Dear Premier Eby,

Ordinarily I would be classified as a natural strong supporter of an NDP government, given the claim of the party to represent the interests of the working classes and those disadvantaged by the prevailing economic system and cultural biases.

I had a long time blue collar unionist history in one of the moderately paid sections of union work, and am now retired.

Unfortunately, it has long been a huge disappointment to myself and scores of my friends and acquaintance that the NDP has seriously detoured from good social democratic behaviour on a number of counts.

It has exhibited suppression of varieties of opinion legitimately of a social democratic nature, and resorted to twisted technical rationales, or no good reason at all, to sideline, silence, and exclude such opinion holders from participation in internal democratic proceedings.

It has misdirected and misinformed the public and its rank and file supporters about its actions in government.

It has put short term party electoral considerations and easy work arounds ahead of the long term interests of the populace.

It has broken its own treaties and obligations.

In particular, at present, I mention the province’s pursuit of the logging of old growth within the nesting potential of marbled murrelets.

This breaks treaties to which the province and the nation is party, greatly endangers the survival or the species in Canada, and is greatly reducing the vital role of old growth in providing a moderate stable climate which contributes mightily to save not only BC but the rest of the country from the climate instability which reduces reliable crop harvests and a safe and comfortable ambiance for humans.

Meanwhile the forestry services have become tools of the logging industry which is shedding jobs from modern efficiencies as well as from loss of timber supply. A ban on the export of unprocessed fibre, or its flagrant misuse by burning pelletized wood for mass heating and energy production is urgently needed if we are to maintain supportive ecosystems in BC and a livable climate here and more widely.

The lazy and short-sighted conduct of the NDP government is unworthy of anything purporting to be progressive, humanist, and favouring equity.
It shows not only in forestry but in its promotion of LNG, export of coal both from within and out of province, but in its lack of support for better public transportation and failure to think “outside the box” in its housing provision and building standards methods and areas of expansion. It should be saving more important ecosystems and present canopy in already human occupied areas, and building mostly in the less carbon sequestering areas as yet without human settlement.

This is a time to put increased and much more progressive taxation to work to guide the economy and culture away from fatuous self-indulgence in bling, big boys’ toys, travel, and unhealthy pursuits, rather than sink further into a society where the young have few prospects of a safe and environmentally pleasant life. It is a time to put less effort into public relations spin and more into careful and innovative thinking.

Sincerely,
Glynne Evans