasing and furthering the incidence of gambling addiction and family strife, since there is no way to police it.

82. raised gambling limits to $ 9,999.00 – a mere $1 below the reportable level to FINTRAC, the agency that monitors and polices money laundering… lol. http://billtieleman.blogspot.com/2010/07/explain-bc-liberals-addiction-to.html

81. raised MSP premiums, while service and wait times increased – and get ready for another MSP premium increase January 1st, 2011. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/bc-to-increase-msp-premiums/article1272494/

80.  Campbell lowered tax rates – the wealthy benefit the most from those rate cuts, while instituting user fees for some public services that were formerly paid out of tax revenue. This resulted in proportionally higher tax increases for the working poor struggling the hardest to make ends meet. http://www.straight.com/article-349819/vancouver/ndp-leader-carole-james-should-acknowledge-impact-personal-tax-cuts-rich

79.  Charging user fees at publicly funded hospitals in Vancouver , even to people with insurance, for anyone requiring short term residential care to recover from a medical treatment  – coming soon to a hospital near you http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Health/20101022/bc-user-fees-101022/

78.  closed 176 schools between 2001  and  2009 . ONE FREAKING HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SIX SCHOOLS!!!! http://bctf.ca/SchoolClosures.aspx

77.  cut funding to the Success by 6 program, an initiative which gave young children a head start  through more than 400 projects in 240 communities in British Columbia, including early childhood literacy programs, music and social programs for preschoolers, mentorship programs for single mothers,  and pregnancy support . http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/03/24/bc-success-by-six-cancelled.html

76.  Cuts to seniors services and care http://www.hsabc.org/viewReport.php?rid=8

75. Cuts to PAC’s across BC  ( Parents Advisory Councils) resulting in parents struggling to make ends meet having to pay more for school related activities http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2009/09/09/bc-parent-advisory-council-funding-cut.html

74. Cuts to Annual Facility Grants http://communities.canada.com/vancouversun/blogs/reportcard/archive/2009/08/28/trustees-protest-the-cancellation-of-annual-facility-grant.aspx

73. government continually breaks it’s own class size limit legislation  http://bctf.ca/NewsReleases.aspx?id=20508

72. cuts to funding and programs for special needs children in schools as a result of budget cuts.http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/06/25/bc-vancouver-special-needs.html

71. highest tuition fees  ever on record , for university and colleges in BC http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2010/16/c2521.html

70.   Campbell  shows his true feelings about education and the future of our province, and cuts $16 million dollars in student loan funds, with no warning, leaving students unable to attend classes, and wreaking havoc on families already financially strapped http://www.straight.com/article-246824/ashley-fehr-gordon-campbell-governments-cuts-devastate-postsecondary-students

69. In addition to the above loan cuts, the BC liberals also cut non-repayable grants to student, also with no warning as detailed in the above link. Some university students found out the hard way when they called Student Aid BC to find out where their grant was, after enrolling and days prior to classes commencing.

68. BC  has one of the highest BC Student loan rate in the country.

67. BC post secondary students collectively pay more in fees than government collects in corporate income tax, showing where Campbell’s priorities really are.

66. cuts to surgeries in BC http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/01/21/bc-oylmpics-cancelled-surgeries-dix.html

65. cuts to diagnostic and rehabilitation services http://www.hsabc.org/content.php?id=335

64. cuts to community outreach services http://www.nupge.ca/content/3456/bc-cuts-southern-vancouver-island-social-services

63. HORRIFIC cuts to domestic violence programs and violence against women outreach and counselling programs http://www.endingviolence.org/files/uploads/inst_women_programs_going_in_wrong_direction.pdf

62. cuts to many vital medical and health related items previously funded for those on income assistance http://www.ddmentalhealth.com/2010/04/07/funding-cut-in-bc/

61. closed CHIMO Achievement Centre, a therapeutic day program for adults with disabilities http://billtieleman.blogspot.com/2010/01/fraser-health-authority-to-kill-amazing.html

