by Andru McCracken, Editor
Leaders across BC should be jumping at the bit to work with the new provincial government.
But the pessimism about the new NDP government echoes that around coffee shops and village councils has the danger of becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Politics is a game of opportunity. Those communities and regions that pitch projects that mesh with the direction of the new party will go far.
And if our leaders and communities don’t shape up we will miss out on a golden opportunity to expand our economy and usher in a new era of growth.
We all know the NDP hopes to ditch Site C. Will there be other projects to take its place? Wouldn’t geothermal fit the bill?
The question is what is this new government trying to achieve and how does it fit with our hopes and dreams for
Valemount and McBride?
It is the same strategy we had under the Liberals: find out what their goals are and tell them in no uncertain terms how we can help.
Regardless of your political bent, we all know intuitively that governments are like diapers. They need to be changed often and for the same reason.
This new government is not beholden to their lobbyists yet; there are new opportunities that were not here just months ago.
If you don’t think the NDP can achieve at the economy, you might consider what the Liberals did for the environment (especially at the beginning of their 15-year reign).
It wasn’t long after the Liberals were first elected when they launched a world-leading carbon tax. I didn’t like it at the time (neither did you, I’ll bet), but it enabled BC to take some serious strides forward. Every year our communities benefit from that carbon tax. It funds infrastructure projects that, apart from making our communities a better place to be, also help us reduce carbon emissions.
This came from the Liberals! How? Why?
The Liberals were the only people who could have brought this forward. The NDP? Forget it. There would have been a general strike.
Now the NDP have taken power. Their efforts to strengthen the economy will not be met with a backlash, but open arms.
The NDP don’t have MLAs in our area so so our community leaders have a responsibility to be a conduit. We should remember we have one of the hardest working MLAs in the province on our side.
Could this be a golden age? It’s possible. But only if we stop cawing and start working.
I hope and expect Valemount and McBride council’s trip to UBCM this year to be incredibly fruitful.
A new government needs help growing an economy. Let’s help them.