60. cuts to income assistance programs http://www.bcfed.com/node/294

59. although Campbell has increased the number of Casinos and access to other forms of gambling, continued cuts have been made to the amount of gaming grants given out to  social service agencies, programs, playground and schools  http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/03/08/bc-community-gaming-grants.html

58.  Special needs assessment for children eliminated in the Fraser Health Authority, meaning families must travel to Sunnyhill at Childrens hospital for diagnostic services and care ( I know this one first hand! ) http://www.betterbc.ca/2010/05/cuts-update/

57. Autism: BC’s Early Inten­sive Behav­iour Inter­ven­tion pro­grams were cut http://www.straight.com/article-302303/vancouver/bc-coalition-protest-gordon-campbells-cuts-saturday-vancouver

56. There are only enough reg­u­lated child care spaces for 15% of chil­dren under 12 in BC http://www.ccsd.ca/factsheets/family/

55.  elimination of conservation officers mean less enforcement and protection over larger areas, putting people and wildlife at risk http://www.nupge.ca/content/3512/bc-parks-hurt-budget-cuts-and-poor-enforcement

54. Cuts to envi­ron­ment min­istry last Sep­tem­ber saw the Envi­ron­men­tal Stew­ard­ship division—which includes pro­tec­tion of BC’s 2,000 species at risk, fish and wildlife habi­tat, and air and water—sliced by almost $4 million http://www.bcauditor.com/pubs/2010/report3/conservation-ecological-integrity-bc-parks-and-protected-

53.  unregulated fish farms on the coast of bc and their impact on wild salmon stocks, as well as the increase in fish farm licences the Libs handed out during their tenure.  http://thetyee.ca/Views/2005/10/02/WildSalmonWipedOut/

52. the systematic rape of many rivers in BC through Independent Power Projects http://lailayuile.wordpress.com/2009/05/01/province-of-bc-criss-crossed-by-independent-power-projects/

51.  while Campbell continually has pressed and pushed these projects as safe, clean energy, the truth is that they can, and have extremely horrific impacts on the environment around them, as detailed in this post http://lailayuile.wordpress.com/2009/05/06/what-the-liberals-dont-want-you-to-find-out-until-after-election-day-documents-obtained-by-cbc-news-show-run-of-the-river-projects-are-breaking-environmental-regulations/

50. The announcement by Campbell to flood hectares of prime land for yet another dam to generate power the province will sell elsewhere http://lailayuile.wordpress.com/2010/04/20/the-worst-is-yet-to-come-rafe-mair/

49. Crown land giveaways  and contracts apparently based political donations http://lailayuile.wordpress.com/2009/04/21/brookfield-asset-management-gordon-campbell-and-british-columbias-best-assets/

48. clearing ALR land for development, over and over http://www.straight.com/article-177711/pressure-builds-farmland

 http://www.bcndp.ca/newsroom/agricultural-land-reserve-undermined-bc-liberals

47.   The Campbell government admitted that during the most recent election they suppressed information showing the number of people in BC forced to apply for welfare had increased by 10,000. The information was released shortly after the election  http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2009/05/22/bc-welfare-cases-up.html

46. Gordon Campbell claimed he was not aware of how bad the financial outlook of the province was prior to the election, despite the world financial crash that was well underway.

45. The public is kept in the dark as John Les, the province’s top cop, is under police investigation for almost a year http://willcocks.blogspot.com/2009/09/creeping-pace-of-john-les-investigation.html

44.  The “coincidental” and repeated occurrence of  development and real estate companies who donate large $$ to the Liberal party of BC, getting lucrative land deals and approvals across the province http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/BC-Politics/2009/05/08/Builders-real-estate-firms-gave-big-to-BC-Liberals/

43. The ” coincidental” and repeated occurence of other corporations( mining,gas, oil and independent power producers) who donate large $$ to the Liberal party of BC getting lucrative contracts, deal and approvals across the province:

http://lailayuile.wordpress.com/2010/05/07/the-kind-of-corruption-the-media-talk-about-the-kind-the-supreme-court-was-concerned-about-involves-the-putative-sale-of-votes-in-exchange-for-campaign-contributions-james-l-buckley/

http://lailayuile.wordpress.com/2010/05/09/fraser-transportation-group-chosen-as-preferred-bidder-for-south-fraser-perimeter-road/

) Milan Ilich: $200,000 (plus another $56,000 through various business interests)
2) Madison Pacific Properties: $100,000, Sam Grippo
3) New Car Dealers Association of BC: $100,000, Glen Ringdal and Manse Binkley (plus another $7200)
4) The Maple Bay Townhomes Corp: $100,000, John MacKay (plus $10,000 through Strand Properties Group)
5) Westwood Ridge Development Corporation: $100,000, Michael Audain (Audain donated another $44,250 through Polygon Homes and other interests)
6) Ken Mahon donated approximately $100,000 through a number of companies with which he is associated
7) Goldcorp Inc: $75,000, Lindsay Hall
Elk Valley Coal Corporation: $50,000 Ron Millos (plus another $11,700)
9) Encana Corporation: $50,000 (plus another $11,000)
10) Great Canadian Railtour Company: $50,000, Peter Armstrong and Jess Ketchum (plus another $25,002)
11) Orr Development Corp: $50,000, Bob Orr (plus another $11,000)
12) Robert J. MacDonald: $50,000 (plus another $16,500)
13) Tanac Development Canada: $50,000
14) Teck Cominco Ltd: $50,000, Norman B. Keevil and Richard Mundie (plus $15,500)
15) Wesik Construction Ltd: $40,000 (plus another $21,150 from other Peeter Wesik projects)

42.  In February 2008, the public learned that Campbell’s TransLink board voted themselves a 500 percent pay raise. Only a few weeks later, the premier’s BC Ferries directors received an increase of up to 60 percent — on April 1, 2008 – the same day ferry fares were increased for British Columbians.
Compare this with the fact that in 2008, more than 50,000 British Columbians worked for minimum wage or less http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/02/08/bc-translink.html

41.  The very large and expensive  mess that is known as BC ferries http://thetyee.ca/News/2009/11/07/BloatedFerries/

40. The very large and expensive mess that was known as the BC Transmission corporation http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2010/05/03/LiberalsOweApology/

39.  The very large  and again, expensive mess known as BC Hydro , which is on the path to financial ruin http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2010/08/23/BCHydroPathToRuin/    and another opinion http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_thompson_nicola/clearwatertimes/opinion/101681738.html

38.  2010 olympic debt legacy http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/bc-government-releases-details-of-olympics-costs/article1634211/

37.  Despite those ” tough economic times “Campbell decided to appoint a larger, expanded cabinet, costing us all more ( for quite a bit less, in my opinion) http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/BC-Politics/2009/06/10/CampbellCabinet/

36. The over-inflated, expensive and relatively useless Public Affairs Bureau( otherwise known as internet trolls who monitor,watch and read everything written anywhere about Campbell and his Liberal co-horts) http://bctrialofbasi-virk.blogspot.com/2009/04/about-that-public-affairs-bureau-this.html

35.  ” Die Entscheidung von Campbell, deutsche Scheißfährschiffe zu kaufen “, or for those of you who do not speak German, ” Campbell’s decision to buy crappy german ferries ” http://thetyee.ca/News/2008/12/15/NoisyFerry/

34.  Choosing to contract out the storage, handling and administration of our personal medical records to an American company, which leaves personal information potentially open to dubious uses with American law enforcement http://lailayuile.wordpress.com/2009/05/06/bc-citizens-assessment-of-what-the-campbell-government-has-done-to-british-columbia-so-far/

33. Campbell failed to hold regular legislature sessions- twice – http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/09/10/bc-fall-legislative-session-cancelled.html 

32.  Campbells decision to sign TILMA – the Trade, Investment, and Labour Mobility Agreement http://thetyee.ca/Views/2009/05/07/TILMA/

31. Sold off BC Gas, now known as Terasen

30. Passed Bill 20, which prevents local municipal veto of Run of the River projects  http://www.pej.org/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=4659&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

29. Exporting raw logs to China and elsewhere ( a direct contradiction to a campaign promise he made prior to first being elected back in 20o1) all while closing BC mills who could process wood here. http://www.peoplesvoice.ca/articleprint21/02)_BC’S_FOREST_JOBS_CRISIS.html  http://store.wildernesscommittee.org/campaigns/communities/campaigns/communities/readers/raw_logs/

28.  Vancouver convention centre completely ridiculous cost overruns , which technically might make it the largest screw-up in the history of BC – that is, until the final and true bill for the new Port Mann bridge comes in http://www.bcndp.ca/newsroom/campbells-convention-centre-overruns-largest-boondoggle-bc-history

27. Sea to sky highway over-runs – with no toll to cover costs . Campbell told press repeatedly at photo ops that the cost of the highway would be $800 million, yet the final cost was  nearly$2 billion + http://www.bcndp.ca/newsroom/campbell-liberals-p3s-not-time-not-budget

A report in 2007 stated that the province could have saved the taxpayer over $ 220 million by financing it themselves, because borrowing costs were underestimated by Partnerships BC, and the government always – ALWAYS- gets a better finance rate than other entities. http://dcnonl.com/article/id20954/profservices

26.  Failed P3- Port Mann Bridge debacle – ONGOING, and with no true inkling of how much it will cost because it has yet to be completed – not to mention Coquitlam and Burnaby residents get a hell of a lot of road/highway improvements, yet don’t bear te brunt of paying tolls like everyone south of the Fraser does…. http://lailayuile.wordpress.com/2010/08/25/the-truth-will-set-you-free-but-first-it-will-piss-you-off/ and of course the must read http://lailayuile.wordpress.com/2009/10/09/laila-yuile-says-time-to-start-those-tolls-on-the-sea-to-sky-highway/

25. Failure to enforce what faulty lobbyist legislation there was – and now is http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=c268578c-1bba-4e0a-b5e2-de25a87e9040

24. Failure to protect renters in BC with appropriate “Renoviction” legislation http://rentersatrisk.wordpress.com/2009/06/01/news-more-renovictions-what-next-for-renters/

23. Bill 29, which was  and still is, a  constant source of tension and stress for seniors and health care workers http://www.bcfed.com/issues/Bill_29

22. The  tragically expensive new roof on BC Place stadium,  which Campbell has repeatedly claimed is ” on time and on budget” (  at a cost that some say, could have given us an entire new facility) Originally announced at $365 million BEFORE the election, it went to $458 million after the  election, but then we found out it was actually $ 563 million.. unless you include the cost of Empire Stadiums upgrade of $ 14 million… which gives us a grand total of $ 577 million-  only $208  million over the first announced budget ( gotta love that Liberal accounting, eh? )  http://www.burnabynow.com/news/Costs+balloon+Place+roof/3385325/story.html

21. Lara Dauphinee - ” And’s that is all I have to say about that.”  ~ Forest Gump

20. The horrible fate of Fish Lake – a pristine lake in the Chilcotin that will be killed if Tasko mines gets their way http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/the-political-storm-watch-on-fish-lake/article1703514/

19. More cuts to seniors beds in residential care, than have been created, leave seniors and their families at risk and great worry http://www.straight.com/article-218182/ndp-leader-carole-james-whacks-gordon-campbell-seniors-care

18. Homelessness in BC  has risen over 300% during Campbells time in power

17. As of March 2008, there were 12,050 people on B.C. Housing’s wait list for subsidized housing. Somehow we don’t have the ability to address these issues, but we seem to have found all that money for the Olympics, a new roof for BC Place, and a host of other expenditures authorized by Campbell and the Liberals.

16. Social housing projects that the Liberals announced would be fast tracked and completed by the Olympics, were not, and no word where they are at now http://www.campbellcuts.com/social_housing_funding_cuts.html

15.  severe mental health and addiction cuts left many on the streets and without care- this continues through 2010 with no plan to address the challenges of the most vulnerable http://www.bcndp.ca/newsroom/bc-liberal-mental-health-and-addiction-cuts-will-hurt-communities

14. Ken Dobell. And there are many more just like him among Campbell’s crew http://billtieleman.blogspot.com/2008/03/tieleman-ken-dobell-is-not-crook-he-is.html

13. ” The Kinsella Connection”  http://lailayuile.wordpress.com/2009/04/11/the-kinsella-connection-it%E2%80%99s-no-secret-that-patrick-kinsella-is-one-of-gordon-campbell%E2%80%99s-closest-friends/

12.  Neglecting to protect public assets and interests from foreign takeover.

11. Kevin Falcon…. ugh. Screwed up transportation, and is busy screwing up healthcare.

10. School budgets are so tight as a result of being underfunded, that our children are required to bring boxes of kleenex as part of their school supply list!

9. He has never answered the 70 questions Krog asked him about the sale of BC Rail. http://www.straight.com/article-194779/gordon-campbells-privatization-bc-rail-leonard-krogs-70-questions

8. Campbell and his government continue to demonstrate a lack of transparency, and accountability, and seem to specialize in secrecy, as repeatedly shown by their refusal to initiate public inquiries into a number of their activities, including the sale of BC rail.

7. Our minimum wage is the lowest in Canada, our training wage for young and new workers is $6.00 an hour, and Campbell thinks this is just hunky dory, because ” we have other programs to offset any issues related to lower wages”  – uhhh, no we don’t Campbell, you cut them all!  http://www.timescolonist.com/business/minimum+wage+lowest+Canada+consider+increase+groups/3480843/story.html

6.  while Campbell has cut student aid and tuition rates here in BC are at an all time high- making it hard for domestic students to obtain a post se secondary decree, it turns out that  BC’s number one export overseas, and the Liberals have been promoting our universities and colleges to overseas students  http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2009-2013/2010ALMD0057-001287.pdf

5. The highly contentious and suspect South Fraser Perimeter Road – yet another project in Campbells infamous Gateway program, that  runs through farmland, skirts the unique and precious Burns Bog, and has taken more than a few peoples home, AND  has already been downgraded before it is even built http://lailayuile.wordpress.com/2010/10/08/south-fraser-perimeter-road-downgrades-confirmed-by-news-1130-reporter-dave-white/ and http://lailayuile.wordpress.com/2010/08/13/south-fraser-perimeter-road-moves-ahead-as-revised-fraser-transportation-group-signs-agreement-with-ministry-of-transportation/

4. The corrupt sale of BC Rail, and everything related that has happened before- and since   http://bctrialofbasi-virk.blogspot.com/

http://lailayuile.wordpress.com/2009/06/29/the-key-to-the-bc-rail-sale-lays-in-premier-gordon-campbells-beginnings-in-real-estate-and-land-development/

3.  The pay-off of Basi and Virk to plead guilty to some charges in the trial – but not the ones relating to the sale of BC Rail http://therealstory.ca/2010-10-20/bc-politics/bc-rail-6-million-and-a-non-disclosure-deal-suppresses-evidence

and the highly suspect relationship between someone who assisted in authorizing the deal- and one of the key witnesses about to appear http://therealstory.ca/2010-10-21/bc-liberals/can-you-say-conflict

2. The HST and all the lies that surrounded the introduction of it to the people of BC – http://fighthst.com/

1. Child poverty rates the highest in the country – 7 years in a row – Shame, shame, shame. Doesn’t Campbell know the children really are our future ? http://www.firstcallbc.org/pdfs/currentissues/press%20release08stats.pdf